NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Friday, March 27, 2009

INCIDENTS

Catoctin Mountain Park

Boat Dropped Over Cliff Causes Small Spill

On March 25th, a 27-foot Bayliner motorboat was unexpectedly launched into Big Hunting Creek, closing State Route 77 and forcing an emergency response to mitigate resource impacts. A van towing the boat got a flat tire. While the operator was attempting to back the trailered boat to a safe stopping point, the trailer's wheel dropped off the pavement into soft duff and the boat slid off the trailer and down a 30-foot cliff into the creek. The boat was estimated to have about 50 gallons in its fuel tank. A large crane was brought in to extract the boat and two portable generators. The fuel tank was not compromised and only a few gallons of gasoline are estimated to have spilled from one generator. Big Hunting Creek is a small, freshwater creek and a sensitive trout sanctuary. It was the first in the state to be designated as catch and release and fly fishing only. Several former Presidents have fished in Big Hunting Creek. The creek in the area of the incident is only about a foot deep at this time of year. [Holly Rife, Chief Ranger]

OTHER NEWS

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

National Capital Region - The annual Cherry Blossom festival, which draws over one million visitors to Washington and the National Mall's Tidal Basin area, is set to begin Saturday, March 28th, and will run through Sunday, April 12th.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7485" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7485

Gettysburg NMP - Giant Bicycles and Holmes Cycling and Fitness have donated three bicycles to park protection rangers for use in patrolling Gettysburg NMP and Eisenhower NHS.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7486" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7486

Yosemite NP - The park hosted a live structural fire training session that involved live fire sets where crews were able to hone their firefighting skills, including observing fire behavior and applying appropriate fire control measures. Working together under stress also enhanced team cohesion.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7487" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7487

NPS Law Enforcement Training Center - Seventeen rangers graduated from Land Management Police Training Program Class 901 (LMPT-901) at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center on March 2nd.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2277" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2277

Training Calendar - A listing of upcoming training courses offered by the NPS and its partners across the nation. Added today area a commercial services monthly chat on managing concessioners with marginal operations, an annual law enforcement refresher at Natchez Trace, and six new TEL station courses on various aspects of managing workers compensation, cemetery and monument care, and iron fencing care.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Conferences&id=1706" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Conferences&id=1706

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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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