Arkansas elected officials in Washington are jointly calling for campground improvements at the Albert Pike campground, where 20 people lost their lives in the flash flood on June 11th, according to a story at Little Rock’s KATV, Channel 7.
In a letter to U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, Senator Blanch Lincoln, Senator Mark Pryor, and Representative Mike Ross said:
We hope that going forward we can continue such a coordinated effort to cleanup, rebuild, and reopen this majestic campground. In doing so, we would like for you to work with the United States Geological Survey, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and state and local officials to determine how to improve emergency warning systems for campground visitors at Albert Pike. We know the rugged terrain and remote location of Albert Pike, conditions that exist at a number of campgrounds located in our country’s National Forests, pose cumbersome barriers to effective communication with the outside world. Innovative solutions will be needed to meet the challenges the terrain presents so we can help ensure the safety of the visitors in the area.
Read the rest of the article and letter at KATV, Channel 7.
