NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Thursday, July 23, 2009

INCIDENT

Yellowstone NP

Park Visitor Gored By Bison

A visitor from Southern California was gored by a bison in a park campground yesterday morning. The 55-year-old man from Norco, California, was staying in Bridge Bay Campground. About 11:30 a.m., he was taking pictures of a bull bison that was wandering among the campsites. When the two got to within about ten feet of each other, the bison charged the camper. The man received a puncture wound to the upper left thigh. He was treated at the Lake Clinic, then transported by ambulance to St. John's Medical Center in Jackson, Wyoming. His injuries are not considered to be life threatening. This is the second time a park visitor has been injured by a bison this summer. A 50-year-old woman from Spain was tossed in the air by a bull bison in the Canyon area on June 24th while talking on a pay phone. She was treated for minor injuries. A bull bison can stand six feet tall, weigh up to 2,000 pounds, and run at speeds up to 30 miles an hour. Bison can be dangerous at any time, but may be more so during the next several weeks, which mark the peak of their mating season. Park regulations require people to stay at least 25 yards away from most animals, such as bison and elk, and at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves at all times. Those who fail to abide by these requirements not only put themselves in danger, they may also be subject to a citation and fine. Visitors desiring a closer look at animals are encouraged to use binoculars, a spotting scope, or the zoom lens on their still or video camera. [Public Affairs]

Yosemite NP

Rangers Deal With Two Multiple Injury Accidents Within Five Days

Mather District rangers dealt with two serious accidents that injured a total of 15 people this past week. On July 15th, the driver of a passenger van carrying eight people fell asleep on the Tioga Road east of Yosemite Creek. The van went over the edge, rolling completely at least once on a talus slope before hitting a tree that stopped its descent. The impact with the tree prevented the vehicle from rolling several hundred feet further down the embankment. Nine Mather rangers assisted at the accident scene, along with Tuolumne SAR volunteers and ambulance staff from Yosemite Valley and El Portal. Four park ambulances transported the van's occupants to area medical facilities for treatment of injuries that included a clavicle fracture, lower leg fracture, and various back and neck problems. Scott Jacobs was the incident commander. On July 19th, nine Mather rangers responded to a head-on collision between two SUV's, also on the Tioga Road. Six people sustained injuries, including lack of sensation below the waist, back and neck trauma, and chest pain. Rangers were joined by SAR rescuers from Tuolumne Meadows and Yosemite Valley. Three victims were flown to medical facilities in the Central Valley, while the three less injured parties were transported to Sonora and the Yosemite Medical Clinic. The investigation to determine the cause of the accident is ongoing. Kathryn Andrews served as incident commander. [Sally Sprouse, Acting Mather District Ranger]

Shenandoah NP

Ranger Successfully Intervenes In Suicide Attempt

During the early morning hours of July 13th, park dispatch received a report of a suicidal woman who was possibly in the park. The report from the Montgomery County (Maryland) Police Department advised that she was missing and possibly suicidal, and that a cell phone belonging to her had pinged off a tower near the park. Ranger Jim Barnes responded from his residence and located the woman in her vehicle at the Shenandoah Valley overlook. When he contacted her, she repeatedly asked him to leave her there and let her die. In the vehicle was a suicide note along with a bottle of sleeping pills, a bottle of ibuprofen, and a bottle of Nyquil, all of which were empty. A receipt in the vehicle showed that the medication had been purchased earlier that evening. A local ambulance from the town of Front Royal responded and transported the woman to Warren Memorial Hospital in Front Royal, where she was admitted, then later transferred to Winchester Medical Center in Winchester, Virginia. The woman is doing well and is scheduled to be released from the hospital today. This is the second time in the past three months that Barnes has successfully intervened in a suicide attempt at this overlook. [Pete Webster, Deputy Chief Ranger]

Mojave NP

Suicide Victim Found At Inholder Residence

On July 21st, a woman contacted the information desk at the Kelso Depot Visitor Center and said that she hadn't heard for a while from her father, M.O., who was staying at an inholder residence within the park. She asked that a ranger check on him, as he'd left a message for her the previous day saying that she should send help if he was not heard from by 8 a.m. on the 21st. Ranger Brian Cooperider and a San Bernardino County deputy sheriff drove to the residence near Cima and discovered M.O. dead of a gunshot wound. He was lying face forward with a .22 caliber handgun underneath him and as single gunshot wound in his head. The county coroner was notified, as was his daughter. [Kirk Gebicke, Supervisory Park Ranger]

OTHER NEWS

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

Salinas Pueblo Missions NM - Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument, originally established as Gran Quivira National Monument in 1909, will turn 100 years old on November 1st. In celebration of this anniversary, special events are occurring in each month this year. Photo.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7964" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7964

Conservation and Outdoor Recreation - The National Park Service signed a new interagency agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency on July 10th to extend its partnership supporting Groundwork USA. Photo.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7956" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7956

Grand Canyon NP - A federal district court ruling that found in favor of the NPS in a suit filed against the park's river management plan has been upheld in appellate court.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7965" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7965

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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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