NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Wednesday, May 9, 2001

INCIDENTS

01-194 - Coronado NM (AZ) - Drug Seizure and Arrests

Rangers and Border Patrol agents interdicted a major drug smuggling 
operation on the afternoon of May 7th. A group of 50 backpackers was 
detected moving north through park lands. Initial reports were that 
they were being protected by an armed escort, but no such escort was 
encountered. An Arizona National Guard helicopter was employed to 
locate the smugglers and to guide in responding ground units. A dozen 
smugglers were arrested and over a ton of marijuana was seized. The 
estimated street value of the marijuana has been placed at $1.8 
million. [Mike Hardin, ACR, CORO, 5/8]

01-195 - White Sands NM (NM) - Suicide

On the evening of May 5th, park visitors told ranger Joel Barnett that 
they'd come upon what appeared to be a dead man on the top of a dune 
south of the Alkali Flats trailhead. Upon arrival, Barnett found the 
body of a 22-year-old Florida man. He had died from a self-inflicted 
gunshot wound; a 12-gauge shotgun was found at his feet. Investigation 
led to the discovery that the man had been depressed and had been 
reported missing two days previously by his roommate, who had found a 
suicide note. A second suicide note was found in his nearby vehicle. 
The investigation is being handled by chief ranger Cliff Spencer and 
the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator. [Cliff Spencer, CR, 
WHSA, 5/6]

                   [Additional reports pending....]

FIRE MANAGEMENT

National Fire Plan

NARTC is hosting a conference entitled "Fire Management Leadership for 
Agency Executives" in Albuquerque on Thursday and Friday. Participants 
will take a comprehensive look at the agency executive's leadership 
role within the fire management program, including federal and state 
wildland fire management policies and the National Fire Plan. Invited 
to speak from the NPS include acting director Deny Galvin, national 
FMO Sue Vap, and wildland fire coordinator Tim Hartzell. They will be 
joined by Roger Erb from FWS and Larry Hamilton from BLM.

National Fire Situation

Preparedness Level 1. One new large fire was reported in Florida and 
one large fire was contained in Pennsylvania.  Initial attack activity 
was moderate in the South and light elsewhere. Florida and the 
Atlantic coast will remain dry as high pressure aloft persists, 
continuing the possibility of new large fires. High pressure will 
build in the Southwest, resulting in warm temperatures and moderate 
winds with a few showers and thunderstorms.  Very high to extreme fire 
indices were reported in Colorado and Florida.

A FIRE WEATHER WATCH has been posted for low relative humidity and 
strong winds throughout most of Florida.

The full NICC Incident Management Situation Report can be found at 
http://www.nifc.gov/news/sitreprt.pdf

National Resource Status

Date                    5/5     5/6     5/7     5/8     5/9

Crews                   21      9       18      23      24
Engines                 59      29      24      63      50
Helicopters             18      7       9       12      12
Air Tankers             0       0       0       0       0
Overhead                142     43      63      131     105

Park Fires

Big Cypress NP (FL) - The human-caused Burns Fire has burned 2,600 
acres and is 60% contained. Full containment is expected today. A 
total of 19 firefighters and overhead are committed. Crews and 
helicopters are working the south and east flanks, while a burnout 
operation is taking place on the north side of the fire.  Unburned 
islands are creating smoky conditions.  

Park Fire Danger

Very High       Hawaii Volcanoes, Everglades
High            Joshua Tree

[Debee Schwarz, NPS Fire Information, WASO; NICC Incident Management 
Situation Report, 5/9; NPS Situation Summary Report, 5/8]

INTERPRETATION AND VISITOR SERVICES

Navajo NM (AZ) - Joint NPS/Tribal Interpretive Training

The park sponsored a one-day training session at Navajo NM for 
interpreters from the nearby Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park 
earlier this month. Interpreters reviewed elements of Module 101 and 
learned about park operations at Navajo NM, which preserves three of 
the most intact cliff dwellings of the Anasazi (Hisatsinom). The 
training session marks the culmination of efforts between the two 
groups to integrate interpretive training and share NPS expertise with 
interpreters in Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation.  Future 
possibilities include ranger exchanges and more Navajo Nation Parks 
and Recreation participation in NPS training, including the full range 
of interpretive development training. [Rick Best, CI, NAVA]

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Denali NP (AK) - The park is seeking someone to serve on a detail as 
acting FMO. The following qualifications are required - helicopter 
manager, burn boss II, and incident commander/multi-resources. Core 
dates are from June 1st to July 15th. There can be some flexibility on 
either end of the dates. The FMO is responsible for fire operations at 
Denali, Lake Clark, Bering Land Bridge, Kobuk Valley, Noatak and Cape 
Krusenstern. The fire staff consists of two STF positions and two 
seasonals. A helicopter is on contract for 90 days. Temporary 
promotions may be granted, not to exceed GS-11. Denali will pay the 
cost difference to the higher grade, as qualified, and the travel 
costs to and from the home unit. Government housing will be provided 
during the detail, along with a per diem of $19 per day. Home units 
will provide base funding. Interested applicants should mail an 
OF-612, SF-171 or resume and summary of current firefighting 
qualifications to Gordon Olson, Chief of Resource Management, PO Box 
9, Denali Park, AK 99755. Fore more info, call Gordon at 907-683-9531 
or Jan Passek at 907-683-9548 before May 15th. [Jan Passek, DENA]

WASO Office of Audits and Accountability (DC) - The office is seeking 
a GS-9 employee to serve as a detail audit desk officer from May 21st 
to September 14th. The person selected will assist the NPS management 
officer in coordination of the audit program. Specific duties include 
scheduling and participating in entrance and exit conference meetings 
between NPS program officials and representatives from GAO, OIG, and 
other audit agencies; preparing audit announcements for distribution 
to appropriate NPS program officials; consolidating comments from 
different bureaus and/or agencies into one formal response to the 
auditing agency; ensuring that all audit responses are prepared in a 
timely manner and routed to the appropriate officials; monitoring the 
implementation of audit recommendations; and reporting progress to the 
DOI audit liaison officers. Salary will be paid by WASO. Applicants 
need to have good communications and organization skills, knowledge of 
appropriate legislation and regulations, and the ability to work 
independently. If you're interested, send an email message stating 
your qualifications, confirming your supervisor's approval, and 
providing one reference contact to Frank Seng or Andria Weeks by close 
of business on May 11th. A selection will be made as soon as possible. 
For more information, call either Frank (202-565-1069) or Andria 
(202-565-1068). [Andria Weeks, RAD/WASO]

Grand Teton NP (WY) - Ranger Dan Burgette recently won the world 
championship for interpretive wood carvings at the World Championships 
for Wildfowl Carving in Ocean City, Maryland. His creative carving of 
swifts, made from wood, metal and stone, will be displayed in the Ward 
Museum of Wildfowl Art in Salisbury, Maryland. [Mary Kline, YOSE]

Organ Pipe Cactus NM (AZ) - The park is recruiting for a GS-025-7/9 
ranger (6c law enforcement covered). Plans are to fill the vacant 
position through direct reassignment. The person in this position has 
required occupancy in government quarters and is located at park 
headquarters, 34 miles south of Ajo, Arizona, and five miles north of 
the Mexican border. The work will involve border-related law 
enforcement activities. Interest parties should posses a strong law 
enforcement background and currently posses a Level I law enforcement 
commission. There are current possibilities for dual career couples. 
Questions may be directed to Karl Pearson at 520-387-7661 ext 7502, or 
Dale Thompson at 520-387-7661 ext 7201. If interested, submit an 
application to be received by May 21st to Organ Pipe Cactus National 
Monument, Attention: Shirley Schlinkmann, Administrative Officer, Rte. 
1, Box 100, Ajo, AZ 85321. [Dale Thompson, ORPI]

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       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       Interchange - Requests or offers from any park or office for 
        materials, information or any other operational needs.
o       Hot Links - Web addresses for NPS-related sites.
o       Film at 11 - Reports on current or upcoming print or 
        electronic media stories on the NPS.

                            *  *  *  *  *

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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