12-Acre
Closure Book
1:FFDW Org
2:Enabling
3:Survey
6:Erosion
Editor: fortfunston@hotmail.com
Webmaster: Wedosites@mail.com
Public Safety
Rescue statistics
The closure justification states that twelve acres of Fort Funston are being closed permanently to off-trail recreational use to “improve public safety.” According to the Park Service">
|
12-Acre Closure Book
1:FFDW Org
2:Enabling
3:Survey
6:Erosion
Editor: fortfunston@hotmail.com
Webmaster: Wedosites@mail.com
|
Public Safety Rescue statistics
The closure justification states that twelve acres of Fort Funston are being closed permanently to off-trail recreational use to “improve public safety.” According to the Park Service, cliff rescues occur so frequently in this area (41 rescues in 1998/1999) that this action is necessary. Let’s look at the rescue facts:
In 1998, 23 Fort Funston cliff rescues were documented.
In 1999, 18 Fort Funston cliff rescues were documented. ·
16 rescues
occurred between the hang glider observation deck and Battery Davis. ·
2 rescues
were documented in the proposed closure area. Efforts to reduce rescues
The cliffs at Fort Funston became much more dangerous after the winter storms of 1997/1998. The cliff edge is now undercut in places, and the cliffs themselves are sharp and steep. Prior to the storms, the cliffs were steep but covered with soft sand. People and dogs rarely got stranded because it was possible to get back up or down to the beach more easily. It is not obvious to the 750,000 park visitors that the cliffs along the Sunset Trail are dangerous, because the danger is not readily seen from above. The cliffs in the proposed closure are also steep and sharp, but this is much more evident. That probably accounts for the fact that only 2 of the 41 rescues occurred in this area. In 1999, in an effort to reduce cliff rescues, the Park Service installed five signs at Fort Funston warning visitors of the dangerous cliffs. Only one of these signs is installed at the cliff edge along the Sunset Trail, and none are installed in the proposed closure area. Fort Funston Dog Walkers recommended additional signage along the cliffs as well as installation of a low fence along the west side of the Sunset Trail. Neither of these recommendations was implemented. Fort Funston Dog Walkers also published several articles in their newsletter, alerting members to the new danger and providing instructions on how to work with the Park Service should a rescue be necessary. Our outreach, however, cannot reach the many park visitors who don’t belong to Fort Funston Dog Walkers. Contrast this Park Service effort at Fort Funston (installation of five signs) to the effort made to warn visitors at Ocean Beach of the dangerous currents. Ocean Beach has not been closed to swimmers in spite of the deaths that occurred there. Rather, the Park Service did extended outreach, combining extensive signage with one-on-one education. “This year, there have been dozens of warning signs posted along the Great Highway, along with thousands of brochures handed out. Signs and brochures are printed in English, Spanish, Chinese and Russian. In addition, the park service has hired six full-time safety experts, including two roving patrols in Ford Broncos, who talk safety with the public and keep people out of the water. The success of the program is in the numbers: No drownings so far this year.” (San Francisco Examiner article headlined “Surf and Soar,” Oct. 10, 1999.) And, “On warm days we get people frolicking on the beach that are not aware
of the treacherous waters,” said Christine Powell, spokesperson for the GGNRA.
"Our staff tries to talk to them. It's warm days like these that make their
jobs real tough." Before 1998, Ocean Beach claimed five drownings dating back to 1988: one in 1997, two in 1995 and two in 1990, GGNRA officials said. Since 1998, there have been no fatalities in the waters, which is being attributed to an aggressive program to educate visitors to the beach. ." (San Francisco Examiner article headlined “Safety officers keep tabs on S.F.’s risky beach,” Sept. 20, 2000.) We applaud the Park Service for creatively solving a deadly problem at Ocean Beach without banishing recreational users. We ask that the Park Service apply the same creative problem resolution to reducing cliff rescues at Fort Funston – especially in the area along the Sunset Trail (not proposed for closure). Alternatives that should be considered include (1) fining individuals who must be rescued (or whose dogs must be rescued, (2) assessing the costs of the rescue to the individual requiring it (as is done in other national parks, (3) installing more signage, especially in the areas of greatest danger, and (4) installing a low barrier along the edge of the cliffs. Panama Point Finally, the justification for the proposed closure does not take into account the danger created on the beach during high tide due to the loss of the Gap, if the proposed closure becomes effective. During high tide, individuals walking on the beach get trapped if they’re north of Panama Point walking south. The only route is to attempt to climb over Panama Point, which is extremely dangerous, or retreat all the way back up the beach to the only access trail. The Gap also provides a retreat route, but it could be cut off forever. In the federal litigation, the Court found merit in this argument. Park Service personnel admitted that they had not considered the creation of this danger. Summary
References1998 and 1999 NPS Case Incident Reports [US06628 through US06672].
|
|||