NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
INCIDENTS
Glen Canyon NRA
Rangers Rescue Four People From Sinking Boat
Park dispatch received a distress call on marine band radio from a boater onboard a sinking vessel on the afternoon of Sunday, October 18th. The caller said that the boat was rapidly taking on water and starting to sink. Rangers responded from Dangling Rope Marina and from two other locations, with district ranger Laurie Axelsen arriving first. She found the boat near Face Canyon and immediately took two children and their two grandparents on board her vessel. Rangers Christopher Schreck and Jamey Brazell arrived shortly thereafter. Efforts were made to save the boat, but it sank about a half hour after the initial distress call was made. The family was transported back to Wahweap by rangers Chad Hunter and Jason Marsoobian. Investigation revealed that the boat had struck a submerged object, possibly a rock, outside the marked channel in the Padre Bay area. The operator continued upstream for about two miles before he realized that the boat had been damaged and was taking on water. Salvage efforts are underway to recover the cabin cruiser. [Max King, Public Affairs Officer]
Grand Canyon NP
Hikers Evacuated After Three SPOT Activations In Three Days
On the evening of September 23rd, rangers began a search for hikers who repeatedly activated their rented SPOT satellite tracking device. The GEOS Emergency Response Center in Houston reported that someone in the group of four - two men and their two teenaged sons - had pressed the “help” button on their SPOT unit. The coordinates for the signal placed the group in a remote section of the park, most likely on the challenging Royal Arch loop. Due to darkness and the remoteness of the location, rangers were unable to reach them via helicopter until the following morning. When found, they'd moved about a mile and a half to a water source. They declined rescue, as they'd activated the device due to their lack of water. Later that same evening, the same SPOT device was again activated, this time using the “911” button. Coordinates placed them less than a quarter mile from the spot where searchers had found them that morning. Once again, nightfall prevented a response by park helicopter, so an Arizona DPS helicopter whose crew utilized night vision goggles was brought in. They found that the members of the group were concerned about possible dehydration because the water they'd found tasted salty, but no actual emergency existed. The helicopter crew declined their request for a night evacuation, but provided them with water before departing. On the following morning, another SPOT “help” activation came in from the group. This time they were flown out by park helicopter. All four refused medical assessment or treatment. The group's leader had reportedly hiked once at the Grand Canyon; the other adult had no Grand Canyon and very little backpacking experience. When asked what they would have done without the SPOT device, the leader stated, “We would have never attempted this hike.” The group leader was issued a citation for creating a hazardous condition (36 CFR 2.34(a)(4)). [Brandon Torres, Canyon District Shift Supervisor]
Zion NP
Two Injured In Ultralight Plane Crash
An ultralight plane carrying two people crashed near the right fork of North Creek around 6 p.m. on Saturday, October 17th. The pilot and a passenger received injuries ranging from bumps and bruises to bone fractures. Hikers saw the accident and reported it via 911. Two park medics hiked in, stabilized their injuries, and spent the night with them. On Sunday morning, a helicopter from Grand Canyon landed nearby and all four were evacuated. One of the accident victims was transported by ambulance to the Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George, Utah, but the other refused further medical care. The ultralight reportedly lost power while flying over the river and struck trees before hitting the ground. The search and rescue operation involved 13 park staff and four crew members on the Grand Canyon helicopter, plus the crew on the Hurricane ambulance that transported the injured person to the hospital. [Kevin Killian, Canyon District Ranger]
OTHER NEWS
The following stories are among those in today's edition of InsideNPS:
National Park Foundation - The focus of this grant program is to extend the reach of the important lessons offered in the Ken Burns' film, “The National Parks: America's Best Idea,” to connect with underserved and under-engaged groups and engage them with the National Park Service.
Office of International Affairs - Applications are now being accepted for the 2010 Young Conservationist Award. They're due by December 1st.
George Washington Birthplace NM - After 25 years in Philadelphia as regional architect, Richard (Dick) Dretsch is joining the staffs of Thomas Stone National Historic Site and George Washington Birthplace National Monument in a newly created position as chief of resources stewardship and facility maintenance.
National Capital Region - Vidal Martinez has been selected as the new superintendent of Prince William Forest Park. He begins his new assignment on October 26th and replaces former superintendent Bob Hickman, who retired.
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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