National Park Service staff ordered not to confirm deaths or injuries: report

Spokesperson for the Interior Department said the new guidance creates ‘a more consistent approach’ on incident communications

National Park Service and Interior Department staff have reportedly been instructed not to confirm deaths or share details about severe injuries that occur in national parks directly to the public, a deviation from previous policy.

An internal memo sent in December, seen by the Washington Post, prohibits Interior Department employees or park staff from notifying the public about deaths or communicating details with members of the media.

Now, only “appropriate authorities” may confirm a death, resulting in some information, such as details about three heat-related deaths in the Grand Canyon, being released days after the incidents. The memo did not indicate which authorities were being referred to, the Post reported…(Read full story)