NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
INCIDENTS
Denali NP&P
Lost Hiker Tracked Via Cell Phone Messages And Rescued
The park received a report of a lost hiker in the Mount Healy area of the park in the early hours of Saturday, June 20th. D.C., 19, of Bowling Brook, Illinois, a local seasonal employee of Princess Resorts, had begun his solo climb to the summit of the mountain at 1 p.m. on Saturday from the Mt. Healy overlook trailhead near the park's visitor center. After summiting around 4 p.m., he attempted to descend on the opposite north slope but lost the route and dialed 911 after becoming disoriented and mildly hypothermic and falling in steep terrain several times. Rangers were able to contact D.C. on his cell phone - although phone reception was not sufficient for voice communications at his location, they were able to communicate with him by text message during the search. After narrowing the search area based on clues provided by D.C., rangers mobilized search teams and were able to direct park aircraft to the general area of the upper Dry Creek drainage. He was soon spotted at a location on upper Dry Creek just outside of the park's boundary by personnel in the park's fixed wing aircraft and retrieved shortly afterwards by the park contract high-altitude rescue helicopter. D.C. required no medical attention and was returned to his seasonal housing in Healy after some much-appreciated water and food, as he had begun his hike with no food, water, or raingear. [Richard Moore, North District Ranger]
Grand Teton NP
Two Injured In Motorcycle Collision With Pronghorn
A collision between a motorcycle with two riders aboard and a pronghorn on the afternoon of Saturday, June 20th, resulted in serious injuries to the passenger and minor injuries to the operator. The accident took place on Highway 26/89/191 two miles south of the Snake River overlook. B.B., a 38-year-old resident of Garland, Utah and his passenger and wife, 46-year-old K.B., were traveling southbound when the collision occurred. B.B. was leading a string of about seven motorcycles when he entered the northbound lane, attempting to pass a motor home. As he started to clear the front of the RV, a pronghorn began to race across the highway. While traveling at approximately 65 miles per hour, B.B. attempted to swerve left to avoid the animal. In response to the approaching vehicle, the pronghorn leapt into the air and impacted the right side of the motorcycle. The force of the impact knocked both riders off the motorcycle, causing the bike to tip over. The motorcycle continued to slide for approximately 100 feet down the highway. Neither B.B. nor his wife was wearing a helmet at the time. Eleven park rangers and emergency medical personnel responded immediately to the scene. Emergency medical personnel from Teton County and an off-duty Minnesota highway patrolman, who was first on the scene, also assisted. Two ambulances—one from Grand Teton and the other from Teton County—responded to transport the two injured people to St. John's Medical Center in Jackson. Due to the serious nature of the incident, and the multiple ambulances and emergency medical personnel required to treat the couple, Highway 26/89/191 was closed to traffic for about an hour. [Jackie Skaggs, Public Affairs Officer]
OTHER NEWS
The following stories are among those in today's edition of InsideNPS.
National Parks of New York Harbor - As she prepares for the nation's 233rd birthday, Lady Liberty is taking measures to make sure that everyone who ascends the 354 steps to her crown that day and each day after will be a safe as possible given the inherent risks. Among the preparations has been the creation of a rope access team (RAT) to respond to emergencies inside the statue.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7853" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7853
Visitor and Resource Protection - Although a draft of Director's Order 53 (DO-53) covering policies and procedures governing the issuing of special park uses permits has already been circulated for internal comments, the program manager is asking for NPS personnel to once again review it and submit any comments.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7854" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7854
Pictured Rocks NL - Details have been provided on services set for this Saturday in New Jersey, for Thursday, June 25, in Michigan, and in several Alaska parks in coming weeks. Photo.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2391" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2391
Intermountain Region - Eight retired or current NPS superintendents volunteered recently to help finalize the post hospital restoration project at Fort Davis National Historic Site in Texas. Photo.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7850" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7850
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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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