MARY CLARE JALONICK Associated Press writer | Posted: Wednesday, June 14, 2006 12:00 am
WASHINGTON - The National Park Service has ordered public information officers to release the names of those killed or injured in the parks, clearing up recent confusion over the agency's policy that had resulted in a clampdown on the release of information by some individual parks.
A memorandum issued by the agency Tuesday instructed employees to release names, ages, and hometowns of those involved in park accidents, along with relevant details of the accidents. The names of those who have died, including juveniles, will also be released as long as their families have been notified.
"Within the field there has been a collective sigh of relief that we have specific guidance now," said Joan Anzelmo, public information officer for Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.
Anzelmo had advocated releasing the information, saying it would help avoid the spread of rumors and misinformation.
"The public has so much interest in what happens in national parks," she said. "When we can tell that story about what's happening it's for the greater good."
The issue arose last year after the Salt Lake Tribune submitted a Freedom of Information Act request for the names of victims of fatal accidents around Utah's Lake Powell. An FOIA officer in Washington told the newspaper the names would not be released because of privacy issues.
Soon afterward, the agency issued a memorandum telling regional park directors to withhold some personal information contained in motor vehicle accident reports.
Parks officials in Washington acknowledged that those two directives caused confusion.
"Our goal was to get to the bottom of it and clarify the policy so we would have a consistent approach across the parks system," said agency spokeswoman Elaine Sevy.
The memorandum issued Tuesday also detailed some situations in which accident details would not be released. Those include the names of juveniles charged with criminal offenses, the names of victims of sexual assaults and information on incidents where criminal acts are under investigation.