NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
INCIDENTS
Gateway NRA
Two Drown In Strong Rip Currents
During the past week, United States Park Police officers, NPS rangers and cooperating law enforcement and emergency services agency personnel responded to three water rescues, two of which resulted in drowning-related deaths. Strong rip currents were factors in all three incidents and all occurred on unguarded beaches or after hours on guarded beaches.
On Monday, August 3rd, the Park Police responded to back-to-back water rescue calls in the Jamaica Bay Unit. Officers responded to a report of a drowning at Riis Park near Bay 9 around 6:30 p.m.. Sergeant Beck entered the water and assisted park visitors in bringing one of two women ashore. She declined medical attention and was able to leave the scene without assistance. The second woman was brought to shore by another park visitor. USPP Officers Balney, Cosgro, and Fajardo performed CPR on her. She was taken to Staten Island University North Hospital, where she was admitted in critical condition. She died three days later.
Park Police officers responded to a second water rescue call in the area of Riis Park near Bay 5 around 8 p.m. Officer Gerdes, along with an NYPD officer, pulled a woman from the water; the woman's juvenile daughter was pulled from the water by park visitors. USPP K-9 Officer Connell assisted FDNY in performing CPR on the girl. She was airlifted by NYPD aviation to Staten Island University North Hospital. She subsequently regained consciousness.
On the evening of Wednesday, August 5th, NPS rangers and lifeguards, along with cooperating law enforcement and emergency services agency personnel, responded to a water rescue call at Beach B in the Sandy Hook Unit. Rangers Antczak and Patrick arrived on scene and entered the water, but were unable to locate the man. An extensive search was started that involved water, land and air resources. The search went late into the night, but was finally suspended at 11 p.m.
At 7 a.m. the following morning, search efforts resumed, with recovery efforts being concentrated in the most probable areas. Interagency search efforts were discontinued at 3 p.m., but park personnel continued to conduct periodic searches of the park's coastline. A fisherman spotted a body off Hidden Beach around 7 a.m. on August 7th. It was recovered from the water by Ranger Guiney and the chief of the Highlands Fire Department. The body was positively identified by a family member as the man who'd disappeared on August 5th.
[R. Duane Michael, Acting Chief Ranger]
United States Park Police
One Arrested Following Downtown DC Shooting Incident
Park Police officers received a report of a fight in progress at the intersection of 17th Street and Independence Avenue Southwest on the afternoon of August 4th. Witnesses advised responding officers that shots might have been fired from a vehicle at that intersection. Although evidence at the scene confirmed the report, neither the vehicle nor its occupants were still at the scene. The vehicle in question was identified as a white Hyundai with New York tags traveling toward Rock Creek Parkway.
A firearm and other potential evidentiary items were found in the travel lanes of Rock Creek Parkway in the area of the Kennedy Center. As a result, street closures were put into effect on the parkway and the items were collected as potential evidence.
At approximately 5 p.m., Park Police officers located and pursued a vehicle matching the description of the suspect vehicle. The operator and sole occupant of the Hyundai was apprehended and identified as M.H., 30, of Washington, DC. He was charged with fleeing to elude law enforcement.
A second man was located, questioned, and released without charges. His identity will not be released as he is being treated as a witness. Detectives are actively pursuing leads in an attempt to identify a third involved person.
Investigators have determined that there was an altercation between several people, all of whom were passengers in the the Hyundai. As a result, at least one shot was fired, which shattered the passenger side rear window.
[Lelani Woods, Public Affairs Officer]
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):
James A. Garfield NHS - On Friday, July 31st, the park hosted its second annual World Ranger Day commemoration ceremony. Nearly 100 people attended, including representatives from almost a dozen local, state, and federal land protection and management agencies.
Saguaro NP - From Mexican Americans to local Native Americans from the Tohono O'odham tribe, the park's Next Generation Ranger Corps program has succeeded in employing a very diverse group of local youth.
Federal Hall NM - On August 4th, the 225th anniversary of the founding of the United States Coast Guard (formally the Revenue-Marine Service) was celebrated at Federal Hall.
Pacific West Region - Larry Whalon has been selected as the superintendent of Lava Beds National Monument and the Tule Lake Unit of World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument.
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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