NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Monday, August 24, 2009

INCIDENTS

Delaware Water Gap NRA

Severe Storms Cause Damage And Closures

Severe thunderstorms that hit the park last Friday resulted in downed trees, power outages, and the closure of roads, trails and facilities in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania. River Road was closed from park headquarters almost all the way to the town of Shawnee, and a section of Old Mine Road was closed from I-80 north to the Worthington State forest campground. Another segment of Old Mine Road near Van Campen Inn was also closed. Downed trees forced the closure of segments of the McDade Trail along River Road. Visitor use areas closed due to power outages or downed trees included the Kittatinny Point Visitor Center, Watergate, Van Campens Glen and Hialeah. Because of heavy rains that accompanied the storms, the Delaware River rose several feet, increased in speed and became more hazardous due to floating debris and strainers. The park therefore instituted a requirement that all individuals in boats on the river must wear lifejackets until conditions moderate. A full assessment of damage is underway. [Deb Nordeen, Public Affairs Officer]

Glacier NP

Climber Falls 300 Feet To His Death

A 67-year-old climber fell 300 feet to his death on Saturday. The man and four companions, including his 38-year-old son, had climbed Iceberg Notch earlier in the day. Two members of the party headed one way, while the remaining three planned to use goat trails to climb down to Ptarmigan Tunnel, then return to their campsite at the Many Glacier campground. The victim then separated from his two companions to descend via another route on Ahern Pass near Helen Lake. He fell while doing so. A group of hikers, including a park employee, witnessed the fall. The employee made his way to the victim after sending the rest of the party to Granite Park Chalet to get help. While en route, the employee spotted another park employee and yelled to him for help. The two made their way to the victim and found that he had suffered major, fatal injuries. His body was flown out on Saturday evening. [Wade Muehlhof, Public Affairs Officer]

Lake Mead NRA

Eleven-Year-Old Boy Dies Of Monoxide Asphyxiation

Rangers are investigating the cause of death of an 11-year-old Las Vegas boy who died late Thursday night. An autopsy performed by the Clark County Coroner's Office on Friday concluded that the primary cause of death was carbon monoxide asphyxiation, with drowning as a contributing factor. The boy was with his parents and one other sibling aboard a Seven Crown Resorts rental houseboat out of Echo Bay Marina when the incident occurred. The houseboat has been secured and rangers will be working with U.S. Coast Guard marine casualty investigators this week to determine the source of the carbon monoxide. On Thursday night, park dispatch received a transferred 911 call reporting that a boy had been found underwater under a houseboat near Echo Bay. It took rangers almost two hours to locate the houseboat in the dark. Helicopters from Mercy Air and Las Vegas Metro Police Search and Rescue aided in the search. The family was found in a cove about 500 yards north of the entrance to Echo Bay. The boy was transported by Mercy Air to University Medical Center where he was later pronounced dead. [Andrew S. Muñoz, Public Affairs Officer]

Yosemite NP

Wawona Hotel Evacuated In Hazmat Incident

The park received a report of an unidentified odor at the Wawona Hotel just before noon on August 18th. Firefighters and rangers responded to the hotel to determine the cause, extent, and identity of the odor emitting from a second story room above the main lobby. The found seven people complaining of respiratory difficulties and throat irritation, two of whom reported that they'd become nauseated and vomited. Ultimately, a dozen people were treated at the scene and released. Fire units established command and declared a potential hazmat incident. Initial efforts were focused on medical treatment, evacuation, securing the perimeter and denying further entry. Patients were isolated and decontaminated in the process. Structural firefighters utilizing full PPE and a gas detector entered the hotel, searched for additional victims, and attempted to find the source of the irritant. No additional victims were discovered and a source could not be identified. After consultation with the Mariposa County health officer, a Class A hazmat team was ordered from the Merced County Fire Department through the California Emergency Management Agency. Team members were also unable to identify any type of health hazard. The hotel was reopened to the public around 7:30 p.m. after further consultation with the county health officer and hazmat team leader. Further investigation by rangers revealed that the irritant was bear repellent. The investigation continues. In all, six different agencies responded to the incident, providing an excellent exercise for the California mutual aid system. [Deron Mills, Deputy Fire Chief - Operations]

OTHER NEWS

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

Director's Office - On August 21st, Acting Director Dan Wenk sent a message out to the National Leadership Council regarding a DOI proposal for implementation of a GS-1801 standard position description within the NPS. The full text is included.

Civil War Sesquicentennial - Planning for the Civil War Sesquicentennial (CW150) partnership is underway. In mid-August, key partners met at a planning workshop at NCTC for the purpose of organizing a cooperative marketing project under the theme: “Civil War to Civil Rights: Experience Your America, 2009-2015.” Photo.

Intermountain Region - Judy Chetwin, a 31-year veteran of the National Park Service, has announced her plans to retire at the end of September. 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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