NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Monday, July 20, 2009

INCIDENT

Grand Canyon NP

Man Who Drove Car Over Rim Identified

The body of a man who drove his car over the edge of the Grand Canyon last week has been identified as that of Gheorghe Chiriac of Apple Valley, California. Park dispatch received numerous reports that a car had been driven over the edge near the El Tovar Hotel on the South Rim around 6 a.m. on Monday, July 13th. Upon arriving at the scene, rangers found tire tracks indicating that a car had been driven up onto the curb of the loading area between the El Tovar Hotel and the Kachina Lodge. The car then veered left, traveling through the grass behind Kachina Lodge until it reached the Thunderbird Lodge, where it veered right and into the canyon. As the car had traveled a significant distance from the regular roadway, there was no wall or barrier where it went over the edge. Rescue personnel descended on ropes and located the vehicle approximately 600 feet below the rim. The man's body was found shortly thereafter. After the scene was documented, the body was transported to the rim by helicopter via long-line operation and then picked up by the Coconino County medical examiner. The body has now been identified as that of 57-year-old G.C., who emigrated from Romania approximately 30 years ago. His death has been ruled a suicide. [Shannan Marcak, Public Affairs Specialist]

Grand Teton NP

Rangers Locate And Rescue Kayaker From Snake River

Rangers conducted a full-scale search for an overdue solo kayaker on the Snake River late last Wednesday night and early on the following morning. J.D., 71, of Colfax, Indiana, was spotted by rangers and members of the Teton interagency helitak crew from the park's contract helicopter at approximately 8:15 a.m. Thursday after she spent an unexpected night out on the river. J.D. was unharmed, but had floated several miles beyond her intended destination of Deadman's Bar landing. She was found two miles upstream from the Moose landing, near the Bar BC historic site. J.D. launched an inflatable kayak at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday evening from the Pacific Creek landing, telling family members that she would either float a short distance and paddle back to the launch site, or continue on to Deadman's Bar, some ten river miles downstream. J.D. was unfamiliar with the Snake River; although she had experience canoeing on lakes and small streams, she lacked experience with both a kayak and a swift flowing river (the Snake River is currently flowing at approximately 4,300 cubic feet per second below the Buffalo Fork confluence). When darkness overcame J.D. around 9:30 p.m., she beached her kayak on a sandbar in the middle of the river and stayed put rather than continuing to float downstream on an unknown course. She also turned her kayak over and took shelter from a cold breeze. Overnight temperatures on the Snake River reached 35 degrees and J.D. had no supplemental clothing or equipment to protect her from the elements. Just before 10 p.m., rangers received a report that J.D. was overdue and missing. Due to the late hour and decreasing temperature, rangers quickly organized a wide-spread search that included checking several river locations. Rangers also used night-vision goggles to attempt to detect her in the dark conditions before the moon rose, but were unsuccessful in their efforts. A more extensive search was organized for first light on Thursday morning, and the Teton interagency helicopter was summoned to assist with an aerial reconnaissance. A total of 19 park personnel and Teton interagency staff ultimately assisted with the search and rescue operation. Although J.D. was wearing a sage green life jacket that blended in with her surroundings, rangers spotted her when she waved her arms at the sight of the helicopter on Thursday morning. Two additional rangers were able to launch a raft from the west bank of the river and reach her shortly after she was spotted from the air. They then floated her to a location near the old Bar BC Dude Ranch, where a park ambulance was waiting. Emergency medical personnel assessed her physical condition and determined that she should be transported to St. John's Medical Center for additional medical care. Rangers credit J.D. with keeping her wits about her and for beaching on the sandbar rather than continuing through the braided and debris-strewn river channels beyond. Although this incident had a positive outcome, it could have resulted in serious injury or worse for J.D. because of the late hour of the day and her lack of river knowledge. [Jackie Skaggs, Public Affairs Officer]

Gateway NRA

Investigation Underway Into Endangered Species Act Violation

Natural resource staff from the park's Sandy Hook Unit discovered a piping plover nest that had been intentionally destroyed in the area north of Gunnison Beach last week. Piping plover are listed as federally threatened and protected under the provisions of the Endangered Species Act. The nest, with two eggs, was within an area posted with signs and symbolic fencing and protected by an electrified predator exclosure. The nest was observed being actively incubated the day before and the chicks were due to hatch within the next couple of days. Park staff found that the electric fence charger had been disconnected, that the predator exclosure had been pulled up off the nest, and that the eggs had been removed. Two sets of footprints led from the nearby recreational beach to the nest and then on to a second nest site with an exclosure. The plovers in the second nest, however, had already hatched. Sandy Hook protection rangers are investigating the incident along with a special agent from the US Fish and Wildlife Service. A joint FWS-NPS $4,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest. [Bruce Lane, Natural Resource Supervisor]

OTHER NEWS

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

Weir Farm NHS - On the last day of May, the park welcomed over 200 art lovers and artists of all ages to enjoy the fun of creating art in nature. “A Brush with Nature”, a free day-long plein air art event, celebrated the creation of art in a landscape that has inspired artists for over 125 years.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7938" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7938

Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services - The Branch of Emergency Services has released a draft search and rescue reference manual. RM-59 establishes the policy and procedural framework for the management of NPS SAR programs. Comments on the draft RM are due by August 15th.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7939" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7939

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=7940" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7940

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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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