Grand Teton Teakboarding Incident Described

Grand Teton National Park (WY) July 7th
Rapid Response Saves Girls With Monoxide Poisoning

A rapid response by park staff and the subsequent transporting of two 10-year old girls suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning after “teak boarding” behind their family’s ski boat last week has resulted in their full recovery. The two girls from Jackson, Wyoming, were teak boarding for the third time behind the family’s 20-foot ski boat when the brother of one of the girls, riding on the stern, noted that his sister was not responding to him. After pulling the girls onto the vessel, the parents began CPR while a brother drove the boat to the Colter Bay Marina. Several subsequent 911 calls led to a parkwide response that had rangers and the first ambulance on scene within five minutes. Both girls were transported to the hospital within another eight minutes. Although the girls were nonresponsive when personnel arrived on scene, they both quickly recovered and were released from the hospital the same night. Doctors and medical staff have credited the rapid intervention of park staff with the survival of the two girls. The park’s chief ranger is crediting all park divisions with this success, as volunteers, interpreters and maintenance division personnel joined rangers in the response. The operator of the vessel has received a mandatory appearance citation for operating a vessel in violation of 36 CFR Part 3. Statements made by the parents at the time and during the investigation confirm that this activity – and the associated dangers – continues to be a boating education hurdle for areas with recreational boating. Both parents on the vessel are life-long boaters and claimed to be unaware of the danger in spite of increased efforts on the part of protection personnel over the past three years. The park public affairs officer is also fielding a number of calls from area news outlets who are also unaware of the danger. [Submitted by Patrick Hattaway, North District Ranger]

Grand Teton National Park ( WY ) ( July 10 )
Follow-up On Teak Boarding Incident
Following this past Tuesday’s report on the two girls who suffered carbon monoxide poisoning while “teak boarding” or “teak surfing” (click on the link below for a copy), the park received a number of queries about this sport. The activity is called “teak surfing” because the swim platforms on ski boats are often made of teak wood. Swimmers use these transom platforms to body surf on the wake behind a slow moving boat. Unfortunately, the inboard motor exhaust ports place the swimmers in direct contact with carbon monoxide gases, leading to potentially deadly exposure. This is true even if the boats have side exhausts, since the vessels create a draft that pulls the exhaust gases back into the swim platform area. High concentrations of carbon monoxide can cause a rapid loss of consciousness and death. Levels of carbon monoxide are more dangerous in the boating environment because they can lead to drowning. In addition, carbon monoxide concentrations released from boats can be over 150 times higher than exhaust from an ordinary automobile. Carbon monoxide ( an odorless, colorless, and tasteless gas ) is a leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths each year in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 500 people perish annually due to carbon monoxide poisoning. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning may include severe headache, dizziness, confusion, nausea, fainting, and death. Low levels can cause shortness of breath, slight nausea, and a mild headache. Because of its inherently unsafe nature, teak surfing is illegal in all national park units under Title 36 CFR 3.8(b)(7) and it is also illegal in a number of states. Glen Canyon NRA has done extensive work with houseboat manufacturers and users following a series of carbon monoxide fatalities. The internet links below also provide additional information related to the dangers of carbon monoxide while boating:
http://www.uscgboating.org/articles/boatingview.aspx?id=114
http://www.nps.gov/glca/planyourvisit/upload/BSC86.pdf
[Submitted by Patrick Hattaway, North District Ranger, and Jackie Skaggs, Public Affairs Officer]

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