NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
INCIDENTS
Yosemite NP
Climber Killed In Fall On El Capitan
M.R., a 38-year-old climber from Montana, fell about 230 feet while climbing the Muir Wall on El Capitan on the morning of Sunday, May 19th. He was about 2,300 feet up the route when he dislodged a large rock that severed his lead rope and caused him to fall 230 feet onto his haul line, which was being used to bring the party's equipment up the route. M.R.'s climbing partner was unable to immediately contact emergency services due to poor cell phone reception and began to yell for help. Several other climbers, along with a Yosemite Search and Rescue (YOSAR) volunteer, reported witnessing the rockfall in the area of M.R. and his partner and notified the Yosemite Emergency Communication Center. Rangers responded to El Capitan Meadow for observation and heard faint cries for help up on the wall, but had difficulty pinpointing the location of the spot where the calls were coming from. M.R.'s partner continued to try to call for help via his cell phone and was eventually able to contact dispatch. Rangers were then able locate the climbing party through a spotting scope and determined that M.R. was hanging motionless from the end of his rope. The park helicopter flew a technical rescue team to the summit of El Capitan around 12:30 p.m. Team members began rigging for a technical lowering of almost 800 feet to M.R.'s location. Rangers Jack Hoeflich and Ed Visnovske were lowered down the cliff face; they were able to reach him shortly thereafter and pronounced him dead upon arrival. They raised M.R. and his partner to the top of El Capitan and then flew both to the valley floor. Scott Jacobs was IC for the incident. [Scott Jacobs, Yosemite Valley Shift Supervisor]
Blue Ridge Parkway
Three Convicted Of Mineral Theft
Over the past several years, rangers from Blue Ridge Parkway and officers from the US Forest Service have discovered evidence of active gem mining and mineral collection at numerous locations along the parkway and on adjacent USFS lands. The two agencies coordinated efforts to monitor the locations, in part with surveillance equipment. On October 13, 2012, rangers saw a man mining one of the sites and identified him as C.B., of Asheville, North Carolina. Over the next few months, two other men - E.S. and T.H., also from Asheville - were also found mining. All were arrested and charged with illegal removal of mineral resources. On February 26th, C.B. and E.S. appeared in court and were fined $1,200 each for removing mineral resources; on April 30th, T.H. appeared in court and was fined $500 for removing mineral resources. The investigation continues. The convicted men said that gems and minerals, particularly HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyanite" kyanite, are being traded and sold at local gem markets and are used in jewelry production. [Tim Francis, Pisgah District 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/):
Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services - The NPS paid tribute to fallen officers and rangers during Police Week events last week, including participation in a ceremony in Main Interior. A new document entitled “Fallen But Not Forgotten” was also released that lists the names of NPS rangers and others who've died in the line of duty.
Office of Risk Management - The Employee Wellness Program recently partnered with staff at Petrified Forest National Park and Prince William Forest Park to pilot an employee wellness interest survey to assess the specific needs and interests of the employees at each park.
Cultural Resources - Technical Preservation Services in the Washington Office has released a report on the 35th anniversary of the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program.
Midwest Region - The national parks of the Great Lakes have just completed two more short films about the risk invasive species pose to natural landscapes. They feature Grand Portage National Monument and Voyageurs National Park.
Homestead NMA - The world renowned Reconciliation Quilt has come to Homestead National Monument of America from the International Quilt Study Center and Museum at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. It is on display at the park's Heritage Center through mid-June.
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Guidance on incident notification can be found under the “Hot Topics” heading on InsideNPS or at HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/waso/custompages.cfm?prg=45&id=8728&lv=2&pgid=3504" http://inside.nps.gov/waso/custompages.cfm?prg=45&id=8728&lv=2&pgid=3504.
The Morning Report is a publication of the Division of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services, Washington Office, produced by the Office of Communications with the support of the Office of the Associate Director for Information Resources. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@contractor.nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@contractor.nps.gov).
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