Upper Delaware |  |
The following Incident Reports were extracted from the NPS Morning Reports/Coalition Reports from 1989-current. They are not a complete record of all incidents which occurred in this park during this timeframe. INCIDENTS | |
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Monday, August 18, 1986 Summary: Mr. M.R. drowned while swimming for unknown reasons. Rangers recovered body almost immediately.
Location: Handsome Eddy L.B.D. was canoeing with four others on the river. They pulled over to the Pennsylvania side and went swimming. L.B.D. made it half v/ay across, but was unable to return and went under. His body was recovered in 8' of water. No alcohol was involved, but a check will be made to see if drugs were a factor.
Location: Skinner's Falls M.A.M. and several companions were on a canoe outing when M.A.M.'s canoe capsized in Skinner's Falls, a Class 2 rapid. M.A.M., a none swimmer, was the only member of his group not wearing a life jacket. His body was recovered on the 29th by NPS and Honesdale Fire Department divers.
Location: Mongap Rapids On August 4th, C.D.P., 38, of Peekskill, New York, his 7 year old son, and two other companions were canoeing when they capsized at Mongap Rapids, C.D.P.'s son and two companions all made it to shore, but he was unable to reach to shore. C.D.P. was the only one in the canoe not wearing a life jacket. Rangers responded with a local dive team and recovered his body.
On the evening of February 27th, park ranger Robin Daniels, who was a member of a local rescue squad, was killed in a motor vehicle accident while responding to an emergency during off-duty hours. Her husband, Cliff Daniels, is also a ranger at Upper Delaware. A memorial fund has been established in her name; contributions should be made to: Robin M. Daniels Memorial Fund, c/o American Legion Ambulance, Eldred, NY 12732. (Glen Voss, CR, UPDE; Chris Andress and Steve Alscher, RAD, MARO).
At approximately 2 p.m. on the 26th, 28-year-old R.B. of New Brunswick, New Jersey, was swimming off a raft below Mongaup Island when he drowned for unknown reasons. R.B. was with a group of McDonald's employees from the New Jersey area. Three area diving units and a New York state helicopter are currently searching the river for his body. (Glen Voss, CR, UPDE, via CompuServe report from Ginny Paci, RAD/MARO).
On the afternoon of July 20th, four juveniles went swimming in the Upper Delaware 200 to 300 yards south of the Skinner Falls access. Two adults, who were parents of one of the swimmers (not the victim), watched from the shore. As the four attempted to swim across the river, 15-year-old C.A. of Westbury, New York, became tired and decided to turn back. He failed to make it to shore and drowned. None of the other swimmers were able to get to him to help. NPS divers recovered the body with the assistance of a local fire department diver later that afternoon. (Mike Reuber, UPDE, via CompuServe message from Kathy Jope, RAD/MARO, 7/23).
At 3 p.m. on the afternoon of the 25th, C.J., 22, of Port Reading, New Jersey, and J.D., 21, of Carteret, New Jersey, attempted to wade and swim across the Delaware River near Minisink Ford. When the water became chest deep, C.J. turned around and headed for shore. When he got there, he looked back and didn't see J.D. C.J. said that he was not concerned, however, because J.D. was known as a practical joker. C.J. and both of their girlfriends returned to their campsite. At 5 p.m., they reported J.D. missing to the staff at the campground, who passed on the report to the park. Two NPS divers searched for J.D. on Saturday night, and were joined by state police and other agencies the following day. J.D.'s body was recovered at noon on Sunday. (Mike Reuber, UPDE, via CompuServe message from Kathy Jope, RAD/MARO, 8/27).
On the afternoon of August 4th, 33-year-old C.B. of Englewood, New Jersey, decided to conclude a day of tubing with a swim at Lukes Landing, but soon slipped under the surface. While rangers responded, the owner and an employee of Kittatinny Canoes, a company operating at the landing, located C.B. and brought her to the shore. CPR was immediately begun by EMS personnel on the scene. She was taken to a local hospital where she was listed in critical condition. Although she still had a pulse, she expired later that evening. According to family members, C.B. was not a good swimmer. She was from Columbia and was not a United States citizen. [CompuServe message from Barbara Perry, UPDE, 8/9]
C.K., 37, jumped off the Skinner's Falls bridge into the Delaware River on the afternoon of May 9th, then resurfaced yelling for help. A park visitor attempted a rescue, but was unsuccessful. C.K. was recovered a half hour later. CPR was begun immediately and he was transported to a local hospital, where he C.K. pronounced dead. According to friends who were with him at the scene, C.K. had often jumped from the 30-foot-high bridge in the past. It appears that alcohol may have been a factor. [Glenn Voss, CR, UPDE, 5/10]
Rangers spotted a suspicious vehicle parked on a Pennsylvania highway adjacent to the Upper Delaware River on October 9th. A registration and NCIC check revealed that the driver, R.B., was wanted for failure to appear on grand theft charges in South Dakota. The rangers assisted a state trooper in making a felony arrest. R.B. was jailed in the Wayne County prison pending extradition to South Dakota. [CRO, UPDE, 10/12]
W.L., 33, and friends were jumping from the Narrowsburg Bridge into 15 to 20 feet of water on June 11th when W.L. hit the river and failed to resurface. The park dive team was summoned and recovered his body later that evening. The circumstances leading to his death are not yet entirely known, but alcohol and drugs were contributing factors. [Cliff Daniels, UPDE, 6/13]
A Conrail diesel engine derailed near the Parkers Glen area south of Shohola, Pennsylvania, on the evening of Wednesday, January 18th. The engine tipped on its side about 100 yards from the Delaware River, and about 800 gallons of diesel fuel spilled from a ruptured fuel tank. A 200-foot entrapment boom has been placed in the river, but none of the fuel has yet reached the Delaware's waters. The incident occurred outside the park's jurisdiction, but park staff are on-site monitoring the situation and providing assistance as needed. [Roy Given, UPDE, 1/19]
Six rangers, all with medical training, responded to a mass casualty incident at Delaware Valley Central School in the town of Hankins on March 8th. Twenty- six students and a staff member from the school had been overcome by gas fumes which occurred during the clean-up of a gasoline spill. The rangers assisted with triage and patient care and provided basic life support. All patients were taken by ambulance to hospitals, then treated and released. The incident was a significant test of the area's EMS and incident command system, both of which performed well. [Alan Henry, PR, UPDE, 3/16]
N. "B.J." J., an Alzheimer patient residing in Milanville, Pennsylvania, was reported missing on the evening of March 28th. Following a fruitless hasty search by local fire departments and state police from both states, the park was asked to assist, and a command center was set up in the North District ranger station. A full-scale search was begun early the following morning which involved dog teams, helicopters, fixed wing aircraft, and 120 people from numerous state, local and volunteer organizations. The search effort focused on 17 miles of the river and 50 square miles of terrain. B.J. was found by two dog handlers in a woody area about a mile and a half from his house and a quarter mile west of the river around 4 p.m. that afternoon. He was taken to a local hospital. [UPDE, 3/31]
On the afternoon of August 13th, ranger Cliff Daniels contacted a group in the park regarding failure to use life jackets while on the river. He also advised them to restrain and control the two dogs they had, both of which were off leash. One of the dogs, a pit bull, attacked Daniels and bit him in the right chest and right shin. Daniels drew his weapon and said that he would shoot the dog if it was not controlled. The dog bit Daniels a third time, but was grabbed and restrained by a member of the group. Daniels called for assistance and was backed up by rangers and state and local officers. The owner of the dog was cited for numerous dog law violations. Daniels was treated for minor bite wounds at a local hospital, then released. [CRO, UPDE]
A strong wind and rain storm which struck the park on the evening of October 14th knocked a large maple tree over on to the historic Zane Grey house and museum. No one was hurt in the accident, but the building's main support beam was cracked and several gables were heavily damaged. Some water damage also occurred. Large limbs covered the porch and entryway; crews are removing them and working to restore electrical service to the building. Other trees in the compound were either uprooted or severely damaged. A newly-installed security system glass break sensor alerted the staff, as three windows were broken by the falling tree. [CRO, UPDE]
Interpretive chief Roy Given advised rangers of a motor vehicle in the Delaware River about a half mile south of the Robeling Bridge on the afternoon of February 2nd. Danielle Inch had been driving south on Route 97, looking out the passenger window, when she realized that her vehicle was going off the road. The vehicle ended up in the river, but Inch was able to get out and make her way to shore through the 32 degree water. Given stopped, provided aid, and called for emergency assistance. Rangers Daniels and Reuber arrived within minutes. Inch was taken to a local hospital, where she was treated and released. The accident is under investigation. [CRO, UPDE]
J.J., 25, and R.J., 21, drowned on the afternoon of Friday, June 14th while swimming with two companions in the Delaware River near Narrowsburg. Park staff and local dive rescue teams conducted a hasty search for the pair, but were unsuccessful. Recovery efforts were begun that evening and continued through the weekend. The bodies were found and recovered on Sunday evening. [CRO, UPDE]
On the afternoon of August 13th, a 14-year-old boy was wading in the Delaware River with friends and family members when he apparently stepped into an eight- to ten-feet-deep section of the river. He surfaced twice, yelling for help, then disappeared. Members of his group were unable to rescue him. Ranger Cliff Daniels and a New York state trooper made a free dive recovery and began CPR within 40 minutes of the incident, but were unable to revive the boy. [CRO, UPDE]
On the afternoon of October 6th, rangers were advised of a diving accident with CPR in progress. Ranger Cliff Daniels responded and assisted state police and local EMS volunteers in resuscitation of M.P., who was stricken while on a deep dive (just over 100 feet) with a group from Penn State University. His companions reported that they'd been at that depth for about a half hour. The trio stopped at the 15-foot level while ascending for a five minute safety stop when M.P. began making hand signals and surfaced. M.P.'s companions found that he was having difficulty breathing. They helped him to shore and began CPR when he stopped breathing. He was evacuated and flown to a hospital in Danville, Pennsylvania, where he remains in critical condition. [CRO, UPDE]
On October 9th, Mark Podgorski died as a result of the diving accident which occurred on the river three days previously. The county coroner has specified that the cause of death was "brain hypoxia, decompression sickness syndrome." [CRO, UPDE]
Ranger Kevin Reish contacted and detained J.C. on May 24th for fishing without a license. During the process of verifying his identity, Reish determined that J.C. was wanted by the state of Maryland for failure to appear on charges of drug possession, use and sales and driving while intoxicated. A search of his person led to the discovery of marijuana, hallucinogens, and false identification. He was turned over to state police and is awaiting extradition to Maryland. [Glenn Voss, CR, UPDE, 5/28]
The 150th anniversary celebration of the Roebling Bridge (and aqueduct) was held on September 13th. Park staff and members of the Upper Delaware Council, assisted by numerous partners, hosted the event. The bridge is the oldest existing wire suspension bridge in the country and the forerunner of the Brooklyn Bridge. The event was attended by over 50 members of the Roebling family, two New York congressmen, and numerous state and local political representatives. A total of 875 people attended. There were no incidents. Mike Reuber was IC. [Glenn Voss, CR, UPDE, 9/14]
On the evening of July 4th, K.Z. and friends were swimming in the Delaware River near Damascus Bridge. K.Z. attempted to cross from the shallow New York side to the deeper Pennsylvania side around 8:15 p.m., but began to have difficulty and called for help. A friend brought him to shore. K.Z. was still responsive, but having respiratory difficulties. He soon became unconscious. His companions began administering CPR and continued until relieved by responding emergency personnel. A witness said that K.Z. and his group had been in the area most of the afternoon. Although he'd been drinking beer, both friends and witnesses said he wasn't intoxicated. K.Z. also had asthma, but reportedly had not experienced any breathing difficulties prior to the incident. State troopers are investigating. The official cause of death is unknown at present. [B. Perry, LE Assistant, UPDE, 7/6]
A 14-year-old boy who was on an educational foundation outing drowned while swimming in the Delaware River around 6 p.m. on June 30th. The group was on a canoe trip and had banked their canoes south of the village of Hancock in order to go swimming. The victim was seen going underwater and was brought to shore by a counselor and another student and given CPR. Local fire and EMS units responded and transported him to a hospital in Walton, where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy will be performed to determine cause of death. [Alan Henry, UPDE, 7/2]
Maintenance mechanic leader Leonard W. "Lenny" Hoffert, Jr., 53, died suddenly on the morning of Wednesday, July 26th. He was recuperating at the time from major surgery that he'd had on July 14th. A retired 20-year veteran of the Marine Corps with two tours of duty in Vietnam, Lenny had worked for the National Park Service at Upper Delaware since 1991. [Calvin Hite, Superintendent, UPDE, 7/27]
On the afternoon of Monday, June 4th, ranger Vince Pareago spotted an overturned canoe at Stairway Rapids on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River - a remote area with no road access. Pareago went to assist and found a man administering CPR to his female companion. The woman, S.W., had been canoeing with him when she fell into the river. Pareago, an EMT, contacted dispatch and requested EMS assistance, then took over basic life support. CPR was continued until an ambulance from Lumberland arrived, launched its airboat from the New York side, picked up S.W. and EMS personnel, and transported them to an ambulance waiting on the New York shore. S.W. was pronounced dead at a local hospital. She was not wearing a life jacket at the time of the accident. [Cliff Daniels, SPR, UPDE, 6/5]
On the afternoon of June 21st, the Sullivan County emergency control center advised park dispatch of a 911 call that they had received reporting a water-related emergency near the Barryville bridge. Rangers and emergency personnel responded and found that a canoe had capsized and that one of its occupants, 70-year-old man, had been swept away by the river. Because of the remoteness of the area, it had taken about 45 minutes for the victim's companion to hike out from the shore and call 911. The man's body was recovered in about eight feet of water about three-quarters of a mile below the bridge. According to news reports, this is what had happened: The two men had rented a canoe from Kittatinny Canoes in Barryville and entered the river around 9:30 a.m. for a 17-mile, eight-hour excursion downstream to Matamoras. About three miles downriver, the canoe hit a rock in Shohola Rapids, spun and capsized. The men could stand in the water at that point, so one hung onto the canoe and the other headed toward the New York shore. When the current pulled the man holding the canoe into deeper water and toward more rapids, he let the canoe go. He didn't see what became of his friend. The two men had made this same trip annually for 18 years. The survivor was wearing a life jacket; the victim's life jacket was found tied to the canoe's thwart. The NPS and New York State Police are investigating. [Cliff Daniels, LE Supervisor, UPDE, 6/26]
On the evening of July 13th, seven-year-old J.E. and his ten-year-old sister and thirteen-year-old brother were playing on the shore of the Delaware River in the Kittatinny Minisink Campground. J.E. was swimming and wading in the river with his sister and a cousin. The two older children became separated from J.E. because of the current; when they returned to the area where he had been, he was gone. The children called for help and rangers were summoned. When they arrived, they found that four to six people were already searching for the boy. One of the snorkelers found J.E. but was unable to retrieve him. A diver found him and brought him to the surface; he was transferred to a canoe and brought to shore, where CPR was begun. J.E. was taken to a hospital in Port Jervis, New York, where he was pronounced dead by ER physicians. [Cliff Daniels, SPR, UPDE]
G.G. and H.S. arrived at the Highland access on the afternoon of July 6th and went into the river to cool off. Both entered at the end of the ramp. G.G. subsequently returned to shore, then attempted to rejoin H.S. in the river. This time he stepped into deep water and began to panic. He called to H.S. for help, but H.S. was unable to help him to shore. G.G. then went under. Visitor Gennadiy Unigovski entered the river, found G.G., and brought him to shore, where he and other bystanders began CPR. Rangers and local officers responded and G.G. was taken to the hospital. He was pronounced dead there by doctors. [Cliff Daniels, SPR, UPDE]
A 17-year-old boy rafting on the Delaware River with other members of
a New Jersey high school group disappeared after the raft capsized in
the Butler's Rift rapids on the afternoon of Monday, June 2nd. The river
is running high and fast at present because of recent heavy rains, and
the water temperature is in the mid-50s. A search for the boy was begun
by rangers and emergency rescue personnel from the towns of Lumberland
and Sparrowbush, but was suspended around 5 p.m. The search resumed on
Tuesday and was being organized and coordinated by the park and by New
York State Police.
Efforts to find the body of 17-year-old O.O. of Union, New
Jersey, have been suspended due to weather, low visibility and hazardous
conditions in the Delaware River. O.O. was rafting on the Delaware
River with other members of a New Jersey high school group last Monday
when their raft capsized in Butler's Rift rapids. O.O., who was not
wearing a lifejacket that had been provided to him by the operator of
the commercial rafting company, disappeared in the river. A state police
helicopter, state police divers and rangers searched for him for most of
the week until conditions mandated a suspension of the operation. This
incident occurred only a few miles from the above-noted drowning in
Raymondskill Creek.
On June 10th, boaters spotted the body of a missing 17-year-old high
school student in the Delaware River near Matamoras, Pennsylvania, just
above Delaware Water Gap NRA. He'd disappeared after a rafting accident
further up river on June 2nd. The body was recovered by rescue companies
from Sparrowbush, New York, and Westfall, Pennsylvania. Factors
contributing to the boy's death included high river levels and cool
water temperatures (mid-50s). The victim has been positively identified
and was taken to Allentown for an autopsy.
R.D. and his wife were paddling a rental canoe on the
Delaware River in the vicinity of the Barryville/Shohola rapids around
11 a.m. on the morning of July 4th when their canoe hit a rock, capsized
and ejected them into the river. They attempted to hold onto the canoe
as they passed through the rapids, but R.D. became unconscious
and floated downstream. Other visitors removed him from the river and
began CPR. Responding rangers and EMS personnel employed an AED in an
effort to resuscitate him; their efforts were continued by ALS personnel
until just after noon. R.D. was subsequently pronounced dead by
the coroner. Neither he nor his wife was wearing a life jacket at the
time of the accident.
Due to the ongoing passage of Hurricane Isabel through the eastern states, not all parks have been able to report on their status. Here's a rundown of those that had been heard from as of late yesterday evening (south to north):
Meanwhile, the NPS Type 1 IMT (JD Swed, IC) is currently staged in Charlotte, North Carolina, working with the regional emergency response coordinators for the three regions (SER, NCR, NER) on providing assistance to parks currently being affected by Hurricane Isabel. The Type 1 team has compiled contact lists and has provided a team liaison to assist at the North Carolina Emergency Operations Center. Parks should report their current situations to their respective emergency response coordinators and make requests for resources and assistance to them. The Type 1 team will coordinate these requests with the regional emergency coordinator to determine the appropriate response. More information will be available later today, once parks have had an opportunity to complete preliminary assessments on their needs. This summary was compiled from reports submitted by Ken Garvin, SERO; Brenda Ritchie, EICC, SHEN; Cindy MacLeod, Superintendent, RICH; Bob Vogel, Superintendent, CALO; Mark Hardgrove, Assistant Superintendent, CAHA; Barry Munyan, ADR, CAHA; Vince Santucci, Chief Ranger, GWMP; Doug Wallner, Acting Regional Chief Ranger, NERO; Laura Joss, General Superintendent, FOMC/HAMP; Bob Martin, Regional Chief Ranger, NERO; Carla Hauser Hahn, Executive Assistant, UPDE; Phillip Correl, Director, NEJE; Reed Johnson, Superintendent, APCO; Wayne Valentine, IC, FIIS; Ed Whitaker, IC, DEWA; Kris Fister, IO, Type 1 IMT.
The park was notified of a possible drowning near the Butlers Rift
rapid south of the Mongaup River confluence on the evening of Wednesday,
June 9th. S.B., an Israeli national, had been visiting friends
in the New Jersey area. He and a companion were paddling rental kayaks
from Kittatinny Canoes, a local outfitter, and capsized as they were
passing through the rapids. S.B. was last seen swimming below the
rapids. Both men were poor swimmers; neither was wearing a life jacket
at the time of the incident. Recovery operations were begun late in the
day, but were called off when severe thunderstorms struck the area.
S.B.'s body was found early the following afternoon. The recovery
operation was a joint effort by the park, New York State Police and
local rescue divers. Rangers and state troopers are investigating.
L.L., 52, and his 13-year-old son were paddling a rental
kayak through Butlers Rift rapid on the afternoon of July 10th when they
capsized. L.L.'s son was able to swim to the New York shoreline,
but he went under. Bystanders, including a physician, assisted with
rescue and resuscitation efforts, which proved unsuccessful. Both father
and son were wearing life jackets at the time of the accident. Rangers
and state troopers are investigating.
M.M.-R., 22, and friends were walking and playing in shallow eddy
water in the Delaware River near Kittatinny Campground in Minisink, New
York, around 8 p.m. on July 23rd. As they moved along, they wandered
into the deeper main current. Members of the group began to panic and
struggled to get to the shoreline. Bystanders helped them, but noticed
that M.M.-R. was missing. They called for help via 911, and rangers and
local rescue units responded. M.M.-R.'s body was recovered around 9:40
p.m. by divers. M.M.-R. was a non-swimmer and was not wearing a life
jacket. None of the members of the group had ever been swimming in a
river. Rangers and state police are investigating.
Here's today's roundup of post-hurricane reports: Upper Delaware NS&RR — Protection, resource management and maintenance staff were involved in a variety of SAR, EMS and other responses over the period from Saturday through Monday. Preparations began on Friday with the removal of all items at risk to high water, as the National Weather Service had predicted a crest of 13 feet (four feet below flood stage at Barryville). Canoe liveries and bridge construction companies were warned to expect exceptionally high water. At 6 a.m. on Saturday, rangers were asked to help evacuate 23 people from a campground and housing development within the floodway. By this time, the Weather Service had revised its prediction and was forecasting a crest of from 26 to 28 feet by midnight. At the time of the evacuation, the river was up to between 16 and 18 feet. Rangers rescued one man from the housing development who was attempting to recover his dogs by riding his lawn mower across an access road covered by more than 18 inches of fast-moving water. Park staff also assisted in the evacuation of residents from flood-prone areas in Narrowsburg. By the time the river crested, it had reached 24.09 feet on the Barryville gauge and was flowing at 112,200 cfs. This is the second highest level in the 64 years since observers began keeping records and was eclipsed only by the 1955 flood (26.4 feet and 130,000 cfs). The level associated with Ivan was eight times the height, 98 times the cfs and approximately 10 to 12 times the speed of the normal summertime river flow. Damage to park equipment and facilities was minimal. One storage garage was flooded to a depth of 18 inches, other buildings to two or three inches. Reports from Peter Givens, IO, Incident Management Team, GUIS; Nancy Poe, CHAT; John Stiner, CANA; Phil Noblitt, PIO, BLRI; Bill Halainen, IO, Incident Management Team, DEWA; Al Henry, Chief Ranger, UPDE.
The body of C.W. of Damascus, Pennsylvania, was found by a fishing guide under the Callicoon Road bridge around noon on October 17th. She was found in about a foot of water approximately five feet from the Pennsylvania shoreline. Preliminary investigation indicates that the cause of death was head trauma and drowning due to a fall. Suicide is suspected. A joint investigation by the NPS and Pennsylvania State Police is
underway.
The heavy rains that caused the severe flooding at Delaware Water Gap NRA also had varying impacts on other parks in Northeast Region: Upper Delaware S&RR - The river is at historic high levels. Flooding and high water conditions are expected to continue through this weekend. As of 11 a.m. yesterday, the river had risen to 27 feet at the gauge in Barryville, New York. It was expected to crest last night between 33 and 35 feet. The flood stage at the gauge is 17 feet. Typical river conditions include waves over eight feet high, floating and submerged debris, swift currents, cold water temperatures and hazards along the shore. For that reason, boating is being discouraged. The historic Roebling Bridge between Lackawaxen, Pennsylvania, and Minisink Ford, New York, has been closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic. If flood waters reach the bridge deck, it will not reopen until it has been inspected by the Federal Highway Administration. (Note: At least one New York City TV station last night reported that the Roebling Bridge had collapsed. The report was erroneous. The park has confirmed that it's still there and in good shape.) [Loren Goering, Chief of Interpretation, and Al Henry, Chief Ranger, UPDE; Tim Mauch, Chief Ranger, RICH/MAWA; Lew Rogers, Chief Ranger, VAFO]
Three parks in eastern Pennsylvania were affected to varying degrees by the major floods spawned by last week's rains and are in the process of recovering from their impacts: Upper Delaware S&RR - Floodwaters from the Delaware River caused significant damage at the historic Zane Grey House. Personnel from the regional museum services office will be contracting to have the six to eight feet of water in the basement pumped out and to have the structure dehumidified. The majority of the collection was moved upstairs before the river came out of its banks, but the building itself was damaged and will be the focus of recovery efforts. The historic Roebling Bridge, which crosses the Delaware, has been closed by Federal Highways. Some employees reported water in their home basements, but no major damage. [Deb Nordeen, Incident Information Officer, DEWA; Jill Hawk, Regional Chief Ranger, NER]
Flood recovery operations continue at the two national parks on the Delaware River - Delaware Water Gap NRA in New Jersey and Pennsylvania and Upper Delaware S&RR in Pennsylvania and New York. Recent developments follow: Upper Delaware S&RR - The Zane Grey museum will remain closed until further notice. Flood water entered the basement of the building, causing electrical and structural damage. The Zane Grey Festival, scheduled for July 15th, has been cancelled. The Roebling Bridge, which spans the Delaware River, reopened on Wednesday afternoon. Federal Highway Administration engineers spent the day checking the bridge and declared it safe. [Bill Halainen, Incident Information Officer, DEWA; Carla Hauser Hahn, UPDE]
On the afternoon of August 19th, park dispatch received a report that a man appeared to be drowning in the Delaware River near the Kittatinny Canoe riverside campground in Minisink, New York. Rangers, state troopers and local rescue personnel all responded. Upon arrival, the rangers found that B.L., ,37, had been snorkeling in the river when he'd called for help, then disappeared underwater. Local divers recovered his body from about ten feet of water in mid-afternoon. He was pronounced dead shortly thereafter. Rangers and state police are investigating. [Al Henry, Chief Ranger]
P.H., 62, drowned in the Barryville-Shohola rapids on the Delaware River after his canoe capsized around 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, August 12th. P.H. and a companion were paddling and fishing as they went through the rapids when the canoe capsized and both ended up in the river. There were no Coast Guard-approved life jackets on board, just Type IV seat cushions that don't meet USCG requirements. P.H. was submerged for about 20 minutes before bystanders recovered him and brought him to the New York shoreline. They then performed CPR on him for about 20 minutes. It took a further 20 minutes for rangers and local police officers and first responders to arrive on scene. P.H.'s body was transported downstream to the park's Barryville office. Rangers and state troopers are investigating. [Al Henry, Chief Ranger]
A.D., 17, drowned while swimming in the river with his brother and cousin around 4 p.m. last Sunday afternoon. A.D. was about three-quarters of the way across the river, swimming towards the Pennsylvania shoreline, when he became fatigued, panicked, began calling for help, then went underwater. Those swimming with him were unable to help, so called 911. Rangers and local fire, rescue, EMS and law enforcement personnel all responded. A visitor spotted A.D. in the water and was able to recover him and load him onto a raft. CPR was begun and he was taken to the New York shore, then turned over to a Tusten volunteer ambulance crew and taken to Wayne Memorial Hospital. He was pronounced dead on arrival. The investigation continues. [Al Henry, Chief Ranger]
Two young men drowned in separate incidents on the Delaware River within hours of each other on the afternoon of the Fourth of July. Around 1 p.m. P.F., 17, of Mount Vernon, New York, was swimming with a companion near the Skinners Falls Road bridge when he began having trouble staying afloat and disappeared underwater. His companion made it to shore and called 911. Rangers, New York State Police officers and local fire and EMS personnel were dispatched to the accident scene. Rangers and local canoe livery staff conducted a hasty search and found P.F. in about nine feet of water. CPR was begun and he was taken to Catskill Regional Medical Center in Callicoon, where he was pronounced dead. Then, around 5 p.m., there was a second drowning near Kittatinny Riverside Campground. R.N., 28, of Queens, New York, was swimming with friends when he began calling for help. R.N.'s companion attempted to help him but also had difficulty and couldn't reach him. A 911 calls was made; rangers, state troopers, Highland constables, and local fire, dive and EMS personnel were dispatched. The Sullivan County dive team recovered R.N.'s body around 6:15 p.m. Investigations into both drownings are underway. [Al Henry, Chief Ranger]
Rangers were contacted by Sullivan County 911 last Friday afternoon and advised of a river rescue operation in progress near a canoe livery base in Minisink, New York. Another call revealed that the person had been recovered, that CPR was in progress, and that he was being taken to Bon Secours Hospital in Port Jervis. S.V., 20, of Staten Island, New York, had been swimming in the Delaware River with four companions when they attempted to swim across the river to the Pennsylvania shoreline. When they were about half way across, S.V. begin having difficulty staying afloat, called for help, then went under. His companions attempted to assist but could not rescue him. Employees and campers from the canoe livery, Lander's River Trips, heard the calls for help and responded in canoes. They pulled S.V. into a canoe and began CPR, then turned him over to an ambulance crew on shore. He was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead after additional life support efforts failed. About three hours before the incident occurred, staff from Kittatinny Canoe, another canoe livery, advised them not to swim across the river and to wear lifejackets while in the water. [Al Henry, Chief Ranger]
B.G., 28, and five friends were camping just north of the Stalker-Kellam Bridge at the Soaring Eagle campground on July 26th when they decided to go for a morning swim. None were wearing lifejackets. They swam downstream to a point where the water was swifter and deeper, at which point they began to tire and panic. They worked to help each other and all but B.G. made it to shore. A multi-agency search was begun for him. His body was recovered in about 15 feet of water south of the bridge by personnel from the Equinunk Fire Department. A Honesdale EMS paramedic pronounced him dead at the scene. An investigation is being conducted by rangers, Pennsylvania State Police, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, and Wayne County Coroner's Office. [Joe Nicholson, Supervisory Park Ranger]
On the afternoon of August 23rd, four friends who were rafting together on the rain-swollen Delaware River fell out of the raft when it hit a standing wave in Staircase Rapids and flipped over. Only one of the raft's occupants was wearing a lifejacket at the time. He and two others were able to swim ashore, but H.H.S., 36, of Flushing, New York, swam downstream. Ranger Kevin Reish and park VIP Robert Hare were on boat patrol not far downstream at the time. When they received a visitor report of people in the water, they responded, spotted H.H.S., and threw a flotation device to him. H.H.S. was barely above the waterline, though, and was unable to utilize it. Hare jumped into the river in an attempt to save H.H.S., but H.H.S. slipped below the surface of the swollen and muddy river and disappeared. An interagency search was begun, but no sign of H.H.S. was found. The search is still underway. [Joe Nicholson, Acting Chief Ranger]
On October 31st, the New York State Police notified the park that a missing 36-year-old woman with a history of substance abuse and suicidal tendencies had last been seen on the bank of the Delaware River in Narrowsburg. She'd disappeared on October 28th. Based on evidence found at the point last seen and high water conditions that have existed since the date of disappearance, a river search was conducted from Narrowsburg downriver about 15 miles to the Barryville/Shohola Bridge. Daily search efforts by the park and NYSP are ongoing and include helicopters, watercraft and divers. [Joe Nicolson, Supervisory Park Ranger]
Heavy rains falling throughout the Northeast have caused significant flooding on small streams and are filling larger rivers to their brims. Some flooding will likely occur in these parks: Upper Delaware S&RR - On Thursday, park staff began preparing for a high water event. The river is currently predicted to crest at 15' on the Barryville gauge late Friday (flood stage is 17'). The predicted crest, however, is heavily influenced by how much snowpack melt off occurs and on flash flooding on the Delaware's tributaries. The crest therefore has the potential to go significantly higher - the park is preparing for the possibility of it reaching 22'. Preparations include notifying the canoe liveries and county communications centers, closing all river accesses, and site preparations. Items at the Milanville and Barryville NPS building sites were moved to higher locations. Should the crest get close to 26', it may be necessary to disconnect utilities at Barryville, Milanville, and the Zane Grey museum. Any crest prediction higher than that would require relocating museum items and possibly work stations. Plans are in place to do so if necessary. Response/rescue boats and the response trailer have been moved to higher locations at HQ and ranger residences. These extreme scenarios (crest greater than 22') are unlikely at this time. Members of the park's staff are standing by to assist nearby towns, counties and villages if needed. [Brad Clawson, Chief Ranger, CHOH; Kathleen Sandt, PIO, DEWA; Seam McGuinness, Superintendent, UPDE]
On the afternoon of May 28th, a 71-year-old Long Island man was reported missing after he fell from his raft while boating on the Upper Delaware River in an area called Butler's Rift. He was not wearing a lifejacket at the time and was seen going under the water by his wife. National Canoe Safety Patrol (NCSP) members were on patrol in the area and immediately notified the NPS and began a hasty search. Park staff responded along with Delaware Water Gap's dive rescue team and dive teams from the Sparrowbush, Port Jervis, Matamoras and Westfall fire departments. A point last seen was determined and dive operations began. They were hampered by high water and poor visibility and suspended on Saturday, but resumed on Sunday and Monday. No sign of the missing man was found until around 8 p.m. on Sunday evening when dispatch at Delaware Water Gap received a call from boaters reporting a body floating in the river near the Dingmans Ferry Bridge. The body was recovered and found to be that of the missing man. The river had carried it about 25 miles from the point last seen. [Joe Hinkes, Chief Ranger]
Two brothers, one 56 and the other 60, came to the Delaware River to go fishing on the evening of June 13th. The 56-year-old left his older brother along the shoreline at an area known as Knights Farm and went to fish another section of the river. When he returned about an hour and a half later, he was unable to find his brother. He searched for him for about two hours before driving to the town of Hancock and alerting authorities. The New York State Police responded along with the Hancock and Equinunk VFD's and began hasty searches along and on the river. Firefighters found the missing brother floating face down in the water about a mile downriver from the point last seen around 1 a.m. the next morning. [Joe Hinkes, Chief Ranger]
Park dispatch received a report of a missing swimmer near Number Nine Railroad Bridge on the Ten Mile River Boy Scout Reservation just after 7 p.m. last Wednesday evening. A multi-agency response was immediately launched. Hasty searchers, including divers, checked the point where 18-year-old D.R. had disappeared while attempting to swim across the Delaware with two companions. D.R. began having trouble about half way across the river and the other two swimmers tried to help him. One took hold of D.R., but was unable to get him to shallow water. Although the point where he'd gone under was identified, searchers were unable to find him and the operation was called off around 9 p.m. The search was resumed the next morning, with several dive teams assisting, including one from Delaware Water Gap NRA. Port Jervis VFD divers recovered the body around 3 p.m. that afternoon. The park is leading the investigation into the death. [Joe Hinkes, Chief Ranger]
Interpretive ranger Brandon Diefenbach received a report of a swimmer missing in the Delaware River near Skinner Falls late last Saturday afternoon. Rangers responded along with emergency personnel from the surrounding area and a joint incident command was established with all agencies. Rangers soon determined that two people had attempted to swim across the river from New York to Pennsylvania, but that one - A.P., a Portuguese national - had not made it and had disappeared about half way across the Delaware, which at this point is about 150 feet wide. A.P.'s companion was transported by ambulance to a local hospital due to difficulty in breathing. Witnesses were able to establish a point last seen and a surface search was begun in an attempt to find A.P. Searchers were soon joined by members of the Sullivan County dive team, who found the man's body in the river. All indications are that this was an accidental drowning. The NPS is the lead investigating agency. River conditions at the time of the incident were typical for this time of summer. The river height was 3.5 feet and the temperature was 73 degrees Fahrenheit. [Joe Hinkes, Chief Ranger]
A teenager drowned in the Delaware River last Thursday evening - the third drowning in the Upper Delaware to occur within a period of just over a week. The park learned of the possible drowning at 6:45 p.m. Rangers responded along with emergency personnel from several local agencies. Investigation revealed that eleven people ranging in age from 17 to 21 had attempted to swim across the river from New York to Pennsylvania just below Skinner's Falls Rapids, a distance of about 150 feet. The last to leave the New York shoreline was a 19-year-old from Ridgefield Park, New Jersey. About halfway across the river, he began having difficulty staying afloat. Two 17-year-olds attempted to grab hold of him and get him to shore, but he began pulling then underwater, forcing them to let him go. The Sullivan County dive team began searching for him and recovered his body around 8:15 p.m. in about ten to twelve feet of water near the point last seen. River conditions at the time of the incident were typical for this time of summer. The river height was 3.5 feet and the temperature in the low 70's. The incident is currently under investigation and the NPS is the lead investigating agency. [Joe Hinkes, Chief Ranger]
Governor Tom Corbett of Pennsylvania visited the park on August 23rd and kayaked from the Narrowsburg access to the Lackawaxen access, a distance of 13 miles. Approximately 100 demonstrators, spread out at a various locations along the river, protested against Marcellus shale formation gas exploration and development. Several demonstrators also followed the governor down the river in canoes and kayaks. Another, smaller group protested in support of gas exploration and development. Approximately 50 demonstrators gathered at the Lackawaxen access. There were no incidents during the governor's visit and the governor concluded his visit with a tour of the Zane Grey Museum in Lackawaxen. National Park Service protection rangers worked closely with Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission officers and Pennsylvania State Police and New York State Police troopers to ensure the safety of all involved. [Joe Hinkes, Chief Ranger]
A group of rafters discovered a man's body lodged on a rock in the Delaware River at Kunkeli's Rapids on the afternoon of May 4th. Rangers and members of the Narrowsburg Fire Department recovered the body from the New York side of the river at the top of the rapids. A coroner from the New York Medical Examiner's Office took possession of the body. Dental records may be required for positive identification. A joint investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death is being conducted by the rangers, New York and Pennsylvania state police, and the medical examiner's office. [Vince Pareago, Acting Chief Ranger]
A local fisherman survived a fall into the frigid waters of the Delaware River on Monday, January 20th, because he heeded signs and was wearing a lifejacket. J.S., 51, fell overboard from his canoe into the 33-degree water and was barely able to swim to shore. Once onshore, he crawled up the bank of the river and was assisted by a local homeowner. Before launching his canoe, J.S. read a sign on a park bulletin board that said that use of a lifejacket on the river was mandatory between November 1st and April 30th. "This sign saved my life," he said. Rangers at Upper Delaware spend a great deal of time encouraging both boaters and swimmers to wear their lifejackets and enforcing boating regulations. The new mandatory wear requirement during cold water months was created in an attempt to decrease the number of cold weather boating fatalities due to hypothermia and resulting drowning. [Kevin Reish, Water Safety Program Manager]
On the afternoon Saturday, July 26th, rangers responded to a non-fatal drowning, often referred to as a near drowning, that occurred at Staircase Rapids. The victim was a young man who'd entered the water to swim from one raft to another. He was not wearing a life jacket and according to his companions was intoxicated. A man in the raft that the victim was swimming toward saw him struggling in the water. He did not know the victim (they had only met that day), but asked others in the raft who did know him if they thought he was alright or needed help. They said that he was okay and that he knew how to swim. The man in the raft saw the victim's head bob under the water, though, and believed, correctly, that he was in the process of drowning. He entered the water, wearing his life jacket, swam to the victim and brought him to the Pennsylvania shoreline. The victim was conscious but displaying an altered mental state; it is unclear if this was due to the drowning or intoxication or a combination of both. The rescuer then swam back across the river to the New York shoreline and ran to Kittatinny Canoes' Staircase Rapids base and had them call 911. Park protection rangers responded via patrol boat along with local police constables and fire and EMS personnel. Lumberland Volunteer Fire Department's boat was first on scene and took the victim to the ambulance that was waiting at Kittatinny Canoe's base. The victim was transported to Bon Secours Hospital in Port Jervis, where he was treated and released. The incident is under investigation. [Joe Hinkes, Chief Ranger]
A major multi-agency manhunt is currently underway for the person or persons who ambushed and killed a Pennsylvania state trooper and seriously wounded another outside the Blooming Grove barracks in Pike County in northeast Pennsylvania. Troopers from Blooming Grove work closely with rangers from both Upper Delaware S&RR and Delaware Water Gap NRA, both of which are partly in Pike County. The NPS has been in touch with incident managers at the Pennsylvania State Police command post and notified them of the availability of rangers and an NPS special agent. At present, however, they are not actively engaged in the search. Rangers in both parks have been advised to exercise extra caution both on and off duty. [Joe Hinkes, Chief Ranger, Upper Delaware S&RR]
A 55-year-old man from Allentown, Pennsylvania, nearly drowned when his canoe capsized in Butler's Rift on the afternoon of July 20th. Two men were on a river cleanup when they saw a canoe capsize in Butler's Rift. They quickly paddled over in a canoe to assist the man and his son. The man went unconscious and was under water. The two men helped pull the body out of the water and onto the New York shoreline. Additional family members and the two men on river cleanup performed CPR on the man for approximately five to eight minutes. The man regained consciousness and was transported down river in a raft. The Sparrowbush Fire Department's boat met the raft by Cherry Island and transported the man to the awaiting Port Jervis ambulance. He was not wearing a life jacket. [Larry Neal, Acting Chief Ranger]
Rescuers from several agencies were kept busy on Saturday, August 4th, as rafters took to the Delaware River despite elevated water levels and swiftly flowing currents. Dozens found themselves stranded, capsized or otherwise in need of rescue. Fortunately, all were wearing mandatory life jackets. Rangers rescued 11 people by mid-afternoon, transporting them all at once in their large river patrol boat. The Port Jervis Fire Department transported four others from the same area, including an injured woman who was taken by ambulance for treatment. Meanwhile, a rescue boat from Mill Rift saved two people who had capsized and were carried down the river. There also were calls for stranded boaters on Cherry Island. Source: Times Herald-Record.
A train carrying various types of waste, including hazardous materials, derailed near Hale Eddy Road on the Delaware River during the early hours of August 9th. The 63-car train was traveling west from New Jersey to Binghamton along the West Branch of the Delaware River with four locomotives. Reportedly one car contained corrosive material and 13 cars contained hazardous contaminated soil; the rest were either empty or carried construction debris or non-hazardous soils. Diesel fuel, up to 4,000 gallons, spilled into the West Branch of the Delaware from at least one of the locomotives. Park personnel and emergency response teams were soon on site. The train derailment is believed to have been caused by railroad tracks and a culvert washing out due to recent storms. Source: Pocono Record. September 7, 2022 On August 27, a family group was rafting, when two individuals decided to go for a swim. Neither wore a personal flotation device. The individuals were seen in distress, and one individual was rescued, while the other was seen going under the water. NPS staff, the West End Dive Team, and Lumberland Ambulance responded. The individual who went under was found deceased. On September 3, a group of family and friends entered the river to swim. An individual, who was not wearing a personal flotation device, entered the main channel, where the current is swift with steep drop offs. The individual was observed in distress, and bystanders attempted to help, but the individual was observed going under the water. NPS staff and emergency crews from the Yuland, Shoholda, and Sparrowbush Fire Departments responded to the scene, as well as the Sullivan County Dive Task Force and the Matamoras Dive Team. The individual who went under was found deceased. Source: Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River (8/28, 9/4)
On September 8, a boat with two anglers capsized near Cherry Island in the Delaware River. One of individuals made it to shore. An 11-day search ensued, with personnel from the New York State Police, Sparrowbush, Port Jervis, and Matamoras Fire Departments, Swift Water Rescue Teams from New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, and the NPS. A New York State Police helicopter crew located the individual's body in the river on September 19. Source: Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River
On May 12, an individual was observed camping near the edge of the Delaware River at a campground in Barryville. The following day, a witness noticed the doors to the individual's van were wide open and the campsite was set up from the previous day. Sullivan County Sheriff's Office was dispatched to the site, where they found a set of clothing on the shore of the river. The following day, a full-scale search was enacted, including responders from the NPS, Sullivan County Sheriff's Office and Dive Task Force, New York and Pennsylvania State Police, Lumberland EMS, and fire companies from Yulan, Highland, Lumberland, White Lake, Kauneonga, and Port Jervis. The individual's body was found washed up near Lackawaxen, Pennsylvania. The individual was not wearing a life jacket. An autopsy confirmed the cause of death was drowning. Source: Press Connects
On December 19, an individual drove a car onto the Fish and Boat Commission access ramp on the Pennsylvania side of the river. They lost control of the vehicle, ending up in high water. The individual was able to escape, but the vehicle washed down river. A nearby bystander called 911, resulting in a response of NPS staff, state police, and nearby fire departments from Pennsylvania and New York. On December 22, the car was located just south of the river access at Tammany Flats. The NPS is working with landowners and the Environmental Protection Agency to extract the vehicle, pending lower river levels. Source: Tri-County Independent
On July 7, a 37-year-old on a rafting trip on the Delaware River went for a swim without a life jacket in the area of 2362 State Route 97 in Pond Eddy, New York. The individual submerged and did not return to the surface. Personnel from New York State Policy Liberty and Port Jervis Fire and Rescue responded. The individual was located in the water and removed from the river. They were declared deceased at the scene. It is the 79th drowning victim in the Upper Delaware since recordkeeping started in 1980. Source: Tri-County Independent
On July 11, a summer camp group of eight "young" campers and two adult counselors in 10 canoes, were boating on the Delaware River near the Mid-Delaware Bridge, when "choppy, faster-than-usual" conditions flipped one of the canoes. The group called for a rescue. All individuals were wearing life vests. Personnel from Matamoras (PA) Fire, Westfall Fire, Port Jervis Fire, and Huguenot Fire responded to support the incident. The individuals were rescued, and had no injuries. Source: Mid Hudson News
On July 3, a child that was tubing on the Delaware River near the Old Carriage House went missing. Personnel from the NPS, Yulan (NY) Fire Department, Narrowsburg (NY) Fire Department, Lackawaxen (PA) Fire Department, Lumberland (NY) Fire Department, and the Battalion 8 team from Orange County (NY) responded to the scene. About 15 minutes into the search, the child returned on their own power to the campground. Source: Sullivan County Democrat | |