NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
Thursday, September 12, 2013
*** Revised and Updated ***
INCIDENTS
Rocky Mountain NP
Flooding And Landslides Impact Area
Although heavy rains last night caused flooding and landslides in the area surrounding the park, resulting in several road closures near its east entrance, the park itself remains open.
Short-term and localized closures are possible today. Some park operations may also be limited due to employees being impacted by the storm. A park incident management team has been activated.
Highways 34 and 36 leading in to Estes Park remain closed. More road closures in the surrounding area are expected. Neighboring counties are in a state of emergency with evacuations in place.
Heavy rain is in the forecast for the rest of the day. Conditions will likely change.
[Kyle Patterson, Public Affairs Officer]
Grand Teton NP
Two Killed In Plane Crash In Park
A small plane crashed near North Springs Gulch Road in the park just after noon yesterday, killing both people who were on board.
The plane was a two-seat, single-engine, low-wing HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van's_Aircraft_RV-7" Van's RV-7. The cause of the accident is not yet known.
A joint investigation will be conducted by the park and the National Transportation Safety Board.
[Jackie Skaggs, Public Affairs Officer]
Sequoia-Kings Canyon NPs
One Killed, Four Seriously Injured In Accident
The park received a 911 call reporting a single vehicle rollover accident on Highway 180 in the Cedar Grove area of Kings Canyon around 2 a.m. on Saturday, August 31st.
Responding rangers and park medics found that a 35-year-old North Dakota man had died at the scene and that four other people in the pickup had been seriously injured.
Also responding to the accident were personnel from Yosemite, the California Highway Patrol, the Fresno County Coroner's Office, and the Sequoia Safety Council. All of the truck's injured occupants were transported by ambulance and/or helicopter to the hospital. The accident is under investigation.
[Dana Dierkes, Public Affairs Officer]
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/):
Flight 93 NM - Secretary Jewell joined other dignitaries, park staff and park partners for two days of events commemorating the twelfth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 crash of United Flight 93 near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Cuyahoga Valley NP - The park recently opened a new pedestrian bridge that allows visitors to safely cross the Cuyahoga River from the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad to the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail.
Natchez NHP - Rangers at Natchez conducted two week-long Junior Ranger camps in June and July, providing 50 young people with an opportunity to explore and connect to the unique history of the Mississippi River and the park.
Wilderness Stewardship - This month marks the start of a year-long countdown to the 50th anniversary of America's Wilderness Act, signed into law on September 3, 1964.
NPS Alumni - Charles "Al" Albert Veitl, 85, a career NPS ranger and park manager, passed away on Friday, August 30th, at Loudoun Hospital in Leesburg, Virginia.
Joshua Tree NP - Dr. Alan Hogenauer, associate professor of marketing and business law at Loyola Marymount University and a recognized expert on the National Park System, died unexpectedly this past summer.
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The Morning Report is 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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