NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
INCIDENTS
Point Reyes NS
One Visitor Dies, Second Injured When Overlook Collapses
On the evening of Saturday, March 21st, a portion of the land at the Arch Rock overlook at Point Reyes National Seashore collapsed into the ocean approximately 70 feet below.
A man and a woman, both from San Francisco, fell during the collapse. Both were extricated by emergency personnel and flown by the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office helicopter to a landing zone in Bear Valley for transfer to an air ambulance helicopter. Upon arrival in Bear Valley, the woman was pronounced dead by emergency personnel on scene. The man was transported by Reach 3 Air ambulance to the local hospital for treatment.
Following the collapse, numerous bystanders took great risks and made significant efforts to report the incident and to reach, stabilize and comfort the victims on the shoreline while waiting for rescue personnel to arrive.
Rangers are leading the investigation with assistance from the Marin County Sheriff's Office Coroner Division. Rangers and personnel from the Marin County Fire Department, Sonoma County Sheriff's Office, Marin County Sheriff's Office, and United States Coast Guard worked closely together during the emergency response and management of this incident.
The Arch Rock trail has been closed until further notice. The Arch Rock area, at the terminus of the Bear Valley Trail, is a very popular destination visited by thousands each year.
For a related news story with photos, click on the link below.
HYPERLINK "http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Hiker-dies-another-injured-after-cliff-collapse-6151164.php#photo-7697527" http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Hiker-dies-another-injured-after-cliff-collapse-6151164.php#photo-7697527
[David Schifsky, Chief Ranger]
OTHER NEWS
The following stories are among those in today's webpage editions of InsideNPS (available to NPS employees only) and the Morning Report (available to all readers):
Death Valley NP - Death Valley National Park has completed rehabilitation of the access to popular Zabriskie Point and surrounding areas - just in time for spring visitors. The popular vista was built by the Pacific Coast Borax Company in the 1920s.
Jefferson NEM - The City of St. Louis has been selected as one of 50 cities nationwide that will participate in Secretary Jewell's and American Express' commitment to increase volunteerism on America's public lands.
Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services Division - The Impaired Driving Enforcement Program has kicked into full gear, with 89 parks signed on so far and others still coming on board. The program has a goal of zero deaths caused by impaired drivers.
Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate - An NPS-sponsored summit entitled Second Century of Stewardship for the Parks convenes today. The event will be carried via a livestream webcast.
US Park Police - On Friday, March 21st, Captain Dennis Bosak was among 220 law enforcement officers who graduated from the FBI National Academy at Quantico, Virginia.
To see the full text of these stories, readers should go to one or the other of the following sites:
NPS employees - HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index
Non-NPS employees - HYPERLINK "http://www.nps.gov/morningreport/" http://www.nps.gov/morningreport/
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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