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Subject: NPS Morning Report - Thursday, February 3, 2000
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Date: Thu, 3 Feb 2000 07:34:36 -0500
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
To: All National Park Service Areas and Offices
From: Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office
Day/Date: Thursday, February 3, 2000
ALMANAC
On this day in 1920, "Beyond the Horizon," the play for which Eugene
O'Neill won the first of his four Pulitzer Prizes, received its first
performance. O'Neill's contributions to the American theater are
recognized at Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site, containing his
last home in Danville, California.
INCIDENTS
00-025 - Lassen Volcanic NP (CA) - Rescue
Cross-country skiers D.E. and D.M. were returning
from a weekend ski trip on January 30th when D.E. was caught,
covered and trapped by an avalanche. Avalanche conditions were 'high'
prior to their departure on the trip on Friday, January 28th, and a
winter storm warning was in effect. D.M. called for help on a cell
phone. Park and National Ski Patrol personnel and a sheriff's office
dog team responded via snowshoes, skis and over-snow vehicles. Deep
snow, steep terrain, and avalanche conditions hampered the search
response. Four hours lapsed before rescue teams could rendezvous and
reach the avalanche site. The dog handler found some of D.E.'
clothing in a deposition field, and he was located by probe shortly
thereafter. D.E. was unconscious but breathing despite being
covered by over five feet of snow for five-and-a-half hours. He was
extricated, transported out, and turned over to a waiting advanced
life support crew. D.E. was treated for hypothermia at the
hospital, kept overnight for observation, then released the following
day. [Kurt Veeck, IC, and John Roth, CR, LAVO, 2/2]
00-026 - Petrified Forest NP (AZ) - Special Event
Employees and VIP's from all divisions within the park participated in
the annual Hash Knife Posse Pony Express ride on January 25th. Nine
employees volunteered their time and many used their own horses and
equipment in order to participate in the event. The first rider left
the Rainbow Forest museum at 10 a.m. and rode to Highway 180, where
the mail bag, containing visitor and employee mail from the park, was
handed over to the second rider. Seven three-mile-long legs were
ridden, ending at the Holbrook County fairgrounds. The riders then
joined other Hash Knife Posse representatives and delivered mail from
the surrounding area to the Holbrook post office. Local media
photographed the mail being handed over to the postmaster. [Pat Quinn,
PEFO, 1/31]
00-027 - Grand Canyon NP (AZ) - Probable Drowning
J.P., 22, was fishing in the Colorado River with two
companions on the afternoon of January 29th when he had a seizure and
fell into the water. His body was recovered the following evening. The
cause of death has not yet been determined. [Matt Vanduza, IC, GRCA,
via Dispatch, SHEN, 2/1]
00-028 - Baltimore-Washington Parkway (DC/MD) - Carjacking
A red Ford Contour overturned on the ramp from Powdermill Road to the
southbound lanes of the parkway on the afternoon of January 29th. The
operator got out of the car, forced the female driver of a green Ford
Escort out of her vehicle, then fled south on the parkway. Park Police
detectives are investigating. [Sgt. R. MacLean, USPP, NCR, 1/31]
00-029 - Rock Creek Park (DC) - Bombs
On January 28th, members of the USPP tactical crime unit from Rock
Creek Station served a narcotics search warrant at a residence in the
city. During the search, they discovered two M-1000 explosive devices
wrapped individually in duct tape. The duct tape was securing items to
the explosives (such as razor blades) which would act as shrapnel upon
detonation. The city police emergency ordnance disposal unit
dismantled the devices. An occupant of the residence was charged with
possession of explosive devices. Officers also recovered 64 rounds of
assorted caliber ammunition and narcotics paraphernalia. [Sgt. R.
MacLean, USPP, NCR, 1/31]
00-030 - Coronado NM (AZ) - Drug Seizure
On the morning of January 30th, rangers spotted a vehicle passing the
park's visitor center at an unusually high rate of speed. They
responded and found the vehicle abandoned on the entrance road,
straddling the center line, about 100 yards from the visitor center.
Nearly 240 pounds of processed marijuana were found packed into the
vehicle's passenger compartment. The estimated street value is
$240,000. A joint investigation with Customs is underway. [Fred
Moosman, CR, CORO, 2/1]
00-031 - Organ Pipe Cactus NM (AZ) - Drug Seizure
A ranger discovered a group of suspected smugglers in a heavily used
drug trafficking area near Highway 85 on January 24th. Five backpack
bundles of marijuana totaling 242 pounds were seized. Border Patrol
agents saw five suspects running south from the area toward the
Mexican border. No arrests were made. [J. Young, PR, ORPI, 2/1]
CULTURAL/NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Point Reyes NS (CA) - Coho and Steelhead Fish Passage
The threatened coho salmon returned to creeks within the park last
week due to increasing rains in central California. The newly-arrived
coho adults entered a side tributary to Olema Creek called Blueline
Creek The creek, blocked by a high culvert for over 40 years, has
been made passable through the creation of a series of pools and
culvert modifications. These modifications, costing just $12,000,
have made over three miles of additional stream available to the fish.
During fish spawner counts last week, over 20 coho were found to have
entered the Blueline Creek area. This project is part of an ongoing
effort by the joint Point Reyes NS-Golden Gate NRA coho and steelhead
restoration project, the objective of which is to protect and enhance
riparian and stream habitat for streelhead and trout. Lagunitas and
Olema Creeks, both within NPS boundaries, have remnant populations of
coho and steelhead trout and are estimated to have approximately 10%
of the remaining wild coho salmon stock in central California. [Don
Neubacher, PORE]
OPERATIONAL NOTES
Safety and Health DO - Director's order (DO) 50B and reference manual
(RM) 50B, both of which cover the Service's occupational safety and
health program, are now available electronically at the "Reference
Desk" on the NPS web page. Look under "Policies, Guidance and Manuals"
for the two documents, which replace the old guideline, NPS-50, and
contain policy, requirements, responsibilities and implementation
guidance on occupational safety and health issues. [Shirley Rowley,
RMD/WASO]
MEMORANDA
No submissions.
INTERCHANGE
No submissions.
PARKS AND PEOPLE
Knife River Indian Villages NHS - The park will be hiring a GS-025 law
enforcement/resource management ranger. The position will be covered
by 6c. Check USA Jobs for either the merit promotion 5/7/9
announcement (NEKOTA 00-01, closing on February 14th) or the OPM
all-sources announcement for GS-5. Questions should be directed to
Lisa Eckert at 701-745-3300. [Lisa Eckert, KNRI]
Dinosaur NM - The park is seeking to fill the GS-025-9 Green River
area ranger position through lateral transfer. Occupancy of a
government residence in the Quarry housing area near Jensen, Utah, is
required. The position is covered by 6c; duties include LE, SAR, EMS,
resource management and fee collection. For information about the
position, the application process and the area, call chief ranger Dave
Panebaker at 970-374-3022 by close of business on February 11th.
* * * * *
Distribution of the Morning Report is through a mailing list managed
by park, office and/or regional cc:Mail hub coordinators. Please
address requests pertaining to receipt of the Morning Report to your
servicing hub coordinator. The Morning Report is also available on
the web at http://www.nps.gov/morningreport
Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the
cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.
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