NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Monday, January 5, 2008

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INCIDENTS

Cuyahoga Valley NP

Sulfuric Acid Spilled In Tanker Crash, Driver Killed

The driver of a tanker truck carrying 3,000 gallons of sulfuric acid lost control of his vehicle on Steels Corner Road in the early morning hours on December 26th and crashed into a gully on park property by the intersection of Akron-Peninsula and Steels Corner Roads. The operator, S.F., 44, of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, was killed in the accident. Approximately 50 gallons of sulfuric acid spilled onto the ground; the remaining acid was siphoned into another tanker. At the time of the crash, the truck was making a delivery to the city composting facility on Riverview Road (the city uses sulfuric acid to balance the pH factor at the facility). Ohio EPA was notified and brought chemicals to neutralize the acid. A private contractor removed the contaminated soil. The crash occurred in a fairly remote area and as a precautionary measure the NPS temporarily closed a section of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath trail. The NPS and Akron Police Department are working together on the investigation. Akron PD is leading on both the collision and death investigations; the NPS is assessing the clean-up and final restoration efforts. This is the same location as a tanker truck rollover two months ago. [Chris Ryan, Chief Ranger]

Natchez Trace Parkway

Pickup Truck Driver Killed In Early Morning Accident

Park dispatch received a report of an accident near milepost 164 in Attala County, Mississippi, early on the morning of December 29th. A 1990 Ford Ranger pickup had gone off the road and hit a tree. Local police, fire and EMS units responded and extricated D.R., 20, of Pegram, Tennessee, from the truck. He did not survive the accident. Family members reported that D.R. had been driving from Tennessee to work in Mississippi and may have fallen asleep at the wheel. [Calvin Farmer]

OTHER NEWS

The following stories are among those in today's edition of InsideNPS:

Andrew Johnson NHS - The park brought to a close a year-long celebration of the 200th anniversary of the birth of President Andrew Johnson on December 29th with a birthday party, presidential wreath laying ceremony, luminaries, and a fireworks display.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7225" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7225

Editor's Desk - Each year, hundreds of employees from across the National Park Service send in contributions to InsideNPS. This year, we thought it would be interesting to find out just how many people contributed in a given year and to run all of their names - nearly 900 all told.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7226" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7226

Office of Legislative and Congressional Affairs - The 110th Congress has finished its work. Several significant pieces of legislation were signed into law during 2007-2008, but Congress also left a large number of bills that were ready for final approval to be taken up anew by the 111th Congress.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7227" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7227

US Park Police - Major James Moore retired from the United States Park Police on January 3rd after 31 years of distinguished service. Affectionately known as Jimmy, he has been an energetic and inspirational leader within the Park Police.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2194" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2194

NPS Alumni - Gene Phillips, a career ranger who last served as chief ranger at Gulf Islands, passed away at home on December 31st.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2193" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2193

Shenandoah NP - After 28 years of working in civil rights for the federal government, the last 12 with Northeast Region, Victoria Squier is retiring.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2188" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2188

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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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