At this point, you may be thinking that accidents mostly happen because of human folly. Despite this, visitors should realize that their overall welfare is dependent on being aware of their surroundings, using common sense and following the parks safety tips. Since cell phone reception is unreliable it is also recommended to implement an emergency plan and let family members know intended routes before leaving home. Rolling hills in the country and picturesque national parks? In late March and early April, three visitors died in the park within the span of eight days, and two of those deaths were due to falls. Deaths at national parks are inevitable. Almost a year later, hikers stumbled upon the boy's remains about a mile from his family's campsite [source: Brooks]. Percorso USA National Parks - Yosemite-Death Valley - Day 2 di Auto in Mammoth Lakes, California (United States). Grand Canyon is, in fact, one of the deadliest parks in the country. The first one established (in 1872) was the United States Yellowstone National Park. National Parks offer trails with varying degrees of difficulty and duration. Parts of the road were closed for an extended period of time and the Alaska Railroad temporarily stopped its service as well. Bessie would have been the first woman ever to do so successfully [source: Japenga]. Staying focused and alert to ones surroundings will lessen the likelihood of making an unwise decision. It should come as no surprise, then, that there are several recorded cases of people going missing at America's parks. For instance, one of the people who recently fell and died at Grand Canyon was reportedly trying to take photos at an overlook. During the pandemic, Americans have been visitingthe U.S. national parksin record numbers. We started from the hotel at Mammoth mountain, then back to Yosemite to hike dog lake, Lambert Dome and Soda springs. Searchers figured out his hike plans by looking at the search history on a laptop they recovered from his van [source: Mcllroy]. The fruitless search for Devine lasted a full week until a rescue helicopter crash killed three people and injured five others. Big Bear Grizzly. "And then he came up behind me and he got his horn slashed it through my leg, the teen, who wished to remain anonymous, told Today. 8:17 PM EDT, Wed April 24, 2019, Fatal falls not main cause of death at the Grand Canyon, select the most appropriate activity that matches their skill set and experience, seek information before they arrive at the park about hazards and environmental conditions, and, he says, use sound judgment while recreating., who recently fell and died at Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park provides a guide for visitors, a 70-year-old woman fell to her death at the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, three visitors died in the park within the span of eight days. Natchez Trace Parkway, a 444-mile road where motor-vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death. Petito's family says that their last contact with the 22-year-old was at the end of August 2021. The largest national park south of Alaska, Death Valley is known for extremes: It is North America's driest . So this one mostly comes down to exercising good common sense. May 21, 2014. Road accidents from careless driving, unsafe passing, not wearing seatbelts, driving under the influence, or speeding on unfamiliar winding mountain roads at night. (June 24, 2015) http://poststar.com/news/local/years-later-case-of-missing-boy-remains-an-adirondacks-mystery/article_8a42bf94-af20-11e0-835c-001cc4c03286.html, Matheny, Jim. Most hiking experts would say that these missing hikers made common mistakes like taking on more than they could handle or failing to time their turnback to beat the sunset [source: Stevenson]. According to a Grand Canyon National Park spokesperson, an average of 12 people die a year at the Grand Canyon, and the causes range from heat, drowning, natural causes and, rarely, falls. Balzer went off to hunt while Devine took off on a day hike [source: Strange Outdoors]. Catching murderers is dependent, of course, on evidence and detective work. Just how common are national park fatalities today? Consider hiking with others rather than taking the risk of going solo. Overlooking Lake Mead National Recreation Area, which has the most deathsusually by drowning. The lake, a water-filled caldera of an ancient volcano, was formed 7,700 years ago by the collapse of the volcano Mount Mazama. One of the most famous child disappearances is that of Madeleine McCann from Leicestershire who went missing while on holiday in Algarve, Portugal with her family. Timothy Barnes - 1988 In mid-July, slightly northeast from the site of where the Mystery Man's body was discovered twenty years earlier, Timothy Barnes vanished. The question is whether park visitors are safe from themselves. This is the lowest its been since 1990. While we want you to capture all of the splendor of our amazing parks, do not put your life at risk for a picture.. Randy Morgenson, disappeared July 21, 1996, body found July 2001, Window Peak drainage, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, California. Two people were transported by ambulance and a third was airlifted by ALERT helicopter. He was rescued by searchers when he responded to their calls. Emerson's roommate went on to found Right to Hike, Inc. in her memory. National Parks have storied histories including epic survivals, inspiring humans and serve as physical reminders of the importance for protecting the planet. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. 45 helicopter searches and other high-tech tools have yet to reveal any information about his whereabouts [source: Myers]. The laughter ended quickly, though, when they realized that Dennis was missing. Dennis and his brothers had planned a prank on the adults; they were going to hide separately in the bush and jump out on different sides of the campsite to scare them. Let's be honest although it might be fun to imagine monsters or something spookier, no proof for any supernatural disappearance has ever been provided. Though more than 20 people have been killed in the past by some of Yellowstone's 10,000 geothermal pools, geysers, mudpots, steam vents and hot springs, you should keep in mind how many visitors the park gets. In 2019, a staggering 173,000 Americans died of what were deemed preventable injuries. While the NPS does not offer statistics pinpointing the relationship between fatalities and lifejacket usage, the latest stats from the U.S. Coast Guard show drowning as the cause of death in 76 percent of all 2017 fatalities. Alia Hoyt & Becky Striepe National parks offer a plethora of opportunities for kayakers, canoers, sailors, rafters, jet skiers and paddle boarders. The area got this name because of a handful of mysterious disappearances which occurred between 1945 and 1950, although many more have been recorded over the years Paranormal author Joseph A. Citro coined the term because of the supposedly supernatural circumstances surrounding these vanishings [source: Vermonter]. If you are thinking of heading to a park this summer (or waiting till the crowds die down), the good news is that the National Parks are generally safe. Glen had run tough rivers before, but Bessie was a boating newbie. "Lion-attack theory abandoned." Laundrie disappeared on Sept. 17 and on Oct. 20, his skeletal remains were found inside the Carlton Reserve in Sarasota, Florida. appreciated. There's a lot things that can kill you in Yellowstone: drowning, falls and avalanches, poisonous plants, hypothermia, falling trees, falling rocks, forest fires, bear attacks, lightning strikes, gas explosions and murder not to mention the wagon wrecks and runaway horses more common in the early days of the park. In 2017, a North Carolina man suffered severe burns after falling into a hot spring. More people die in national parks than you may think. Each listing of death, must have a source. And while a trip to one of the parks is typically an enjoyable outing for the hundreds of millions of people who visit every year, there are risks involvedincluding drowning, falling and getting attacked by wild animalsand fatalities happen more often than you might think. In other parks, too, falls are an issue. For one thing, wildlife can prance onto the roadways without any warning, especially at dawn and dusk. Grand Canyon National Park, also the site of many falls.4. Two of these individuals disregarded posted signs warning of the danger of stepping off the trail. Find out, either in advance of your arrival or at the Visitor Center, whether wading or swimming is allowed or prohibited and if lifeguards are on duty. Sept. 29, 2004. Records indicate that drowning fatalities can occur at every age, but younger, unaccomplished swimmers with a tendency for poor decision-making are at greatest risk. READ MORE:Worlds Top 10 Places To Move (You Wont Believe Who Wants To Live In The U.S.). Luckily, he turned out to be just a helpful hiker, and he showed us a quick route back to the trailhead. After Hawaii Volcanoes National Park was reopened in 2018 following a volcanic eruption, park rangers continued to assess the terrains overall safety. (Photo by: Greg Vaughn /VW PICS/Universal Images Group via Getty Images), Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images), What To Expect When You Rent A Car Now (Youll Be Surprised), Star Female Italian Winemaker Shares Her Love For Tuscany, Take It, Easys: A New Speakeasy And Lounge At The Aria In Las Vegas, The Italian Company Offering An Alternative Kind Of Travel, Emirates Airlines Gets Even More Indulgent With Its New Champagne Service, Rixos Introduces A Five Star, All-Inclusive Experience To Abu Dhabi, Eugene Levys Reluctant Traveler, The Beatles Liverpool, Passport Renewal Delays And More. There's an area in Green Mountain National Forest near Glastenbury Mountain and Vermont's Long Trail that believers in the paranormal call Bennington Triangle. Four-year-old Alfred Beilhartz was the first recorded drowning in Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park, though whether Beilhartz actually drowned is controversial [source: Vistaramic Journeys]. May 27, 2015. One curious statistic that came up during the study: Men make up a disproportionate number of deaths atnationalparks, accounting for 81% of total fatalities. Some homicide cases remain unsolved for decades. Every year, more than 318 million people visit Americas 419 National Park System sites, including designated National Parks, National Lakeshores, National Monuments, National Historic Sites and National Seashores. The search efforts included canine units, helicopters, drones and 180 people from 30 agencies. Thats less than one death per 500,000 visitors. June 29, 2001. However, wildlife and animals accounted for only eight deaths in the parks system from 2007-2018, the law firm reported. Do not attempt, under any circumstances, to bathe, soak or dip into a hot spring! Bennington Banner. In June 2019 in Yosemite, for example, a California teacher who often went rock-climbing died during a rappelling accident. Theyre there for a reason. Dec. 1, 2006. . According to the National Crime Information Center, 542,587 people who had an NCIC went missing in 2020. Another also-ran are animal attacks. Dont attempt anything youre not prepared for. Was she abducted, did she commit suicide or did she die of exposure because of her inappropriate attire? Prabhdeep Srawn was a 25-year-old Canadian army reservist who disappeared from Australia's Kosciuszko National Park, located in the southeastern state of New South Wales. Or were they abducted? Park officials said his body was found 400 feet . Know that paths at 8,000 feet above sea level or higher may be problematic for people coming from sea level or for those with diagnosed health conditions. In 2018, the 419 National Parks were visited by 318 million people, with 312 visitor fatalities, or just under one death per million visitors. Nowadays, searches involve less people but they have more training. In 2010, a man went out for a solo hike at Joshua Tree National Park in California and was never seen or heard from again. At Denali National Park in August 2019, hundreds of tourists were stranded when torrential rains resulted in mudslides and damage to the only road that winds through the park. And nature can be dangerous. The search went on for 10 days and included 150 men, plus bloodhounds, though the size of the search party had dwindled to a dozen by the end of the eighth day [source: Evans]. Michael P. Ghiglieri and Thomas M. Myers, authors of Over the Edge: Death in Grand Canyon, stated in their book that there have been 126 falls from Grand Canyons rims since 1886. Visitors, he said, can reduce their risk of injury if they: Of course, for many park visitors, photographing natures splendor and their presence in it is a part of the experience. Srawn rented a van, drove to the park's Charlotte Pass in the Snowy Mountains, and no one has seen him since [source: French]. Is it likely that something will happen when visiting a park? See the full Outforia report here. Data are sourced from the road traffic or police authorities in each jurisdiction. Outdoor adventures in more remote areas and in water environments are filled with uncertainties. Big Bend National Park has been a hot spot of unexplained UFO activity for centuries such as the mysteries of The Zone Of Silence, the alien Nordic encounters, the Marfa lights, the Big Bend Mystery Tablets, and evidence of alien mining. "The Wrong Way: 52 Hiker Mistakes." Park rangers chalked his disappearance up to drowning. He also worried that burgeoning mental health issues had gotten the best of him. Thirty percent of the newest national parks are located in California, one of the most disproportionately beautiful and scenic states in the entire country. Drowning has become one of the leading causes of unintentional visitor deaths at U.S. National Parks. Lake Mead National Recreation Area, where most people die from drownings.2. Of course, car accidents happen everywhere, but there are some specific risks distinct to parks. If it weren't for the fellow that helped us, who knows how long my friend and I would have wandered on the mountain? In 23 percent of the search and rescues in national parks in 2012, fatigue/physical condition was listed . Eighteen-year-old Welden was a college student who set out on the Long Trail in December 1946. WKRN. Many of those who vanished were young children and inexperienced hikers, but some were healthy and seasoned outdoorspeople. A satellite phone may be a consideration if you are concerned about the possibility of trekking miles for help. To put that in perspective: in 2018, Grand Canyon National Park was the 8th most-visited park in the US, with 6,280,495 visitors. Reckless behavior has led to many unnecessary deaths. Devine was camping with his friend Greg Balzer; they split up on the day that Devine went missing. Come prepared for the possibility of extremely cold temperatures, which can make climbing more difficult and dangerous. In Yellowstone, of the 61 fatalities that occurred in the park from 1998 to 2006, 23 were due to either heart attacks . "What Really Happened to Bessie and Glen?" "Search Ends for Missing Hiker Experts Arrive to Investigate Searchers' Chopper Crash." In the wilderness, Mother Nature has complete control. Over that summer, he heard about an interesting but little known sight in the park: A dark-blue Grumman F6F Hellcat fighter that had crashed there a month or two after World War II ended. The series stars archaeologist Chuck Bender, a traveler who gets in a lot more trouble than your typical national parks visitor. In all cases, the people lost their footing when climbing on large rocks or boulders. Some lost their lives after attempting to swim above the. Why would a trained military reservist make a choice like that? Hiking in North Cascades National Park in Washington state, which is the national park where you're [+] most likely to die. According to BoatUS Foundation, nearly half of all boating accidents involve alcohol. Their combined message is Designate a Water Watcher Supervision Could Save a Life. While the NPS is endorsing this message, they also advocate that visitors swim in a lifeguarded-protected area. CRATER LAKE NATIONAL PARK, OREGON - JUNE 13, 2019: A sign warns visitors to keep back from the edge [+] of Crater Lake in Oregon. Marie Bush/Jaynes Gallery/DanitaDelimont.com/Getty Images, Associated Press. July 4, 2020 (Oct. 19, 2021) https://nypost.com/2020/07/04/why-hundreds-of-people-vanish-into-the-american-wilderness/, Stevenson, Jason. Before heading out to the park, check the weather forecast and the condition of the trail, as well as the degree of difficulty along your intended route. Later that week, a 17-year-old visiting North Dakotas Theodore Roosevelt National Park was walking a trail when he was charged by a bison. Somewhere between 120 and 140 people typically die at national parks each year, not counting suicides, according to numbers maintained by the National Park Service. Van Alst apparently was playing with her brothers when she wandered off and got lost, and couldn't find her way back. IrishCentral. Mysteries at the National Parks is an American reality television series that premiered on May 1, 2015, on the Travel Channel. The personal injury law firm said, We feel that it is important to say that, based on our data, visiting U.S National Parks is very safe overall.. But our nearby parks are hardly a blip compared to the most . Some searchers reported seeing bear-like tracks near the site. Yosemite,. We were scrambling over rocks trying to find our way back to the trail and our car, and it was definitely creepy being two women lost and alone in the woods. Observing a creature youve never before seen in the wild can provide an extraordinary visceral thrill. There are two approaches people take to explaining these mysterious disappearances: earthly and supernatural. Together, they cover more than 85 million acres and are visited by hundreds of millions of people a year more than 318 million in 2018, to be exact. Before starting off on an adventure, make sure that everyone in your group has experience levels matching the ability level of the hike. Here are some general steps park visitors can take to stay safe: Taking a proactive approach prior to arrival, and asking questions from park rangers upon arrival, will counteract the possibility of becoming a National Park statistic. Indeed, medical problems rival car accidents as a cause of death in the parks. Drowning also is the leading cause of death in national parks nationwide, says Newman. From 2007 to 2018, there were a total of 2,727 deaths at a U.S. National Parks site . Even though trails are usually well marked, it is also advisable to carry a map and a compass, or to have access to a GPS-guided map. Before takeoff, the pilot used a hand signal indicating that he was going to wait five minutes for conditions to improve before attempting it. And alcohol can play a significant role in accidents. Golden Gate National Recreation Area, home to beaches where many have drowned.6. The No. Friends and family said that Devine wouldn't want to put people in danger on his behalf, and the search was called off. Visitors should pack sunglasses, sunscreen and a hat for sun protection along with extra clothing or a jacket for changing weather conditions. Similarly, in 2019, it was estimated that there were an average of six deaths per week in the National Park System, according to NPS chief spokesman Jeremy Barnum. If you visit anationalparkwith children, be very aware of where they are and what is around you. 8. Classes were suspended so students could help with the search. The search began immediately after the boy wandered away from his brothers, and within days the National Guard and a team of bloodhounds had joined the search [source: Desert Sun]. "Coroner Holds Inquest into Disappearance of Canadian Hiker Prabhdeep Srawn in the Kosciuszko National Park." June 6, 2014. His bike and gear were found on the side of a trail, but Gray was nowhere to be found. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. But parks are also, in some ways, inherently unsafe, and not all injuries and deaths are the result of bad decision-making. Episodes air on Fridays at 9:00p.m. EST. In 12 years, with 3.5 billion visitors, only eight people were killed by wild animals. Unfortunately, events like. Many of the deaths that do occur happen in a few parks that are particularly precarious. March 1, 2021 (Oct. 19, 2021) https://www.thesmokies.com/dennis-martin-feral-humans/, Hiltner, Nita. July 15, 2011. During three days of brutal combat, casualties rose to over 50,000 and the creeks were said to have literally run red with blood. The NPS is offering a $60,000 reward for information on the case. This year alone, there have been a handful of youth drownings at national parks. Not so much. (Oct. 19, 2021) https://web.archive.org/web/20210224134549/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-jun-29-cl-16386-story.html, Knapp, George and Matt Adams. He was never found. Haleakal (Hawaii) The highest point on the island of Maui, this park is located on a dormant volcano famous for its incredible sunrise views. And, yes, this even holds true for accomplished swimmers. But one thing did come out of it the realization that having so many volunteers might have meant some vital clues got trampled on. Thrill-seekers are often tempted to get closer and closer to the edge of steep cliffs for the best shot. Medical and natural deaths came in as No. So what are the most common types of national-park accidents, and how can they be avoided? In the United States National Park System alone there are more than 84 million acres (35 million hectares) of preserved woods, deserts, mountains and other wilderness, so it's no surprise that in the past 100 years there have been a number of cases of hikers going missing. Since there were no signs of abduction, authorities did not pursue that lead [source: Associated Press]. Climbing takes considerable experience and skill, especially when scaling challenging peaks. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much When Welden didn't come back by dark, her roommate let the school know, and the search began. Over 770 deaths have occurred in Grand Canyon from the first river exploration by John Wesley Powell and his crew of 1869 to tourists falling off the rim today. "13 Mysterious Disappearances in National Parks" Transformative Travel: I look at how travel can change lives. Sri Lanka has one of the world's highest rates of disappearances. I was surprised that there were only eight people killed by animals, says Beltz. Inspired by the book, Over the Edge: Death in Grand Canyon, this map helps tell the fascinating and heartbreaking stories of more than 700 lives lost. Only four parks saw more than 100 deaths during the study period, including Lake Mead National Recreation Area (201 deaths), Yosemite National Park (133 deaths), Grand Canyon National Park (131 deaths) Natchez Trace Parkway (131 deaths). Deaths of non-humans are noted here also if it is worth noting. In late 2020, Panish Shea & Boyle LLP, a Los Angeles personal injury law firm, did an analysis of deaths in National Parks, based on National Parks Service (NPS) data. At Zion in Utah a local man who went to hike Angels Landing fell to his death sometime last Thursday. There was a box of cookies in the car, and the 9-year-old wanted a treat. Missing 411- Behind The Mysteries: Strange Disappearances in National Parks October 3, 2019 by Brandon Hall When the average person thinks of dangerous areas in the United States, they typically think of inner city areas with high crime rates. So, this trip was more than just fun there was money at stake. Similar to the Jeff Estes case, even after meticulous search efforts, not a shred of evidence surfaced. Murders and non-negligent manslaughters are often times random acts of violence. When everyone returned to camp, they realized that Beilhartz was missing. A previous report examined deaths in U.S. national parks during 2003--2004 (5), but this is the first report to focus on the characteristics of suicide events in U.S. national parks. Granted, the parks with the deadliest chance of dying didnt have the most actual deaths, since more people die at the larger, more popular national parks. Many deaths in National Parks are attributed to these factors, although not in the same proportion. Despite a private search that went on for over a year, Srawn's body has never been recovered. Episodes air on Fridays at 9:00 p.m. EST . An outdoor marketing company wrote an catchy article about the 'most dangerous' national parks in the U.S. Their use of data is questionable. The bottom line is, national parks highlight the very best natural beauty the country has to offer. Heat is believed to have killed a backpacker at Grand Canyon National Park, just one of several deadly incidents in the National Park System in recent days. In 1980, he vanished while he was working at Arizona's Chiricahua National Monument. March 27, 2021 (Oct. 19, 2021) https://www.wkrn.com/unsolved-tennessee/vanishing-of-boy-remains-largest-scale-hunt-for-missing-persons-in-smokies/, Evans, Joseph R. "Death, Despair, and Second Chances in Rocky Mountain National Park." At least four hikers have mysteriously disappeared from the area in the past 25 years, one of whom was 73-year-old John Devine [source: Seabury]. At the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, there have been 18 drowning deaths since 1995. Srawn was studying abroad in Australia in May 2013, when he decided to take a 1,700 mile- (2,700 kilometer-) road trip from the Gold Coast to Melbourne. One incident happened in Big Mead in Nevada and one occurred at Glen Canyon in Arizona. One of the people searching was Park Ranger Dwight McCarter, who had successfully tracked down hundreds of missing persons, including young children. "California Calls off Search for Missing Boy." Family, park rangers, and other hikers spread out to search for Dennis almost immediately, but he was nowhere to be found. According to Kathy Kupper, public affairs specialist for the NPS, More than 70 percent of the national parks did not have any unintentional fatalities between 2005-2013.. Visitors reflect the trends in the greater United States. The figure represents a 34% increase from 2019, and a 75% increase over the course of the previous decade. This popular scenic road is often ranked as one of the top NPS destinations. Likewise, weather conditions can sometimes change abruptly, with thunderstorms and flash floods resulting in life-threatening situations. The NPS has taken steps to implement improved safety measures for children and adolescents by partnering with Water Safety US. The Northern Lights over Denali National Park in Alaska, the second most dangerous national park in [+] America. July 16, 2021 (Oct. 19, 2021) https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/helicopters-drones-rescue-dogs-and-thermal-cameras-but-still-no-sign-of-missingcian-mclaughlin-38-days-after-he-went-for-a-walk-40658497.html, Myers, Amy. That is followed by motor vehicle crashes (475 deaths),falls and slips(335), natural causes (285), and suicide (260). The views are truly magnificent. The 13 deaths in Yellowstone this year included the highly-publicized demise of a man who fell into a hot . Tales of death, dark history and tragic events is what NPAD is about, but through the darkness - is light. As is mandated, keep dogs on a leash at all times to prevent them from jumping into the springs. In some places, the number of incidents is on the rise. We'll never know whether this was related to Martin's disappearance. The CDCs 2003-2009 Suicides in National Parks Report identified two parks Blue Ridge Parkway and Grand Canyon as having the most events. Mountain Lion Foundation. 4, 2008 (Oct. 19, 2021) https://www.benningtonbanner.com/local-news/lost-in-glastenbury/article_3e0f679a-9ebf-5ba9-b990-8f8e39ea128d.html, Special Offer on Antivirus Software From HowStuffWorks and TotalAV Security, 5 Mysterious Monuments from Around the World, Top 10 Unsolved Mysteries that Have Been Solved, Top 10 Hotels that will Scare the Daylights Out of You, 10 Eccentric Homes with Hidden Passageways, The strange disappearance of John Devine from Olympic National Park. One possible lead that searchers didn't follow was a report from another family the evening that the boy went missing. June 6, 2019 (Oct. 19, 2021) https://www.bicycling.com/culture/a27335681/jacob-gray-disappeared-bike-ride/, Bowers, Judi. This hotdogging stunt resulted in the young man falling close to 600 feet to his death. Revised February 2021 Randy Morgenson, 64, was midway through his 28th season as a backcountry ranger at Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks. CNN . "A Timeline of 22-year-old Gabby Petito's Case." Let us break it down On average, one person dies in a motor-vehicle crash on National Park Service roadways every week. The map quickly shows patterns, clusters, and isolated incidents across the national park so we can understand how and where people died. Top 25 National Parks Where Youre Most Likely to Die, Leave America: How To Get A Second Passport (For Free) And Live Abroad, The 20 Best Places To Travel In 2021: Where To Go Next. Even though the area has been searched numerous times, the authorities have no viable leads. When recreational boating is involved, drownings are typically a leading cause of death, says Beltz. The NPS takes measures to respond to natural disasters such as floods, fires, earthquakes, avalanches and severe storms, and in smaller park settings with limited equipment, NPS efforts are supported by local and state agencies.