At least three people have died from accidents at national parks since the government shutdown, according to The Washington Post.
As the government shutdown approaches the end of its second week, national parks have remained open, albeit with no staff, raising the risk of injury and lowering the chances of rescue for those who get hurt.
President Trump’s decision to leave the parks open during the partial shutdown is counter to those of previous administrations during previous shutdowns.
{mosads}All three deaths were the result of accidents or falls and took place in a seven-day span, the Post reports.
On Christmas Eve, a 14-year-old girl fell from 700 feet at popular tourist attraction Horseshoe Bend Overlook in Arizona.
The next day, a man died at Yosemite National Park from a head injury after a fall. In that instance, the man’s death went unreported for at least a week due to the fact that there were no workers in the park, according to HuffPost.
Lastly, a woman died after a falling tree struck her in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, consistently the most-visited park each year.
During previous extended shutdowns that occurred under former Presidents Obama and Clinton, the administrations decided to close the parks to visitors, not wanting to jeopardize the public’s safety.
In last January’s brief shutdown the national parks were also left open.
National Park Service spokesman Jeremy Barnum told the Post that deaths in the parks are not uncommon and they experience on average six deaths per week across the park system.
“Throughout the year, the National Park System offers a wide range of visitor experiences in unique landscapes with potential hazards that may exist at parks across the nation,” Barnum said. “Visitors can reduce their risk of injury if they plan ahead and prepare properly, select the most appropriate activity that matches their skill set and experience, seek information before they arrive at the park about hazards and environmental conditions, follow rules and regulations and use sound judgement while recreating.”
The parks have also reportedly been trashed during the partial shutdown, with no workers there to clean up after visitors.