A new national parks policy is drawing backlash after a deadly weekend

The National Park Service implemented a new policy in December that restricts park staff from confirming details about injuries and deaths among its over 300 million annual visitors. This directive, revealed by The Washington Post, prohibits employees from disclosing information on serious accidents and fatalities in the parks, a departure from historical practices where such details were shared to enhance visitor safety. On average, 358 people die each year in national parks, primarily due to car crashes, drownings, and falls, excluding non-accident medical emergencies. The Interior Department's memo states that "Interior shall not confirm a death" and extends this to "all Interior communications involving fatalities, suspected fatalities, serious injuries, or emotionally sensitive incidents," according to The Washington Post's reporting. Employees are also cautioned against confirming injury severity or providing medical specifics, with disclosure of accident information deferred to unspecified "appropriate authorities," likely law enforcement. In response to the reporting, a spokesperson for the Department of the Interior disputed the characterization of the policy change, calling the narrative "false" and a "significant mischaracterization." The spokesperson affirmed the agency's commitment to providing "timely and accurate" information, with a priority on family notification, and stated the guidance aims for a more consistent incident reporting approach.