NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Friday, August 21, 2009

NOTICE

Lake Mead NRA

Rangers Respond To Boat Explosion At Callville Bay Marina

Lake Mead rangers and firefighters and Clark County FD firefighters responded to a boat explosion in the Callville Bay Marina yesterday evening. Seven people from Las Vegas were aboard when the explosion happened. Five were injured; three were transported by ambulance to University Medical Center, but the other two declined treatment. Injuries included burns and abrasions. Forever Resorts marina employees provided first aid to the injured and protected visitors by moving the boat away from the marina. While the exact cause of the incident remains under investigation, investigators suspect that this may have been caused by a buildup of gasoline fumes. [Andrew S. Muñoz, Public Affairs Officer]

Gettysburg NMP

Two Men Caught Digging For Artifacts In The Park

On Tuesday, August 18th, a park maintenance employee notified rangers that two men had been seen metal detecting behind the McLean House in the northwest corner of the park. The employee provided a good description of what both men were wearing. Rangers John Sherman and Steve Wukovitz went to the location. Wukovitz saw J.V. in the woods, on his knees and in the process of digging. Wukovitz and Sherman made contact with him but could not find the second man. J.V. called the other man, D.D., on his cell phone and had him walk out of the woods. A search of the area found 11 holes dug on National Park Service property. Rangers seized two metal detectors and a small amount of relics from both men. An ARPA investigation is ongoing. [Ryan Levins, Supervisory Park Ranger]

Sleeping Bear Dunes NL

Swimmer Drowns Despite Prompt Rescue Efforts

On the afternoon of August 15th, the Benzie County Sheriff's Office's 911 dispatcher received 25 cell phone calls of a person drowning in Lake Michigan off the mouth of the Platte River, a heavily used area within the park. Within four minutes of the initial call, rangers and campground visitor use assistants and county deputies were on scene and were joined a few minutes later by the county sheriff and a DNR conservation officer. Witnesses said that 21-year-old J.C. of Westland, Michigan, had been swimming with his stepfather when the two tired and tried to return to shore. The stepfather got to shallow water and yelled for help, and witnesses said that they also saw J.C. hold up one hand waving for help. Swimmers in the area went to his aid, found J.C. on the bottom in about seven feet of water, brought him to the surface, then used a kayak to transport him the 200 yards to shore. They estimated that J.C. had been under water for about eight minutes. The two swimmers began CPR and were joined by two physicians and other park visitors with ranger and paramedic Cristal Casler assisting. Rangers Jim Dal Sasso, Phil Snow, and Paul Chalup, with the assistance of several park visitors, helped carry the victim across the Platte River and used a wheeled litter to transport him to the waiting Benzie County ambulance. After being transported to Paul Oliver Memorial Hospital in Frankfort, Michigan, J.C. was pronounced dead. The incident was managed under unified command with district ranger Michael Stansberry and the sheriff coordinating to manage the incident as well as the high concentration of on-looking visitors. The Benzie County Sheriff's Office is working in conjunction with park staff to determine the cause of the drowning and an autopsy is being conducted. No rip currents were present in the area at the time. [Michael Stansberry, Platte River District Ranger]

OTHER NEWS

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

Point Reyes NS - Earlier this month, California's Fish and Game Commission approved a sweeping plan to protect ocean habitats in 24 marine protected areas in state and federal waters along the California coastline. Waters within Point Reyes and Golden Gate will be included.

Saguaro NP - The park is saddened to report that Linda DeVon, the park's IT specialist, passed away unexpectedly, yet peacefully, at her home early on the morning of Monday, August 17th. Photo.

To see these and other stories posted on InsideNPS (or NPS Digest, its public version), click on one or the other of the following links (please note that not all stories in the former appear in the latter):

NPS employees: HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index

Non-NPS employees: HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/

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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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