NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Friday, September 25, 2009

INCIDENTS

Cumberland Gap NHP

SCA Crew Chief Working On Field Project Collapses And Dies

A Student Conservation Association crew working with park maintenance employees near the Pinnacle overlook contacted park dispatch on Wednesday afternoon to report that their student crew leader, W.P., had suddenly dropped the log he was carrying, sat down, then collapsed. W.P. had no discernible pulse and was breathing only intermittently and ineffectively. Other crew members laid him on the trail, called an ambulance, and began CPR. Rangers arrived on scene about 15 minutes later and immediately requested an AED. When the ambulance crew arrived, he was prepared for transport, and CPR was continued while he was being littered down the trail and in the ambulance while on the way to the hospital. He was declared dead about 90 minutes after his initial collapse. A CISD debriefing team has been requested. [Dirk Wiley, Chief Ranger]

Chattahoochee River NRA

Update On Recovery From Severe Flood

Chattahoochee River waters contaminated with sewage continue to present a public health issue. Sewer manholes located along the river have been overflowing for the past four days with millions of gallons of untreated sewage released in to the park. Some sewage treatment plants are still out of service due to flood damage and are also dumping untreated sewage directly in to the river with no repair date known. Water samples taken by the USGS near Paces Mill indicate E. coli counts of 14,000 colonies per 100 ml. The EPA recommended threshold to prevent illness from water contact is 235 colonies per 100 ml. Anytime the count is above 235 the park and USGS provide public notice that the river as unhealthy for recreational use. The USGS will continue to monitor and assist the park with additional water quality testing. The park has expressed its concerns to EPA and requested any assistance they may be able to provide. Damage assessments are underway but are limited as many areas remain covered by contaminated debris and siltation. Several areas have a significant amount of debris and siltation that will need to be removed prior to allowing public access. Additional damage discovered today include a second restroom facility. Ten park areas and 25 miles of the river remain closed with rangers continuing to enforce closures to ensure public safety. [Scott Pfeninger, Acting Superintendent]

Grand Canyon NP

Hiker Died Of Injuries Incurred In Fall

The identity of the hiker whose body was found on Tuesday has been determined, as has the cause of death. T.P., 39, of Atlanta, Georgia, died from injuries sustained in a fall of about 15 feet while hiking on the North Rim's Lava Falls Route. Rangers found T.P.'s body on the lower end of the route during an aerial search Tuesday morning after his wife had reported him overdue. Although the Lava Falls Route is one of the shortest routes from the rim to the river, it is a hot, steep and difficult route, with loose talus slopes made up of volcanic rock and an elevation change from rim to river of more than 2500 feet. The trailhead is approximately three miles south of the Tuweep Campground, in a remote area of the Grand Canyon. Tuweep is a five hour drive from the North Rim developed area. [Maureen Oltrogge, Public Affairs Officer]

OTHER NEWS

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

Director's Office - The Senate has confirmed Jonathan Jarvis, currently regional director in Pacific West Region, as the new director of the National Park Service.

Second Century Commission - The National Parks Second Century Commission released its report on the future of the National Park System yesterday. The report includes a wide range of recommendations for enhancing all aspects of our national parks. A link is provided to the report.

America's Best Idea - Ranger Shelton Johnson, who has a continuing role in “America's Best Idea,” the documentary on the national parks that premiers this coming Sunday evening, met with President Obama during a White House screening of the film last week. Photo.

Olympic NP - Sue McGill, deputy superintendent of Olympic National Park, will retire on November 2nd after a diverse 31-year career with the National Park Service. A party is planned for October 30th in Port Angeles to celebrate Sue's long and diverse career.

Office of the Chief Information Officer - K. Rom Ramasamy, who has been the Services Active Directory (AD) manager since May, 2005, is taking a position at the Department of Commerce. Photo.

Servicewide Training Calendar - A listing of upcoming training courses offered by the NPS and its partners across the nation. Added to this week's listing are three online NPS Fundamentals training courses (I, III and IV), a webinar on marine invasive species, a two-year-long arborist training program, operational leadership training at this year's Ranger Rendezvous, a course on the fundamentals of special park uses, and a course on effective interpretation of archeological and cultural heritage resources.

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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