NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Friday, March 17, 2000

ALMANAC

On this day in 1776, British occupying forces evacuated Boston, less 
than two weeks after the Continental Army seized and fortified 
Dorchester Heights south of the city.  A 115-foot monument on 
Dorchester Heights is part of Boston National Historical Park, 
Massachusetts.

INCIDENTS

00-096 - Canyonlands NP (UT) - Falling Fatality

On the morning of March 13th, rangers were advised that a visitor had 
fallen and suffered serious head injuries while hiking in the Needles 
District. St. Mary's Airlife was called in from  Grand Junction, 
Colorado; rescue personnel boarded  the helicopter and guided it to a 
landing zone close to the accident scene. They found that W.M., 
a 28-year-old teacher from San Marcos, Texas, had suffered 
fatal injuries. W.M. had been hiking off trail and was attempting to 
traverse a rock outcrop when he became rimrocked on the edge of a 
30-foot drop off. W.M. called for help. One of his hiking companions 
attempted to reach him, but was not able to reach W.M. before he 
slipped over the edge. The body was evacuated by helicopter. At the 
time of the accident, the majority of  Southeast Utah Group rescue 
personnel were participating in a week-long rescue seminar at Arches 
National Park,  leaving the field a bit short-staffed. Significant 
operational positions for this incident were filled by ranger David 
Schifsky from Glen Canyon, ranger Ray O'Neil from the Grand Canyon,  
and Neal Herbert from the Southeast Utah Group. All three are former 
Needles District employees and were just finishing a backbacking trip 
of their own when the report came in.  District ranger Fred Patton 
adds the following note about the threesome: "They constituted my 
entire rescue team for this incident. Their being in the area at the 
time and their intimate knowledge of the area were the only reasons 
that the victim could be accessed and the body recovered in such a 
short period of time." [Fred Patton, DR, CANY, 3/16]

00-097 - Gulf Islands NS (MS/FL) - Bribery Conviction

In March, 1999, rangers became aware that inmates on a federal prison 
crew working in the park under the terms of an MOU were being allowed 
to use the personal cellular phone of an NPS employee.  Ranger John 
Hughes made covert video tapes of the phone use, which constituted a 
violation of the MOU between the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the 
National Park Service.  Inmates assigned as free laborers to the park 
were not to have access to phones or computers.  An investigation was 
opened which revealed that an inmate named R.P.W. was 
paying the phone bill of the NPS employee.  Regional law enforcement 
specialist Kevin Hay was brought in to head the investigation. 
Subsequent interviews revealed that the inmate had moved $3,500 into 
the employees bank account by means of a wire transfer.  Indictments 
were handed down by a Pensacola grand jury last December, and the case 
went to trial on March 14th.  After two days of testimony, Weber pled 
guilty to 18 USC 201c(1)a, a felony.  The judge dismissed charges 
against the NPS employee, as the park had not adequately informed all 
employees of the rules regarding prisoners.  R.P.W. is currently 
serving a five year sentence for securities fraud, wire fraud and 
money laundering.  He was due to be released next week, but is now 
facing a maximum sentence of two years in jail and a $250,000 fine.  
Investigators from Biscayne NP, NPS FLETC and the Department's OIG 
assisted with this case. [Judy Forte, RCR, SERO, 3/16]

00-098 - Fort McHenry NM&HS (MD) - Special Event 

President Clinton flew in and out of Fort McHenry on the evening of 
Wednesday, March 15th, en route to meetings in Baltimore. The mayor of 
Baltimore and park superintendent greeted the president upon his 
arrival. Park staff coordinated the event with the Secret Service and 
were supported by numerous law enforcement organizations. The event 
took place after normal park operating hours and there were no 
incidents. [Rick Nolan, CR, FOMC, 3/16]

CULTURAL/NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Yellowstone NP (WY) - Elk Research Program

Three independent researchers are beginning a research program in 
collaboration with park staff to investigate northern Yellowstone elk 
population responses to wolf restoration.  This five-year project will 
involve an annual radio-collared population of 50 to 70 adult female 
and calf elk.  The initial capture and collaring operation will be 
done by helicopter net gunning in mid-March, weather permitting. The 
wolf reintroduction EIS identifies a strong need to examine critical 
relationships between wolves and elk.  The park lacks important 
information on post-wolf reintroduction seasonal elk habitat use and 
selection and adult and calf elk mortality causes and rates. The park 
will complement the elk research with its continuing wolf-related 
research, begun in 1997.  Biologists will conduct aerial elk 
reconnaissance surveys to locate collared adult elk once per week, 
year-round.  Each elk mortality site will be investigated on the 
ground, where staff will take carcass samples and identify the cause 
of death. Additional elements of the project include conducting 
ground-capture radio-collaring of elk calves.  Once the calves are 
collared, researchers will concentrate on elk calf mortality, 
physically inspecting each dead elk calf identified by radio collar 
mortality or wolf kill and take notes as well as physical samples. 
[Public Affairs, YELL]

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Training Report - The FY99 employee training and development annual 
report is now available on the "Learning Place" web page at 
www.nps.gov/training. If you'd like a paper copy, please contact Ed 
Carlin, training and development leader at Albright Training Center.

MEMORANDA

Submissions pending.

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Oklahoma City NM (OK) - The park is seeking two commissioned, 
GS-0025-05/07/09 protection rangers for permanent reassignment or 60- 
to 120-day details, beginning in April.  The park is the newest 
memorial in the National Park System and has been created through an 
unprecedented partnership with a trust.  The incumbents will actively 
assist the chief of protection and other staff in designing and 
implementing all aspects of the park's resource and visitor protection 
operations.  Protection activities include management of law 
enforcement, EMS, safety, state-of-the-art physical security, urban 
SAR, education/outreach, natural resource management, special park 
uses, and extensive interagency relations/agreements.  This is an 
opportunity to help create programs for a brand new unit and to 
participate in its opening.  The park will cover all costs of 
temporary details, including base salary.  Please contact acting 
superintendent Mark Foust at 405-235-3313 for more information.

Great Sand Dunes NM (CO) - The park will have one seasonal protection 
ranger vacancy (GS-0025-05) out on USA Jobs in late March. Seasonal 
protection ranger vacancies at the park are infrequent. The season is 
expected to last from mid-May to the end of September.  The job 
involves patrolling roads, campground and trails,(traditional law 
enforcement responsibilities in a busy V&RP operation) EMS, SAR, 
wildland and prescribed fire duties, and some horse patrol. Housing is 
available. The park features the tallest sand dunes in North America, 
pristine wilderness, and abundant wildlife (deer, elk, bear, 
pronghorn, cougar, coyotes, etc.). It lies at the base of the towering 
Sangre de Cristo Mountains (nine peaks over 14,000 feet) in southern 
Colorado. There is an experienced staff of returning seasonals to work 
with. If you're interested or know someone who is, please look for the 
announcement and apply.

                           *  *  *  *  *

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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