NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Friday, April 14, 1995

Broadcast: By 1000 ET

INCIDENTS

95-152 - Zion (Utah) - Landslide; Partial Park Closure

A 500 foot-long landslide occurred on the night of Wednesday, April 12th,
causing the Virgin River to cut into and erode the road that connects the Zion
Lodge with park headquarters and the main canyon.   Rangers estimate that a
600-foot section of the road was destroyed by the cutting force of the river. 
The destruction of the road resulted in the isolation of the lodge from the
rest of the park until emergency repairs were completed last night, thereby
permitting about 300 guests and a number of employees to leave the lodge area,
where they were confined for about 22 hours.  No injuries or overdue persons
have been reported.  Although the seven-mile long inner canyon drive is
temporarily closed, many trails are still accessible.  The Kolob section of the
park at Exit 40 on Interstate 15 was not affected by the slide.  [Denny Davies,
PIO, ZION, 4/13]

95-153 - Independence (Pennsylvania) - Assault; Kidnapping of Ranger

Late on the evening of April 11th, an unarmed ranger staying at a Motel 8 in
Lumberton, North Carolina, while on his way from the park to FLETC was struck
on the head with a small caliber pistol, robbed at gunpoint, and kidnapped. 
The assailant forced the ranger to drive him several miles in his truck, at
which point he got out of the vehicle and fled on foot.  A total of $150 in
cash was stolen; an NPS badge may also have been taken.  The ranger apparently
sustained no serious injuries.  [CRO, INDE, 4/13]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No field reports today.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

No notes.

MEMORANDA

"Administrative Payment Team Replacement Cadre Nominations", sent to the
Directorate and Field Directorate by the Associate Director, Operations. 
Replies are due by April 21st:

In 1989, the National Park Service (NPS) expanded its Administrative Payment
Teams (APT) to five teams so as to be able to continue to provide
administrative support and on the spot payment capability for emergencies
through the use of the Assistant Disbursing Authority granted by the U.S.
Treasury.  Use of these teams has ensured the economic solvency of communities
adjacent to our public lands impacted by these emergency incidents.  Our
credibility and public relations posture as an agency is partially dependent
upon our ability to meet our financial obligations promptly and the APT have
enhanced that creditability.

These five teams continue to enjoy great success in promptly processing vendor
payments whenever they have been used.  The need to continue to provide this
important administrative support to areas impacted through fire and other
emergencies has been proven.  The NPS initiated this process which is now
available to all the wildfire agencies.  In order to ensure the viability of
the program, we must have additional trained employees to meet future demands. 
The work accomplished by the APT in the past clearly demonstrated this is a
required element of our Servicewide fire responsibility.

APT assignments are generally no more than 14 days duration.  Work assignments
normally result in long duty hours, usually 12 hours per day, in less than
ideal working conditions, without all office equipment, working out doors, and
may subject the individual participants to substantial disruption of their
personal lives due to the nature and length of these call-outs.  Travel to fire
assignments is usually arranged through commercial carriers, often via
commuter-size aircraft.  Full support for participation in these assignments
must be given by the supervisors of the participants because once committed,
team members are generally unable to return to their home unit until released
from the incident.  Use of emergency suppression funds is authorized to back
fill for the employees who are assigned to APT on fire suppression incidents,
just as for any other emergency firefighter.

There has been significant turnover on the APT and in the existing cadre. 
Therefore, we are again recruiting for a cadre of qualified individuals to be
considered for future APT assignment.  There are also a few existing vacancies
on the APT.  We will use this cadre list to fill these current vacancies.

Briefly, the responsibilities for the key positions for which we are recruiting
are as follows:

TEAM LEADER

This individual works under a delegation of authority from the agency
administrator.  The Team Leader is responsible for managing the work of the
team and for providing coordination with the park or other agency
administrative staff as well as the Finance Section of the Incident Management
Team assigned to the incident.  This individual will also be designated as an
Assistant Disbursing Officer with the U.S. Treasury and be responsible for the
accomplishment of payments in accordance with NPS and U.S. Treasury
requirements.

CONTRACTING OFFICER

Individuals for this position should have a background in procurement and
contracting and have adequate training and experience to be issued a special
Contracting Officer Warrant for service on the APT.  This individual is
expected to be able to assist in the review of emergency procurement and
contracts to ensure their propriety and to obtain the necessary information to
make payments which are properly documented.  This individual may also be
called upon to settle claims relative to emergency equipment rental agreements.

IMPREST CASHIER

This individual is responsible for safeguarding APT cash funds and for
processing imprest cash transactions in accordance with legal guidelines.  This
individual will also assist with voucher examining and other clerical duties as
assigned by the Team Leader.

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

This individual is the primary support person for the APT.  This individual
will be assigned voucher examination and clerical (typing) duties as necessary
to complete the payment process.

This is a new recruitment process.  Individuals nominated in 1989 and 1992 but
not selected for a team assignment will need to re-apply to ensure future
consideration.  Current APT members wishing to be considered for different
positions must also re-apply.  This cadre list will be valid for a 2 year
period ending June 30, 1997.

Interested employees and their immediate supervisors should complete the
attached nomination form, and obtain approval from Superintendent (if Park
based), Associate Regional Director (if Regional Office based), or Division
Chief (if Washington Central Office or Washington Field Office based).  Submit
the approved form to the NPS Branch of Fire and Aviation Management, 3833 South
Development Avenue, Boise, Idaho 83705-5354 (Attention:  Fire Budget Analyst).

APT cadres selections will be made by a panel consisting of the current
Administrative Payment Team Leaders, the APT Coordinator from the Branch of
Fire and Aviation Management, and the Deputy Chief, Accounting Operations
Division.

If further information relating to the teams or individual position assignments
is needed, please contact any of the current APT Leaders:

 Rose Pollard, Lake Meredith National Recreation Area
 Debra Ledford, Kings Mountain National Military Park
 Rudy Maez, Southwest Regional Office
 Peggy Thomas, Accounting Operations Division
 Susan Early, Saguaro National Park

Administrative Payment Team information can also be obtained from Fire Budget
Analyst Ken Hay at 208-387-5212 or Steve Tisinger at 703-487-9310.

Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation and
support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.

Telephone: 202-208-4874
Telefax:   202-208-6756
cc:Mail:   WASO Ranger Activities
SkyPager:  Emergencies ONLY: 1-800-759-7243, PIN 2404843