NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
Friday, October 1, 2010
INCIDENTS
Joshua Tree NP
Missing Hiker Found After Five-Day Search
The five-day search for Culver City resident E.R. ended yesterday with search crews finding the missing hiker alive. A helicopter crew from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's office found E.R. around 10:30 a.m. Thursday morning. He was given first aid at the scene by the helicopter crew and airlifted to Hi-Desert Medical Center in Joshua Tree, California, where he is being treated in the hospital's intensive care unit as a precautionary measure and is listed in fair condition. E.R. began hiking last Friday in an area near Black Rock Campground. After failing to return from his hike, he was reported missing by campers to National Park Service rangers on Sunday, September 26th. Search efforts were initially concentrated along maintained trails in the Black Rock area. Late last Tuesday, search teams found tracks believed to be E.R.'s in the East Wide Canyon area of the park - a remote, rugged wilderness of steep hills, deep ravines, and desert canyons. Since Wednesday, rescue efforts have been concentrated in this area of the park, leading to E.R.'s discovery Thursday morning. During his ordeal, E.R. sustained himself on the limited amount of food and water he carried in his daypack. Eventually, he sought a shady location in side ravine, where he waited for help. Searcher and rescue personnel participating in the extended search included the following organizations: Joshua Tree Search and Rescue (JOSAR), San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office, San Bernardino County Search and Rescue, Riverside County Sheriff's Office Search & Rescue, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office, Orange County Sheriff's Office, San Diego Mountain Rescue, and the Civil Air Patrol. Park staff and San Bernardino County's Sheriff's personnel provided vital logistical support. Each day, anywhere from 25 to 55 searchers took part in the ongoing operation. Ground search teams, trackers, equestrian teams, search dogs, and airplanes and helicopters all contributed to the successful outcome. IC Dan Messaros closed the command center on Thursday afternoon and thanked all personnel involved for their dedication, professionalism, and perseverance. The E.R. family wishes to express its thanks to all search personnel, family members, and well-wishers who supported them during their long ordeal. [Joe Zarki, Public Affairs Officer]
Death Valley NP
Eight Injured In Tour Bus Accident
On the afternoon of Tuesday, September 28th, rangers responded to a report of a bus accident with injuries at Milepost 9 on the Badwater Road (California Highway 178) within Death Valley National Park. The rangers who were first on scene assessed the situation and requested additional resources. Investigators believe that the bus driver experienced a stroke or some other sort of medical episode, which caused the vehicle to drift back and forth across both road shoulders, incurring damage to the lower front end and undercarriage, before it came to a stop. The tour bus was transporting a group of elderly French nationals. The language barrier presented a problem throughout the incident, since most of the passengers spoke very little English. The driver, the tour guide and two other passengers were medevaced to University Medical Center in Las Vegas using helicopters from Mercy Air and the California Highway Patrol. Four other passengers were taken to Las Vegas hospitals by ground ambulances from Nye County, Nevada. The uninjured passengers were picked up by a separate tour bus from another company and were transported to Furnace Creek Ranch Resort, where they were provided a meal at tour company expense and sheltered in the Furnace Creek Visitor Center auditorium until another bus from the same tour company picked up the group at about 11 p.m. Park employee Marilyn Pitassi, who is fluent in German and French, was able to serve as an interpreter for this group and was instrumental in keeping the group calm and informed. CHP is leading the investigation into the accident and supervised the towing and removal of the bus. Employees from all divisions of the park assisted with this incident in various capacities, including nine recently trained first responders from interpretation, maintenance and resource management. This cooperation and the efforts from all the out of park resources was crucial to the success of the mission. Ranger Matt Martin was IC. [Brent Pennington, Chief Ranger]
Death Valley NP
Ailing Hiker Rescued From Panamints
While the response to the above-noted bus accident was in progress, rangers were notified of a SAR in progress involving two young men who were attempting to hike from Badwater to Mount Whitney. The two men got as far as Hanaupah Canyon in the Panamint Range, and then decided to discontinue the hike. They'd gotten back to Shorty's Well at the base of the eastern edge of the Panamints when one of the men began exhibiting signs of distress and couldn't go any further. His companion hiked across the salt flat to their vehicle at the Badwater parking lot and drove to the bus accident scene and reported the incident to the rangers there. China Lake Naval Air Station's SAR helicopter was dispatched. The crew found the man and transported him to the Furnace Creek Airport, where he was evaluated by a team of ranger-EMTs and was released. He appeared to be exhausted and suffering from minor dehydration, but was otherwise uninjured. Ranger Matt Martin was IC. [Brent Pennington, Chief Ranger]
Grand Canyon NP
Hiker's Body Recovered From Remote Area Of Park
The body of a man recovered from a remote area within the park has been identified as that of 30-year-old G.S. of Lawrence, Kansas. G.S. and four companions headed out on what was to be a day hike to the river on the Lava Falls route on Tuesday. That remote hiking route is near Tuweep in the Toroweap Valley, approximately three-and-a-half hours from the developed area on the North Rim. Initial investigations indicate that G.S. hiked approximately half of the way down to the river and then decided to wait for his companions to descend to the river and come back to his location. He was last seen by his friends at approximately 9 a.m. that morning. G.S.'s body was found by one of his hiking companions late Tuesday afternoon, approximately 100 yards from a parking area adjacent to the spot where the route begins. His hiking companion reported the incident to a National Park Service volunteer at Tuweep. Rangers recovered his body Wednesday morning. It was flown to Kingman, Arizona, and transferred to the Mohave County medical examiner. Initial indications are that G.S.'s death was heat-related. [Maureen Oltrogge, Public Affairs Officer]
Delaware Water Gap NRA
Heavy Rains Cause River Closure
The entire Delaware River corridor within the park's boundaries - from Milford to Delaware Water Gap - has been closed in anticipation of rising waters stemming from the heavy rains that have moved up the East Coast over the last two days. All access points have also been closed until further notice. Due to the heavy precipitation, the river is expected to rise from its present height of 5 feet at the Montague gauge to 19.8 feet by 2 a.m. Saturday morning. Flood stage at the Montague gauge is 25 feet. At these heights, typical river conditions include large quantities of floating debris, very swift currents, decreased water temperatures and increased hydraulic hazards in rapids and near bridge pilings, as well as increased hazards along the shore. The flood watch issued for the region yesterday morning continues through this morning. Rangers are closely monitoring the weekend weather and river forecasts and are making preparations to close additional facilities and roads, if necessary. [Kathleen Sandt, Public Affairs Officer]
Jean Lafitte NHP&P
Suicide Victim Found In Pecan Grove Area
On the evening of September 17th, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office broadcast a bulletin for a missing man. Rangers checked the park but didn't find him. Just after the park opened the next morning, visitors walking along the Pecan Grove picnic trail came upon a man's body with a firearm lying next to it. Emergency crews who were dispatched to the scene determined that he was dead. Investigation revealed that he was the man that the sheriff's office had been seeking, and that he'd ridden his bike into the park and down Pecan Grove boardwalk and committed suicide. This area of the park was closed for most of the morning while the investigation was completed. [John Hughes, Chief Ranger]
OTHER NEWS
The following stories are among those in today's edition of InsideNPS. To see the full text, including images, NPS employees should go to the InsideNPS home page ( HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index). Non-NPS employees can see most of them on the NPS Digest page ( HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/):
Office of Public Affairs - To promote awareness and stewardship of fossils and foster greater appreciation of their value to scientists and educators, the NPS and the American Geological Institute will hold the first National Fossil Day on October 13th during Earth Science Week.
Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services - The NPS recently acquired 345 Sig Sauer P220 .45 cal handguns, 245 P229 .40 cal handguns, hundreds of magazines, and miscellaneous parts. There are now enough P220s and P229s available to issue to park caches for use by temporary employees or as spare firearms.
US Park Police - Five Park Police SWAT team members competed in a regional police endurance event and came in third out of 25 participating tactical teams. Photo.
Servicewide Training and Conference Calendar - A compilation of upcoming training courses and conferences across the nation. Added to this week's calendar are the following - a Safety Leadership Council focusing on natural resources next Tuesday, a hydroclimate conference in Yosemite in October, a course on using inclusive practices in planning NPS program in Omaha, six new offerings of Fundamentals V in Washington, DC, and a law enforcement refresher at Canaveral NS.
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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).
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