NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

INCIDENT

Yosemite NP

Rangers Rescue Climber Perched On Tiny Ledge

Park dispatch received a cell phone call from climber D.S. around 10 a.m. on Wednesday, July 15th, in which D.S. reported that he'd become ledged-out while scrambling on a dome near Merced Lake and that he'd need assistance getting off the ledge. He said that he wasn't in any immediate danger, but that he was unable to ascend or descend from his location. Upon flying past, rescue personnel were shocked to discover that D.S. had downplayed his predicament. They found that he was standing on minuscule ledge, clinging to the rock on a nearly vertical wall approximately 800 feet above the valley floor. D.S.'s position was deemed to be too tenuous to try to retrieve him directly by short haul. The concern was that the buffeting winds from the aircraft might dislodge D.S. from his stance before he could be made secure. The pilot, Richard Shatto, and the two spotters, Jeff Pirog and Boots Davenport, had a difficult time maintaining a steady hover with the aircraft due to gusting winds. Ranger Keith Lober was short-hauled into a location 50 feet above D.S.'s perch where he power drilled three anchor bolts. Ranger Eric Gabriel was then short-hauled to the anchor station. Lober lowered Gabriel down to D.S., who was then secured in a “screamer suit;” he and Gabriel were then short-hauled off the face. Cell phone coverage in Yosemite backcountry is generally nonexistent. D.S. was incredibly lucky, as the location where he became stuck was just high enough for the cell signal to peek over the surrounding rock faces and hit the Sentinel Dome repeater, the only repeater in that area of remote wilderness. Incidentally, D.S. had sustained and recovered from two short falls just before deciding to stop and request help. [Keith Lober, Emergency Medical Services Program Manager]

Jefferson National Expansion Memorial

Special Event Teams Provide Security At All-Star Game Activities

Special event teams from the Midwest, Intermountain, and Northeast Regions were deployed to the park last week due to the number of events associated with the All-Star Game throughout the downtown Saint Louis area and the related nationwide media attention. On July 11th, the park hosted the Major League Baseball All-Star Game charity concert with Sheryl Crow and Elvis Costello. Local media outlets reported crowds of 50,000 for the concert. Other events associated with Major League Baseball included a special exhibit on baseball's expansion west and a ‘historic' pick-up game featuring traditional uniforms and rules. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Acting Director Dan Wenk also visited the park. Their visit included a tour of the park grounds and ride to the top of the Arch before going to the Old Court House for a private meeting and subsequent press conference. [Pete Swisher, Chief Ranger]

Blue Ridge Parkway

Motorcyclist Killed In Accident

E.D., 50, of Wesson, Mississippi, was traveling northbound on the parkway on the afternoon of July 11th when his 1986 Honda motorcycle left the road and struck a tree. The accident was fatal. Rangers, Leake County deputies and Thomastown Volunteer Fire Department personnel all responded. The cause of the accident remains under investigation. [Allen Etheridge, Chief Ranger]

OTHER NEWS

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

Public Health - New guidance on the flu has been issued. It is based on the current worldwide and US situation as well as information provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7948" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7948

Denver Service Center - The center has begun a program whereby employees overseeing Recovery Act projects are recognized for their efforts. Photo.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7937" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7937

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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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