NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Monday, July 12, 2010

INCIDENTS

Rocky Mountain NP

Private Plane Crashes In Park

The park received a call from the Civil Air Patrol on Thursday afternoon, reporting that two HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_Locator_Transmitter" ELT signals had been received from a downed aircraft near Milner Pass. Rangers searched the area with binoculars from several locations on Trail Ridge Road, but saw neither smoke nor any sign of the plane. Two CAP members flew to the area that evening and confirmed the ELT beacon in upper Forest Canyon. They also reported seeing two points of light - possibly fires - in the same general area. Rangers began hiking to the remote location and found the two occupants of the plane around 6:40 a.m. Pilot J.M., 54, and his daughter T.M., 18, both from Wisconsin, had walked away from their single-engine American Champion aircraft with only minor injuries. The plane crashed in heavy timber. Its wings were folded back, but the cockpit remained intact. Neither of the J.M.'s lost consciousness in the accident. They got out of the plane because of concern that it might catch fire, built a shelter from plane debris, and started two signal fires. A helicopter from Grand Teton that was stationed at Rocky Mountain to assist with the Cow Creek Fire flew to a landing zone near the crash site, picked up the J.M.'s, and flew them out. The FAA and NTSB will be investigating. [Kyle Patterson, Public Affairs Officer]

Amistad NRA

Flooding Continues On Lake Amistad

Waters remain at flood stage on Lake Amistad. Despite a continuous Amistad Dam release since Monday of 35,000 cfs by the International Boundary and Water Commission, the lake level has only dropped just under two feet to a level of 1127.91 feet above sea level. Rains from Hurricane Alex have cleared, but the watershed is now being rained on by Tropical Depression 2. The effects of this added water are expected to again raise the lake level in coming days. Three of the four park campgrounds remain flooded and closed, as are two day use areas. Maintenance crews are working long days making adjustments to park docks and buoys so that visitors may more safely launch/retrieve their boats and navigate the vastly enlarged lake. Rangers have had to increase patrols in order to warn visitors of activities that may be hazardous in and around the flood waters. Park visitation remains brisk, as anglers are taking advantage of the enhanced opportunity to catch catfish. Others are excited about the event and are bringing their families to view and play in the flood waters. Areas with flooded vault toilets have been posted with warnings, but visitors continue to swim there and are using the metal picnic shelter roofs as diving platforms. It is expected that flood conditions will remain for at least two weeks. [Regina Klein Dissler, Chief Ranger]

Great Smoky Mountains NP

Nine Injured In Van Accident

A Plymouth Voyager min-van crashed on the Pigeon Forge-Gatlinburg Spur early on the morning of Thursday, July 8th, injuring all nine people on board. All were foreign-born workers employed by area resorts. Two were flown by helicopter to the University of Tennessee Medical Center; two were taken to the same hospital by ambulance; the remaining five were transported to the LeConte Medical Center in Sevierville. No information is currently available on the condition of any of the nine. Language problems made the investigation of the accident challenging, but at least some of the occupants were Ukrainian nationals. [Bob Miller, Public Affairs Officer]

Biscayne NP

Man Dies During Free Dive In Park

B.H., 23, was free diving with three companions along the outer reef tract near Fowey Rocks on July 5th when he failed to surface from a dive. His companion, P.F., dove down to where he'd last seen B.H. and found him lying face down in sand in about 40 feet of water. P.F. eventually recovered B.H.'s body and transported it to Miami. Police and the coroner's office are investigating the death. B.H. immigrated to the United States from Cuba about six years ago and was an avid spear-fisherman and free diver. Free diving is a sport involving deepwater diving without SCUBA gear. [Mark Lewis, Superintendent]

Golden Gate NRA

Car Clouting Arrest Made

On the afternoon of Saturday, May 29th, a park visitor reported that her car had been broken into at the Tennessee Valley parking area. Ranger Chad Marin responded and took the initial report of the incident. USPP detective-sergeant Robert Jansing continued the investigation and determined that two purses and two credit cards had been stolen from the car. Subsequent investigation revealed that the stolen credit cards had been used to purchase gas at two gas stations in San Rafael and to make small purchases at a local convenience store. The stolen card was then used at Golden State Wireless in San Rafael to purchase a wireless phone and to set up a Metro PCS account under a false name. Jansing obtained a search warrant for the Metro PCS records and subsequently identified a residence in Napa that had received calls from the phone. Jansing conducted interviews of the residents and developed a suspect for the crimes - a man who was on parole for burglary. The manager of the cell phone store identified him as the one using the stolen credit card to purchase the phone. Continued investigation revealed that he'd been arrested by San Rafael PD two days after this incident for attempted auto theft. The phone linking him to the crime was in his possession at the time. Jansing secured the phone as evidence. Further interviews and investigation resulted in the man's arrest for burglary and misuse of a credit card. His parole officer was notified and he will also face a parole violation. [Captain Constance A. Leonard, Assistant Commander, SFFO]

Sequoia-Kings Canyon NPs

Body Of Drowning Victim Recovered

Backpackers contacted park staff on the morning of July 4th and reported that they'd seen a body in the South Fork of the Kings River near Mist Falls. Rangers investigated and confirmed that there was a body in difficult-to-access terrain about a tenth of a mile below the falls. A park search and rescue team recovered the body from the river the next day. The victim has been identified as K.N., 40. More than 20 rescuers and a helicopter were employed in the recovery. The cause of death has not been determined, but drowning is presumed. [Dana Dierkes, Public Affairs Officer]

OTHER NEWS

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

Learning and Development Division - The Learning and Development Division has announced the launching of the “Superintendent Academy” webpage, where first-time and experienced superintendents will find learning solutions to their current leadership challenges. Photo.

Office of Public Affairs - More than $1.2 million in NPS grants will be used to help preserve and protect America's significant battlefield lands. The funding from the American Battlefield Protection Program will support projects at more than 100 battlefields nationwide.

Conservation and Outdoor Recreation Division - Outdoor Nation held the first-ever youth-led national summit on youth and the outdoors in June in New York's Central Park. Outdoor Nation is a broad partnership effort helping youth build a movement to reclaim, redefine, and rediscover the outdoors. Photo.

Workforce Management - Thomas J. Ferranti has been appointed as the deputy associate director for workforce management, effective July 4th.

Learning and Development Division - Susan Tillotson has joined the WASO Learning and Development Division team as the program manager for leadership development.

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/

NPS serious incident submission standards can be found at the following web site: HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/notify" http://inside.nps.gov/notify

* * * *

Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services, Washington Office, with the support of the Office of the Chief Information Officer. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@nps.gov).

--- ### ---