NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Monday, May 4, 2009

INCIDENTS

Grand Canyon NP

Body Of One Of Three Missing Men Found

On Friday afternoon, rangers recovered the body of 16-year-old M.M., who'd been missing since Thursday morning when he and two companions disappeared after jumping into the Colorado River. The body was found about a mile below Boat Beach, where the three were last seen. The search continues for 22-year-old J.M. and 16-year-old S.S.. A section of the river from Boat Beach to Hermit Rapid, a distance of about ten river miles, has been searched by boat, from the air and on foot, but no sign of them has yet been found. A search dog and its handler have also worked both banks of the river below Boat Beach, and rangers have prepared and distributed a missing person's flyer to boaters and hikers along the river. The park is being supported by Arizona DPS, the Coconino County Sheriff's Office, Xanterra South Rim LLC, Delaware North Park Services (Canyon Village Market Place), and visitors and volunteers who have provided assistance with the search effort and support to the families of these young men. [Maureen Oltrogge, Public Affairs Officer]

Glen Canyon NRA

Body Of Boating Victim Found, Search Continues For Another

A rental boat with six people on board swamped and sank on Saturday, April 25th. Winds were gusting to 55 mph at the time and waves on the lake were four-feet high. Nobody in the group was wearing a lifejacket. Two of the six made it to shore and the bodies of two others were found shortly thereafter. Search operations have continued ever since. On April 27th, the body of T.T. was recovered from Lake Powell, but efforts to find the sixth and final victim - R.P. - have so far been unsuccessful. Sidescan sonar has been employed and searchers have continued looking along the lake's shoreline. Based on information from the survivors and results of previous searches, it appears likely that the body will be found in the near future. The park will again employ its ROV (remotely operated underwater vehicle) to search a likely area today. [Brent McGinn, Chief Ranger]

Zion NP

Rangers Rescue Kayakers From The Narrows

During the last weekend in April, rangers rescued a number of people following boating accidents in Zion Narrows. During the spring snowmelt runoff season, the flow of the North Fork of the Virgin River is occasionally high enough to allow for whitewater kayaking. This year, five boating parties obtained permits for one-day trips through the Narrows over the weekend. Members of four of the groups unintentionally spent nights in the Narrows, with kayakers in two of the groups losing their boats and requiring assistance to complete their trips. On the afternoon of April 24th, kayaker C.M. was washed under a log jam. Fortunately, he was not trapped by the hazard and was able to safely reach the river bank, but his boat was lost downstream. The remaining two members of his party left him their extra food and warm clothing and continued on their way. They eventually came upon another group and both groups spent the night together. On the following afternoon, C.M.'s party reported his predicament to the park, which organized a rescue team that including roads and trails foreman Don Sharlow, ranger Dan Hovenac, and local resident Logan Hebner. The team began its descent of the Narrows on Sunday morning. A Bell 47G helicopter served as a radio relay. Two of the other groups that had planned day trips for Saturday failed to clear the Narrows by day's end. The first group, consisting of two hard shell kayakers, provided C.M. with additional food, then continued downstream; members of the second group, who were in two inflatable kayaks, invited C.M. to accompany them. On Sunday morning, C.M. and his new travelling companions came upon the boats of the hard shell kayakers who had passed C.M. the afternoon before. One boat was on a gravel bar in a narrow section of canyon. The boat was tied to a rope which was anchored 80 feet up the difficult to climb cliff face. A second boat was found upside down downstream. C.M. finally exited the Narrows on Sunday afternoon, 48 hours after losing his boat. When C.M.'s party came out of the Narrows, they reported the abandoned kayaks. The Bell helicopter began searching the mesas above the kayaks. The two kayakers were discovered, cliffed-out 800 feet above the river, unable to climb up or down. The two had attempted to climb out of the canyon after one of the kayakers lost his boat. They were concerned with fluctuating river levels and flash floods. The helicopter's pilot was unable to land near them due to heavy brush, so Grand Canyon's short haul team was requested. Due to higher rotor clearance, the Grand Canyon MD 900 helicopter was able to locate a safe landing zone and the two kayakers were picked up and flown out of the backcountry. Zion Narrows was temporarily closed to boating while the causes of the multiple incidents were evaluated (they were reopened on April 30th). The NPS has advised prospective boaters that they should be comfortable with Class V whitewater prior to attempting the Narrows run. At some levels, the rapids may warrant a lower classification, but the extreme difficulty of rescue requires that boaters be highly proficient and self-sufficient. Rescue in the Narrows, if possible at all, will be significantly delayed due to the extreme inaccessibility of the canyon. Boaters are also reminded to plan for unintended overnight stays and emergencies. [Bonnie Schwartz, Chief Ranger; Ray O'Neil, Plateau District Ranger]

Shenandoah NP

Ranger Successfully Intervenes In Attempted Suicide

On April 22nd, park dispatch received a call from a concerned mother who said that she believed her daughter was going to take her life and that she could be in the park. Ranger Jim Barnes searched for and found her vehicle parked along Skyline Drive. The 37-year-old woman was semi-conscious when Barnes attempted to communicate with her through locked doors. Because of her condition, she was unable to unlock the doors on her own. After seeing what appeared to be suicide notes on the dashboard and recognizing the woman's depressed level of consciousness, Barnes broke out the passenger side window with his ASP baton. After removing the woman from her car, Barnes provided emergency care, maintained her airway and itemized a list of medications found in the vehicle so that appropriate medical treatment could be given. The list included antidepressants, anti-anxiety medication, pain killers and sleeping pills. She was taken to Warren Memorial Hospital in Front Royal, Virginia, where she was admitted into the ICU. [Pete Webster, Deputy Chief Ranger]

OTHER NEWS

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

National Interagency Fire Center - This year's fire season outlook identifies a few areas of concern and forecasts normal to below normal potential across most of the West.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7625" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7625

Office of 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=7626" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7626

NPS Alumni - John P. Bowdler, retired head of the National Park Service's office at the National Interagency Fire Center, passed away on April 19th at the Idaho State Veterans Home.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2328" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2328

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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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