NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Thursday, July 30, 2009

NOTICE

Grand Teton NP

Rangers Conduct Another Rescue On The Snake River

Rangers rescued a 72-year-old man from the Snake River last Saturday evening after his canoe capsized, spilling him and his partner into the river approximately two miles south of Moose Bridge. J.D. and B.H., 67, both residents of Moran, Wyoming, launched their canoe from the Moose Landing about noon on Saturday, intending to float 14 river miles to the Wilson Bridge. A fishing guide conducting a concessioner-operated river trip spotted B.H. about 5:30 p.m. and rescued her. Rangers later located and rescued J.D., who was stranded on an island between the Bourbon Street and main river channels. Neither J.D. nor B.H. was injured in the boating accident and both were wearing life jackets. The accident occurred when the canoe hit a log while they were in the Bourbon Street channel. The canoe capsized and both were thrown into the river. B.H. was able to reach an island in the middle of the river, while J.D. was able to flip the canoe over and continue paddling downstream. J.D. hit another log, causing the boat to capsize again; this time, he floated downstream without his canoe until he could reach the southern end of the same island on which B.H. was stranded. J.D. hiked back upriver trying to locate B.H., but the two were on opposite sides of the island and were unable to reunite. The commercial fishing guide and his passengers saw B.H. and rescued her from the island; B.H. placed a 911 call to report the accident using the boat guide's cell phone and Teton Interagency Dispatch Center received a report of the incident just before 7 p.m. While in the process of rescuing B.H., the fishing guide also saw another capsized canoe with two people in the water and clinging to the craft; he used his river “rescue throw bag,” which contains a coiled length of rope, to reach them and was eventually able to pull them aboard his boat. After rescuing J.D. and locating B.H., who had driven her car back to the Moose Landing, rangers were able reunite the pair at about 9:30 p.m. The Snake is a powerful river with strong currents and cold water temperatures. Due to its tangle of channels and constantly shifting logjams, boaters are advised to have the proper equipment, as well as the knowledge and experience to accurately read the river's current. For those unfamiliar with the Snake River, a pre-float consultation with rangers is strongly advised. This marks the third significant search and rescue operation on the Snake River in the last two weeks, and the second in the Bourbon Street channel. [Jackie Skaggs, Public Affairs Officer]

Apostle Islands NL

Rangers, Volunteers Rescue Kayaking Boy Scouts In Heavy Seas

On the morning of July 15th, Oak Island volunteer Merle Lang reported that a group of Boy Scouts in kayaks were struggling in the channel between Oak Island and the mainland. Within minutes, Lang reported at least one member of the group had capsized and fellow kayakers were attempting a rescue. Sea conditions at the time were reported at two- to three-foot waves with sustained winds in excess of 20 knots. An adult member of the group had flipped upside down and was unable to release his spray skirt and was trapped underwater for a short period of time. He was righted with the help of one of the guides and other members of the group, but had swallowed several gulps of water and was reported to be dizzy, nauseated, and extremely fatigued. NPS maintenance employee Ken Eklund and park ranger Susan Mackreth aboard the NPS Grebe, who were transporting park VIPs Judy Michaels, a doctor, and Janice Carol, a nurse, were in the immediate area when they came upon the kayakers in distress and were on scene within minutes. They moved the injured adult aboard the vessel, where he was stabilized, monitored and transported to Buffalo Bay marina at Red Cliff. NPS safety officer Steve Witt with park rangers Damon Panek and Jim Dahlstrom in NPS Eagle conducted a quick search to locate the rest of the kayak group with the assistance of park ranger Mike McCoy, who maintained visual observation on most of the group from the Raspberry Island Lighthouse. Two additional NPS vessels assisted in locating the remainder of the group within 30 minutes. A total of 19 kayaks were involved and became separated over a two mile area due to increasing winds and wave conditions. One juvenile member of the group was taken aboard the NPS Eagle due to extreme fatigue and also was transported to Buffalo Bay marina in Red Cliff for observation and later released. The guides, operating under provisions of a commercial use authorization, were issued a citation for not having the required number of guides as required by CUA trip permit conditions. By the end of the incident, winds were in excess of 35 knots and four- to five-foot seas were reported along their intended route. [Greg Zeman, Chief Of Protection]

Apostle Islands NL

Kayakers, Sailboat Crew Rescued In Separate Same-Day Incidents

On the afternoon of July 16th, the US Coast Guard notified NPS dispatch that a 26-foot sailboat was in distress near the park. The vessel had a sail line wrapped around its prop and was taking on water. Waves were running three to four feet and the sailboat was drifting directly toward Madeline Island, which is located outside of the park. Rangers Mike Larsen and John Pavkovich and maintenance employees Steve Witt and Tom Richardson responded aboard the NPS Eagle. They assisted the Coast Guard by transferring two people and their dog off the drifting sailboat and transported them to port in Bayfield, Wisconsin. The Coast Guard then towed the sailboat back to the Bayfield City marina. As park staff were about to clear from this incident, they received a report of a kayaker stranded on Long Island, located within the park. The NPS crew responded and found two overturned kayaks with two men in the water clinging to their vessels a half mile west of Long Island. The kayakers, 56-year-old S.K. of Bloomington, Illinois, and 63-year-old V.B. Jr. of Rockford, Illinois, were in 52 degree water for more than two hours before they were rescued by NPS personnel. Both men appeared to be in mild to moderate stages of hypothermia and were transported to awaiting ambulances in Bayfield. The Bayfield Ambulance Service transported both men to Memorial Medical Center in Ashland, where they were treated and released from the hospital later that evening. S.K. and V.B. were part of a group of seven kayakers that became separated and capsized in three- to four-foot seas. The wind was recorded at 20 mph and air temperature was 60 degrees at the time of the incident. [Greg Zeman, Chief Of Protection]

OTHER NEWS

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

IUCN, The World Conservation Union - Life on Earth is under serious threat, despite the commitment by world leaders to reverse the trend, according to a detailed analysis in the newly-released IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7981" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7981

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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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