Park News August 26,2008

Glacier National Park

Hikers and mountaineers continued to search some of northwestern Montana’s most forbidding terrain yesterday in an effort to find a missing hiker in the park’s backcountry. Search managers said they continued to hope that additional information would be discovered about the hiker’s whereabouts, but that, absent such a development, they would scale back the operation. The decision comes as family members of Yi-Jien Hwa, 27, began to arrive in Montana. Representatives from the park are meeting with the family to discuss the search and to assure them that efforts to resolve the questions of his whereabouts and condition would continue. The young man, a native of Malaysia, was reported missing by family members on August 19th. The last confirmed sighting of Hwa was on August 11th, when he picked up his backcountry permit. Searchers have thoroughly checked all high-probability areas and have now moved to lower probability areas. The search area is rich in lakes, cliff bands made slippery by rain and snow, glaciers, glacial melt ponds, crevasses, ice and snow bridges, forests, and shaded areas near ridges with fresh snow – challenging terrain for even the most experienced climbers. More than 2,500 search hours had been logged by the end of yesterday’s operational period. The incident management team has employed two helicopters, heat-sensing equipment, human-detection dogs, and mounted horse patrols in this operation. Assistance has been received from a number of government and private sources, including the Flathead County Sheriff’s Department, US Border Patrol, US Forest Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Glacier County Sheriff’s Department.

 

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

On the afternoon of July 26th, North Manitou Island ranger Luke Hunter received a cell phone call from a hiker reporting that a man was unconscious and having a seizure about six miles from the ranger station on the west side of this 15,000-acre Lake Michigan island. The reporting party, Trent Faulkner, a solo hiker not affiliated with the group, said that the victim had been actively seizing and vomiting for over three hours. Hunter, a medical first responder, gave the caller some first aid directions, then notified park dispatcher Tom Davison, who requested assistance from the Coast Guard Air Station at Traverse City. Davison also notified ranger Pat Reimann, who was on backcountry patrol on the island about four miles from the scene. A Coast Guard HH65-C Dolphin helicopter flew to the island. The crew was unable to locate the victim from the air, though, so flew to the ranger station to pick up Hunter. They soon found the victim, but couldn’t land due to thick forest cover. Finding a clearing along the west shore, the helicopter landed and dropped off Hunter and a Coast Guard rescue swimmer, who ran about a mile to the victim, 42 year-old Richard Nielson of Grosse Isle, Michigan. Nielson was unconscious and was being assisted by Faulkner, some Boy Scouts who were hiking with Nielson, and another group of passing hikers. Hunter and the rescue swimmer began treatment and applied oxygen and were preparing to carry Nielson out just as Reimann arrived. One of the hikers identified himself as an Eagle Scout and suggested building a litter to carry Nielson, so a makeshift stretcher using hiking sticks and clothing was built by the Scouts and Nielson was carried a half-mile through the brush to the waiting helicopter.  Nielson was flown to Munson Medical Center in Traverse City, where he was admitted, treated, and released. Faulkner later had this to say about the rescue:  “I was impressed with how a group of different people were able to form a team and work efficiently. The Coast Guard swimmer was the leader and primary caregiver. The rangers knew the lay of the land and provided accurate directions (they were absolutely correct about the bushwhack being the most efficient way to get to the open field). The Eagle Scout had the leadership skills to step up and recommend building the litter (I also credit the swimmer for being open to the idea). The rangers, swimmer, and the college kids did all the carrying.”   Faulkner and the other hikers who assisted in the rescue were later presented with National Park Service search and rescue award pins and letters of commendation from the park superintendent.

 

Baltimore-Washington Parkway

On the afternoon of Thursday, August 21st, the Park Police were notified of a multi-vehicle accident on the parkway south of Powder Mill Road. A Mitsubishi sedan was heading north on the highway when it went over the median into the southbound lanes, striking at least four vehicles, including two pickups, a sedan and a motorcycle. Two people were killed, one person was taken to a hospital in stable condition, and one person was treated and released. The driver of the Mitsubishi, Leroy Taylor, 60, of Washington, was killed, as was Ronald Meader, 48, of Severn, Maryland, who was operating a Harley Davidson motorcycle. All traffic traveling southbound was diverted onto Route 198; all traffic traveling northbound was diverted onto the beltway that goes around Washington. The parkway was closed for approximately five hours.   Park Police crash reconstruction team members and detectives investigated the collision.

 

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks

Rangers responded to a vehicle fire at Deer Ridge on the Generals Highway in Sequoia National Park on the morning of August 18th. A visitor from Pomona, California, pulled to the side of the road after her 2000 Volkswagen Passat filled with smoke. She and her mother and her seven-month-old twins were able to get out before the VW was completely engulfed in flame. Since fires along switchbacks on this highway can spread quickly and present safety problems, the park implemented the Generals Highway evacuation plan and closed the road. Structural fire engines from Lodgepole and Ash Mountain, the wildland engine from Ash Mountain, and the park helicopter with a bucket all responded. When they arrived, they found that the car had been completely consumed by the fire and that it had spread into roadside vegetation. The vehicle fire was extinguished and firefighters contained the wildland fire, which had spread about 100 feet into the duff uphill from the car. A bucket drop helped contain that fire. The highway was reopened about two hours later.

 

Intermountain Region

Jerry Case, a 32-year veteran of the National Park Service, has been named superintendent of Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area. He will assume his new position in early October. 

“Jerry is an experienced manager who brings tremendous leadership qualities to the Intermountain Region," said regional director Mike Snyder. "He has a strong commitment and willingness to chart a new direction in protecting and enhancing our natural and cultural resources, and will be a welcome addition to the superintendents’ ranks.”

Case currently serves as chief of regulations and special park uses at NPS headquarters in Washington, DC. In this position, he has been instrumental in finalizing the Service’s national boating, personal watercraft and off-road vehicle regulations, as well as winter use planning for Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.

His superior work was commended by Yellowstone management assistant John Sacklin, who called Case’s performance in Washington “a key, behind-the-scenes success story.”

Case has held several management and field positions with NPS. He began his career as a seasonal laborer at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and has held a number of ranger positions at NPS sites, including Isle Royale, Everglades, North Cascades, and Glacier Bay National Parks and Gulf Islands National Seashore. Case also served as the chief ranger and acting superintendent at Pinnacles National Monument and Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park  before taking his present job in Washington.

Case says he looks forward to focusing his attention and energies back to managing a park site and working with its local community.

“I am excited about the opportunity at Bighorn Canyon and looking forward to building relationships and working with the local communities, partners and constituents toward common goals,” Case said.

A native of Michigan, Jerry graduated from Central Michigan University with a bachelor of science degree in education.  He and his wife, Shawn, are avid athletes and outdoor enthusiasts.

As superintendent of Bighorn Canyon NRA, Case will be responsible for managing 120,296 acres, a staff of approximately 53, and an annual operating budget of more than $3,138,000. Upon his arrival at Bighorn Canyon, Case will assist with hiring a new permanent superintendent for Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, which has been managed by a series of acting superintendents.

 

Death Valley National Park

Death Valley National Park has issued an announcement for a GS-7/9/11 concessions management specialist.  It will remain open until September 16th and can be obtained by clicking on the link below.

Death Valley is the largest park in the Lower 48.  The person selected will administer the commercial services and special park uses programs and serve as the primary representative for all concession and other permitted activity management issues. 

The duty station is in Death Valley.  For more information, contact business manager, Karen Stoll at 760-886-3278.



 More Information...

 

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks has an opening for a GS-12 supervisory human resources specialist. For a copy of the announcement (PWRSEA-2008-66) with full details on duties and locale, please click on the link below.

The parks are also seeking (or will soon be seeking) candidates for several other positions, thereby providing great opportunities for dual career couples:

• One GS-0025-11 protection ranger


• Two GS-0025-9 protection rangers


• One WG-5803-8/10 heavy mobile equipment mechanic


• One WL-4749-8 maintenance worker leader


• One GS-0303-4 visitor use assistant


• One GS-0025-11 supervisory interpretive ranger


• One GS-1101-12 concessions manager

For more information,contact the Human Resources Office at 559-565-3752.



 More Information...