NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Friday, May 1, 2009

INCIDENTS

Grand Canyon NP

Search Underway For Three People Missing In Colorado River

Yesterday morning, park dispatch received a 911 call from Phantom Ranch and another call from an emergency phone located at the boat beach near the ranch, both reporting three people in the water. Witnesses said that they saw three people jump into the river near the beach and that they were last seen being swept downriver. Rangers began an aerial search of the river and positioned personnel along the river at two locations below the beach. Another ranger joined family members who were with the three people who entered the river. At the time of the report, additional personnel were responding. The park was also being assisted by a boat crew from Diamond River Adventures, a commercial concessioner. Water temperatures in the Colorado River in this area range from approximately 49 to 52 degrees. [Maureen Oltrogge, Public Affairs Officer]

National Capital Region

Eagle 1 Crew Assists In Rescue Of Man Stranded In Potomac

On the evening of Sunday, April 26th, Montgomery County fire and rescue units were dispatched to the Potomac River at Pennyfield Lock to rescue a person reported to be in distress in the river. The standard protocol for this type of rescue calls for the Park Police to also send a helicopter. Eagle 1, manned by pilot/sergeant Kevin Chittick and rescue technician/paramedic sergeant Chris Perkins responded. When Eagle 1 arrived, the crew spotted a man who'd apparently been swept about a quarter mile downriver by a swift current and had managed to swim to an island. Since there was no access from the shore, Perkins jumped about five feet from the helicopter while Chittick maintained a hover. Perkins evaluated the man's condition and found that he was not seriously injured. A Montgomery County fire department boat picked the man up and brought him to shore. The man declined further treatment and transport to a hospital for treatment of a leg injury. [Sergeant David Schlosser, Public Information Officer]

Rocky Mountain NP

Body Found In Burned Car

A staff member from the west side of the park came upon a burned vehicle off U.S. 34 just south of the Kawuneeche Visitor Center at 7 a.m. on the morning of April 29th. There was the body of a person inside. An investigation is ongoing by the FBI, Rocky Mountain National Park and the Grand County Sheriff's Office. No further information is available at this time. [Kyle Patterson, Public Information Officer]

OTHER NEWS

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

Office of Public Affairs - The Omnibus Public Land Management Act recently signed by President Obama has a provision that calls for the creation of comprehensive paleontological resource management programs on federal lands administered by Interior and Agriculture.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7620" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7620

Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services - An NPS ranger and two NPS special agents have received certificates of appreciation from DOI for their outstanding efforts on behalf of crime victims.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7619" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7619

NPS Alumni - Retired NPS employee Meredith Hudson Hinson passed away on April 23rd after a prolonged illness at her home in Quitman, Texas. Her husband of 50 years and children were at her side.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2325" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2325

NPS Alumni - Former Denali National Park mountaineering ranger John Evans, age 54, died on Tuesday, April 28th, from injuries sustained in a fall in Snowdonia National Park near his winter home in North Wales.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2326" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2326

Blue Ridge Parkway - Southwestern Community College seasonal law enforcement training program manager Melissa (Missy) Hill struck a truck with her motorcycle last Friday and is now in a coma at Mission Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2324" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2324

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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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