NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
Monday, October 6, 2008
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INCIDENTS
Yosemite NP
Park Staff Assist In Fossett Aircraft Crash Recovery Operation
On October 1st, a hiker contacted the Mono County Sheriff's Department and showed officers a pilot's license and about $1,000 in cash that he'd found scattered on the ground while hiking in the Inyo National Forest near Devils Post Pile NM. The license belonged to Steve Fossett, the noted American businessman and adventurer who disappeared just over a year ago while flying a Bellanca Super Decathalon airplane from a private airstrip just over the border in Nevada. The discovery sparked resurgence in the search for Fossett, who had intended on taking only a short flight in the Decathalon and had not filed any flight plan. A huge search had been conducted for him, but no trace of his aircraft was found and the search was eventually suspended. Yosemite was asked to provide mutual aid assistance in the search for the plane, and ranger Matt Stark located the crash site from the park's Helicopter 551 around 6 p.m. The landing zone providing access to the accident site was in alpine terrain at over 10,200 feet, limiting the type of helicopter that could safely operate there. On October 2nd and 3rd, the National Park Service again supplied Helicopter 551 and personnel for the recovery operation. Park staff helped the Madera County Sheriff's Department with the recovery of Fossett's remains and assisted the NTSB investigator. They also helped Inyo National Forest personnel with the removal and cleanup of the accident site, which is in a designated wilderness. [Keith Lober, Emergency Services Manager]
Mammoth Cave NP
Ranger Uses Taser To Disarm Knife Wielding Man
On September 15th, an Edmonson County deputy sheriff requested back up from Mammoth Cave rangers in dealing with an armed man who'd been involved in a domestic dispute. Deputy Shane Doyle responded to the call and encountered 24-year-old C.N., who'd assaulted his grandmother. C.N. was intoxicated and was waving a knife around. Doyle drew his gun and ordered C.N. to drop the knife, but C.N. refused and continued to walk around, waving it in the air. Ranger Peter Zahrt then arrived at the scene and told C.N. to drop the knife or he would receive a taser shock. C.N. continued to disobey commands to drop the knife, so Zahrt fired the taser at him. C.N. immediately fell to the ground and Doyle moved in to secure the knife and handcuff him. C.N. was transported to a nearby medical facility for treatment of self-inflicted knife wounds, then taken to the Grayson County Correctional Center. Doyle later said that he would have used deadly force to stop C.N. if Zahrt hadn't used his taser. [Brad McDougal, Supervisory Park Ranger]
National Historic Landmarks
Kate Chopin House Burns To Ground
The Kate Chopin House, named for the legendary feminist writer who lived there during the 1880s, burned to the ground in an early morning fire on October 1st. The structure, located in Cloutierville, Louisiana, was designated a National Historic Landmark by the Department of Interior in 1993. The cause of the fire has not been determined. For a news article with additional details, click on the link below.
HYPERLINK "http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081002/NEWS01/810020324/1060" http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081002/NEWS01/810020324/1060
Lake Mead NRA
Local Teenager Drowns In Lake Mohave
On the afternoon of October 3rd, P.T., 19, of Bullhead City, Arizona, dove into Lake Mohave from a boat near Rams Head Cove but failed to resurface. The park received a report of the accident around 3:30 p.m. and rangers were on-scene within an hour. Divers from Bullhead City FD found his body in about 70 feet of water two hours later. He was not wearing a life jacket and is presumed to have drowned. [Andrew Munoz, Public Affairs Officer]
Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP
Man Jumps To Death From Chasm View Overlook
Rangers and members of the park's volunteer climbing ranger team recovered the body of a 21-year-old man at the base of Chasm View overlook on Friday, September 19th. He'd been reported missing on Tuesday, and rangers found his car at the overlook after receiving an “attempt to locate” message from the local sheriff's office. Rangers spotted what appeared to be a body at the base of the overlook, an observation that was confirmed by members of a hasty search team who hiked into the canyon that afternoon. A recovery team entered the canyon and prepared the body for extraction via helicopter long-line. Investigators determined that he'd fallen about 1800 feet. A forensic autopsy was conducted and the medical examiner has ruled the death a suicide. [Linda Alick, Chief Ranger]
OTHER NEWS
Among the stories in today's edition are the following:
Fire and Aviation Management - In recognition of Fire Prevention Week, which began yesterday and runs through this coming Saturday, the NPS structural fire program is promoting this year's theme, preventing home fire, by incorporating home fire prevention strategies and information in its latest newsletter.
HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=6924" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=6924
Legislative and Congressional Affairs - This week's update on past and upcoming hearings and the status of legislation pertinent to the National Park Service.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6935" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6935
Andersonville NHS - Long time park chief of maintenance Jimmie Harris has retired from federal service. He served as maintenance supervisor at Andersonville from 1990 on and in the same capacity at the Jimmy Carter Site for 17 years. He leaves with 40 years of federal service.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2090" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2090
US Park Police - Pilot officer Laura Johnson retired from the United States Park Police on August 9th following 23 years of dedicated service.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2089" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2089
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Submission standards for the Morning Report can be found at the following web site:
HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=3363" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=3363
Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services, Washington Office, with the support of the Office of the Chief Information Officer and Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@nps.gov).
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