NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

INCIDENTS

Grand Canyon NRA

Man Rescued After Being Injured In Fall

A 60-year-old Boulder, Colorado, man was rescued on Sunday morning after he slipped and fell while climbing in a drainage off the South Rim's popular Bright Angel Trail approximately two miles below the rim. A member of his hiking party called 911 and reported the incident to dispatchers. The caller said that the man had fallen only a short distance, but that he had landed on his head and appeared to be disoriented. Park rangers responded and immediately began treating the man for his injuries. Because of the location and the type of injuries, rangers called for the park helicopter and short-hauled the man to a nearby helispot. They then loaded him into the helicopter, flew him to the South Rim helibase, and transferred him to a Guardian air ambulance for the flight to Flagstaff Medical Center. He is being treated there for his injuries. About 18 park staff were involved in the operation. [Maureen Oltrogge, Public Affairs Officer]

Colorado NM

Cyclists Discover Suicide Victim At Overlook

On Saturday, June 20th, three local cyclists enjoying a morning ride along Rim Rock Drive discovered a man's body near Red Canyon Overlook and called 911. Responding rangers found the body and closed the overlook to public access. The victim was found to be a 39-year-old man from Grand Junction who had shot himself near the overlook, then fallen below it. He left a suicide note. Park rangers were assisted at the scene by Mesa County Sheriff's Department deputies and Glade Park Volunteer Fire Department personnel. Mesa County's coroner arrived a few hours later to remove the body, so the overlook remained closed for several hours. Additional park staff were dispatched to the overlook to assist and redirect visitors who were driving or cycling to the popular overlook on a busy Saturday morning during the first "fee free weekend" of the summer. This marks the first suicide actually committed this year in the park despite a rash of suicide attempts, and, fortunately, dozens of successful and sometimes heroic suicide interventions by park rangers and visitor use assistants. [Joan Anzelmo, Superintendent]

OTHER NEWS

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

America's Best Idea - Every Wednesday this summer, the NPS will highlight a park as a great getaway. On the fee-free weekends, the Service will promote a fee park to encourage exploration and discovery - a “free trial” visit. Prince William Forest Park is first in the series.

HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=7836" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=7836

HYPERLINK "http://www.nps.gov/getaways/" http://www.nps.gov/getaways/

Pictured Rocks NL - Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is deeply saddened to report that Meg Hahr, chief of science and resource management, died suddenly on Sunday as the result of injuries sustained in a mountain biking accident. Photo.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2390" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2390

Alaska Region - Lisa Fox has been selected as the chief of commercial services for Katmai and Lake Clark. She replaces Becky Brock, who will leave for a concessions position at Buffalo River later this month.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2387" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2387

Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center - The Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center has posted a number of new documents to its web page, including interviews with liaison officers on lessons learned, an upcoming webinar on Australia's ‘Stay or Go' program, and an analysis of the Pepper Hill Fire of 1938, which killed eight firefighters.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7848" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7848

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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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