RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION MORNING REPORT Attention: Directorate Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC CC: RAD Information Net Day/date: Tuesday, February 19, 1991 INCIDENTS 91-50 - Everglades (Florida) - Commercial Fishing Convictions On February 11th, a U.S. magistrate judge imposed fines totaling $5,000 on three Everglades City men for commercial fishing in the park. The defendants - R.W., 43, C.W., 20, and T.D., 21 were also ordered to forfeit over $3,000 worth of property. Although this was the first time any of the three had been caught fishing commercially in Everglades, they agreed to the negotiated settlement in lieu of facing Lacey Act charges. Other commercial fishing cases will be adjudicated next month. [Telefax from Mark Lewis, LES, EVER, 2/14] 91-51 - Bryce Canyon (Utah) - Falling Fatality C.O., 13, of Magna, Utah, fell 300 feet to his death on the afternoon of the 14th while attempting to retrieve a camera he had dropped on a narrow ledge beneath Bryce Point overlook. According to family members who were with him, C.O. lost his footing after leaving the trail and recovering the camera. Rangers scrambled up to C.O. from the Peekaboo Trail below the point and recovered the body. [Telefax from Charlie Peterson, CR, BRCA, 2/15] 91-52 - Grand Teton (Wyoming) - Structural Fire On February 13th, park structural fire teams responded to the report of an explosion at the Triangle X ranch, a park concession. Although the fire had been suppressed prior to their arrival, the teams found that the concrete foundation walls and lower level of a two-story building had been totally destroyed by a propane explosion. The lower part of the building housed a concession laundry; the upper level was used as quarters for up to six female employees in the summer. Investigation into the cause revealed that a leak in liquid propane piping had allowed the lower story to fill with propane gas to the level of the pilot light on a space heater. There were no injuries in the explosion, and no estimate has yet been made of total property damage. [Telefax from Teri Pancoast, GRTE, 2/15] MIDDLE EAST INCIDENT UPDATE Independence (Pennsylvania) - A demonstration in support of American troops in the Persian Gulf was to have been held at the Judge Lewis Quadrangle near the Liberty Bell on the 16th. About 350 participants were expected. Colonial (Virginia) - A demonstration in support of American troops is to be held in the park on the afternoon of March 9th. Organizers expect about 30,000 participants. Please advise us through your regional offices of all threats received, permits issued for demonstrations, and demonstrations or incidents that occur which are related to the war in the Gulf. Call Major Schamp at FTS 268-4209 (202-208-4209). RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Gulf Islands (Mississippi/Florida) - Stranded Whale Park volunteers discovered what was later identified as a pygmy killer whale (Feresa attenuata) stranded in the surf near Fort Pickens on the morning of the 14th. The eight-foot whale was obviously in distressed condition, but lacked any significant external injuries. Park staff responded to the incident and stabilized the animal until cooperators with the Southeastern Marine Mammals Stranding Network could arrive at the scene. The whale was sedated, then transported to a nearby aquarium for testing and observation by qualified veterinarian staff. At last report, the animal was experiencing difficulty in maintaining equilibrium but was considered in stable condition. [Carl Zimmerman, RMS, GUIS, 2/15] OFFICE NOTES 1) The new, 1991 revision of NPS-51 was released to the field several weeks ago, and you should have received your copy by now. If not, contact your regional EMS coordinator. [Butch Farabee, RAD/WASO] CALENDAR Asterisk (*) indicates new entry; plus (+) indicates revised entry. Brackets at end of entry indicate source of information: March 11-15 Structural Fire Program Management, Indiana Dunes, Porter, IN. For further information, contact MWR Employee Development Office at FTS 864-3942 or 402-221-3941. [John Townsend, RAD/MWRO] March 11-15 PNR Joint Operations Workshop, Portland, OR. For further information, contact Kathy Jope at FTS 399-5670. [Kathy Jope, RM&VP, PNRO] March 11-April 4 Marine Law Enforcement Training, Glynco, GA. Funded by benefitting accounts. For application procedures, contact your regional training office. [Carole Pfeifer, LEEDC/FLETC] March 18-22 Midwest Region Chief Rangers' Conference, Lake Geneva, WI. [J.J. McLaughlin, RAD/MWRO] March 18-22 Land Management Controlled Substance Training, Marana, AZ. Funded by LEEDC/FLETC. For application procedures, contact your regional training office. [Carole Pfeifer, LEEDC/FLETC] March 18-29 Prescribed Fire Burn Boss, Big Thicket, TX. Two-week training session on the management of prescribed burns to meet land management and operational objectives. The course is designed for personnel having primary responsibility for planning and implementing prescribed fire as a management tool. Submit an NWCG interagency training nomination form to program coordinator David McHugh at Big Thicket no later than December 14th. [Paul Broyles, Branch of Fire] March 22-27 56th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference, Edmonton, Alberta. For further information, contact L.L. Williamson, Wildlife Management Institute, 1101 14th Street NW, Suite 725, Washington, DC 20005 (202-371-1808). [Kathy Jope, RAD/PNRO] March 25-29 "Universal Design: Designing to Include Disabled People in Park and Recreation Areas and Facilities", Raleigh, NC. Sponsored by Special Programs and Populations, WASO, through Project Access. Designed for architects, designers and engineers, this 40-hour course will present methods and techniques for designing buildings and facilities that are accessible to disabled people. Benefitting account plus tuition of $250. Contact regional training office for application procedures. For further information, contact Dave Park at 202-343-3674 (FTS 3433674). [Kay Ellis, WASO-ACCESS] March 25-June 4 Basic Law Enforcement for Land Management Agencies, Glynco, GA. Funded by LEEDC/FLETC. For application procedures, contact your regional training office. [Carole Pfeifer, LEEDC/FLETC] March 25-29 Land Management Controlled Substance Training, Knoxville, TN. Funded by LEEDC/FLETC. For application procedures, contact your regional training office. [Carole Pfeifer, LEEDC/FLETC] March 28-May 16 Seasonal Law Enforcement Training Program, National Ranger Training Institute, Hocking College, Nelsonville, OH. For further information and application, contact Connie Cassady or Steve Swayne at 614-753-3591 ext. 2330. [Steve Swayne, Hocking College] April 8-19 Basic Instructor Training, Glynco, GA. Funded by benefitting accounts. For application procedures, contact your regional training office. [Carole Pfeifer, LEEDC/FLETC] April 9-12 Western Regional Chief Rangers' Workshop, Days Inn, Scottsdale, AZ. Funded by benefitting accounts. For reservations, contact the Days Inn (602-947-5411); for further information, call Dwayne Collier at 602-640-5256 or Herb Gercke at 415-556-1866. [Herb Gercke, RAD/WRO] April 14-18 Fire Management for Managers, NARTC, Marana, AZ. The session will be held concurrently with the USFS course on fire management for line officers, and there will be several joint sessions. Open to superintendents, ARD's for operations and regional chief rangers. For further information, contact Paul Broyles, Branch of Fire Management (208-334-1080 or FTS 554-1080). [Paul Broyles, FIRE] April 14-18 Departmental Safety and Occupational Health Seminar, Bahia Resort Hotel, San Diego, CA. Sponsored by the NPS. Registration fee of $65. All fulltime and collateral duty safety personnel are encouraged to attend. For further information, contact William Davis, Chief, Branch of Loss Control, WASO, at FTS 343-7014 or 202-343-7014. [Bill Davis, Safety, WASO] April 17-19 "Environmental Compliance: Tools for Protecting Parks", Colorado Springs, CO. A three-day course "designed to help participants develop core skills and practical understanding in compliance, with a focus on NEPA." Sponsored by WASO Environmental Quality and the Environmental Law Institute. For further information, contact Frank Bono at Albright or Kheryn Klubnikin, Environmental Quality, WASO. [Kheryn Klubnikin, EQ/WASO] April 24-26 Mountain Lion/Human Interaction Symposium and Workshop, Holiday Inn Holidome, Denver, CO. Sponsored by the NPS and several other state, provincial and federal agencies. Abstracts are due by December 15, 1990. For more information, call Steve Chaney (303-969-2856 or FTS 327-2856) or Robert Tully at 303-297-1192. [Steve Chaney, RMRO] * April-28 May 3 National Park and Wilderness Fire Management, NARTC, Marana, AZ. For further info, call NARTC (FTS 762-6414 or 602-670-6414). April 29-May 23 Marine Law Enforcement Training, Glynco, GA. Funded by benefitting accounts. For application procedures, contact your regional training office. [Carole Pfeifer, LEEDC/FLETC] May 14-15 Western Region Peer Counselor Training, Tucson, AZ. Funded by benefitting accounts. For applications, contact Herb Gercke at 415-556-1866. [Herb Gercke, RAD/WRO] May 20-July 17 Seasonal Law Enforcement Ranger Academy, Colorado Northwestern Community College, Rangely, CO. For further information and application, contact Steven Whittmore at 303-675-3306. [Steven Whittmore, CNCC] May 20-22 Third Annual Conference of the society for Ecological Restoration, Orlando, FL. For further information, call (813) 355-5065. [Jen Coffey, RAD/WASO] May 29-June 1 "The Biology and Management of Martens and Fishers: A Symposium", Laramie, WY. Sponsored by the NPS and several federal, state and provincial agencies. For more information, contact the Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, at 307-766-2357. [Sue Consolo Murphy, YELL] June 17-July 12 Marine Law Enforcement Training Program, Glynco, GA. Funded by benefitting accounts. For application procedures, contact your regional training office. [Carole Pfeifer, LEEDC/FLETC] August 5-August 29 Marine Law Enforcement Training Program, Glynco, GA. Funded by benefitting accounts. For application procedures, contact your regional training office. [Carole Pfeifer, LEEDC/FLETC] (Calendar appears in each Monday's morning report. If you know of a conference, meeting or training session with Servicewide interest and implications, please provide the specifics to Bill Halainen in Ranger Activities). STAFF STATUS Division Chief: No leave or travel scheduled. Branch of Resource & Visitor Protection: Kreis at recreation fee training session, Denver, CO (2/17-2/21); Schamp at conservation law enforcement conference, Prescott, AZ (2/19-2/22); Henry on SL (2/19-?); Halainen on AL (2/22). Branch of Fire: Norum serving on steering committee for interagency symposium on wilderness fire management, Missoula, MT (2/20-2/23). Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities Telephone: FTS 268-4874/6039 or 202-208-4874/6039 Telefax: FTS 268-5977 or 202-208-5977 CompuServe: WASO-RANGER (Branch of R&VP); WASO-FIRE-WO (Branch of Fire) SEAdog: 1/650