National park staff ordered not to divulge park deaths: Report
The Interior Department has directed National Park Service employees and other agency staff not to publicly confirm deaths or severe injuries in national parks, according to a report.
An internal memo issued in December instructs Interior Department employees, including park staff and communications personnel, that they “shall not confirm a death” or disclose details about serious injuries, the Washington Post reported, in what would mark a significant shift from the agency’s long-standing practice of releasing information about fatal incidents.
Instead, staff may only acknowledge that an incident occurred, provide the general location, say responders are on the scene, and note that additional information will be released when appropriate.
The policy applies across all Interior Department bureaus and offices and covers fatalities, suspected fatalities, serious injuries, and what the memo describes as “emotionally sensitive incidents.”
The guidance represents a departure from previous park service practices, under which parks typically issued news releases confirming deaths within one to three days after notifying next of kin and verifying information. Current and former park employees told the Washington Post that the previous approach emphasized providing as much factual information as possible while avoiding speculation, noting that public disclosure helps keep visitors safe by informing them about the risks they may encounter while on public lands.
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Interior Department press secretary Aubrie Spady told the outlet the guidance was intended to create a “more consistent approach to incident communications” and was “not intended to conceal fatalities or delay information.” She said the department continues to issue public safety information, news releases, and incident updates while respecting investigative processes, privacy concerns, next-of-kin notifications, and, in some cases, requests from families not to release identifying information.
National parks receive more than 300 million visitors annually, with an average of about 350 people dying in parks every year from causes ranging from accidents and medical emergencies to environmental hazards, according to park service data.
The Washington Examiner contacted the National Park Service and the Interior Department for comment.
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