NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

INCIDENTS

Big South Fork NRRA

Man Dies In Canoeing Accident

Four men headed off on a two-day canoe trip on the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River around 3 p.m. on Friday, May 15th, launching their two open canoes at the Leatherwood Ford river access. About two miles downstream, they missed their intended portage at Angel Falls Rapid and were swept into the Class IV whitewater, where both canoes overturned. All four men were washed through the rapid and emerged in a large pool of flat water. They were able to establish voice contact with each other and verified that all four had emerged from the rapid. The two members of the group who were furthest downstream secured the canoes and equipment on the west bank of the river and awaited the arrival of their two companions. They saw one of them - T.E., 61, of Knoxville, Tennessee - swimming toward them, then suddenly give a shout and begin having trouble staying afloat. The two men swam to his aid and found T.E. face down in the water and unresponsive. They pulled him to shore and attempted to revive him, but without success. T.E. was not wearing a lifejacket at the time. One member of the group hiked about a quarter mile through very rugged terrain to reach a hiking trail, then followed it for about two miles upstream to Leatherwood Ford, where he used an emergency phone to call 911. Rangers Tom Barnes and Howard Duncan responded along with personnel from Scott County EMS and the county's rescue squad. Rescue team personnel used ropes and a litter to pull T.E. up a very steep and muddy river bank and carried him to a trail where an ATV was used to transport him back to an ambulance at Leatherwood Ford. He was taken to a local ER, where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy is pending. Barnes was the incident commander and is the investigating ranger. [Frank Graham, Chief Ranger]

Grand Teton NP

Traffic Stop Culminates In Drug Arrest

On May 8th, park ranger trainee Matt Smith and field training ranger Justin Ivary made a vehicle stop for excessive speed on Highway 89 within the park. A consent search of the vehicle revealed drug paraphernalia associated with heroin use. Further search led to the recovery of marijuana and controlled prescription drugs for which the driver had no prescription. Ranger Julie Kovacs and her drug dog, “Emma,” were instrumental in the search. The driver was arrested and taken to the Teton County jail. After consultation with assistant U.S. attorney Lee Pico, Smith wrote a criminal complaint charging the driver with 21 USC 844a, possession of controlled substances (marijuana and Suboxone). [Matt Vandzura, FTL]

OTHER NEWS

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

Indiana Dunes NL - More than 5,000 people, including 2,000 school children from three states, joined scientists at the park for this year's 24-hour Bioblitz, during which participants, led by over 150 scientists from all over the country, combed the park, observing and recording as many plant and animal species as possible during a 24-hour period.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7706" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7706

Washington Office - Megan McArthur, an astronaut on Space Shuttle Atlantis, currently orbiting the earth on its Hubble telescope repair mission, is carrying a banner with an NPS system map showing all 391 sites.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7711" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7711

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=7710" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7710

US Park Police - This year's Hakim Farthing Award for Excellence in DWI and Traffic Enforcement has been conferred on master patrol officer Anthony Giannino.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2352" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2352

Denver Service Center - Kristie Franzmann has been selected as the chief of the Park Roads and Parkways Branch of the Transportation Division at Denver Service Center.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2348" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2348

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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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