NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Saturday, May 5, 2001

INCIDENTS

01-187 - Gateway NRA (NY/NJ) - Rescues; Drownings

On the afternoon of May 4th, Park Police dispatch was notified of a 
drowning that had occurred under the Paerdegat Basin bridge. Officers 
found that nine juveniles, all truant from school, had decided to go 
swimming at the remote location, which is not a designated swimming 
area. They entered the water a few yards south of the bridge on the 
eastern shore. Two of the kids began experiencing difficulty due to 
currents and were swept into the channel under the bridge; two of 
their comrades entered the water in an effort to rescue their friends, 
but were swept under by the current and became submerged. An off-duty 
New York City corrections officer who was passing by in a boat saw two 
of the kids holding onto the pilings under the bridge, jumped into the 
water, and brought them both to shore. He then reported that two 
others - a boy and a girl - were missing. Park Police and NYPD and 
fire units responded. The girl was found floating unconscious about 
150 yards north of the bridge. She was taken to Brookdale Hospital and 
pronounced dead shortly thereafter. NYPD divers recovered the body of 
the boy under the bridge. [Lt. John Marigliano, USPP, 5/4]

01-188 - Pea Ridge NMP (AR) - MVA with Fatality

Rangers were dispatched to the scene of an accident with injuries and 
entrapment on Highway 62 within the park on the evening of March 28th. 
While en route, they were notified that a medevac helicopter was 
seeking a helispot on the south lawn of the park visitor center. A 
helispot was established and the rangers helped load a 17-year-old 
male on board. The boy, who was the only occupant of the vehicle, had 
been extricated from it by the local volunteer fire department. An 
investigation was conducted and revealed that the vehicle was heading 
eastbound on the highway when it left the road and struck several 
trees before colliding head-on with a large oak. The boy was 
pronounced dead shortly after arriving at an area hospital. Rangers 
assisted state police in the investigation. [Robert Still, PERI, 
3/29 - report mislaid by editor until today]

                   [Additional reports pending....]

FIRE MANAGEMENT

National Fire Plan

No new information. Please check the NPS Fire Management Program 
Center web page (www.fire.nps.gov) for further information on fire 
plan projects.

NPS Fires

No new fires reported.

NPS Fire Danger

Very High       Big Bend
High            Hawaii Volcanoes, Great Smokies, Everglades, New River

[NPS Situation Summary Report, 5/4]

INTERCHANGE

FLETC (GA) - The police bicycle training program was set up by FLETC 
about two years ago to assist federal organizations with law 
enforcement cycling programs. The eight-day program focuses on 
improving skills, reviewing operational principles, and discussing 
legal considerations associated with bicycle patrol. The training is 
restricted to those in law enforcement with Type 1 commissions. The 
NPS office at FLETC is interested in hearing from parks that currently 
have active cycling programs. What standards do you have in place? 
What skills have been learned? And who coordinates your park's bike 
patrol operation? Please send responses to Bruce Hasson via cc:Mail or 
call him at 912-261-3762. [Wiley Golden, FLETC]

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Grand Teton NP - The park is seeking applicants for a permanent 
full-time archaeologist at the GS 9/11 level.  Applicants should have 
work experience in the Northern High Plains and Rocky Mountain region, 
possess experience as a contracting officer's technical 
representative, and have knowledge of the Section 106 compliance 
process.  The person who takes the position will  work directly for 
the park's cultural resource program manager. The announcement can be 
found on the Internet at USAJobs. If you have any questions, please 
contact Greg Kendrick at 303-969-2894. [Greg Kendrick, GRTE]

FILM AT 11...

Scott Gediman of Yosemite reports that the weekend edition of USA 
Today has a very good article on that park's bear management program. 
The piece by Jayne Clark, entitled "High-Tech Tests Help Catch Park's 
Bad-News Bears: Yosemite Using DNA To Nail Culprits," is available on 
the newspaper's website (at least as of Saturday): 

http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20010504/3291506s.htm

ADDITIONAL SECTIONS

Regular sections not appearing today (due either to lack of 
submissions or time constraints in preparing this edition) but are 
available at all times:

o       Natural/Cultural Resource Management - Significant 
        developments in these fields.
o       Interpretation/Visitor Services - Significant developments in 
        these fields.
o       Operational Notes - Any information of consequence to the 
        field on operational matters.
o       Memoranda - Memoranda from WASO to the field on all 
        operational matters.
o       Hot Links - Web addresses for NPS-related sites.

                            *  *  *  *  *

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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