NPS Morning Report - Wednesday, June 27, 2001



                        NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Wednesday, June 27, 2001

INCIDENTS

01-299 - Gulf Islands NS (FL/MS) - Car Clouting Arrest, Indictment

On June 19th, a federal grand jury indicted W.H. of 
Pensacola, Florida, on ten felony counts of burglary. The indictments 
stemmed from an arrest that occurred following a rash of car clouts 
earlier this month in the Fort Pickens area. Many of the thefts 
occurred on the loop road near one of the historical artillery 
batteries. In each case, the vehicle's window was broken and purses 
and wallets were stolen. Other items were also taken, including CDs, 
cameras and credit cards. Surveillance was begun with the aid of an 
undercover van borrowed from a local federal law enforcement agency. 
Rangers and Gulf Breeze PD investigators watched the area from the 
van, and identified a two-tone blue pickup with two male occupants as 
a possible suspect. On June 12th, seasonal ranger Jared Klein spotted 
the truck entering the park. The surveillance team saw it head to the 
location where the previous break-ins occurred. One of the suspects 
got out of the truck with two small children and wandered around the 
area, acting as a lookout; the second man attempted to break into a 
vehicle, but broke off when the first man signaled to him that someone 
was coming. They all then got back into the truck and left the area. 
The truck left the park, with law enforcement officers following. They 
traveled to a mall about 15 miles from the park, where ranger John 
Hughes contacted the driver. A consent search of the truck ensued, and 
ATM receipts were found that did not belong to the man. He then 
confessed to the park thefts. A 16-year-old male and two younger 
juveniles were in the truck. Since the crimes were committed with the 
juveniles present, the state department of child services will be 
conducting an investigation into child abuse. The adult male is also 
on probation for burglaries and will be facing suspension of 
probation. The arrests cleared 31 auto burglaries that had occurred in 
the Florida District. Hughes lead the investigation. [CRO, GUIS, 6/20]

01-300 - Little River Canyon NP (AL) - Rescue

On the afternoon of June 17th, ranger Steve McGee, who joined the 
ranger staff less than three months ago, was on patrol above the 
Little River Falls area when he saw two boys tubing in the main 
channel feeding the falls. McGee realized that they were in danger and 
moved to intercept them. One of the tubers grabbed and clung to a rock 
near the top of the falls, and called to his companion - Thomas 
Prince, 16 - and told him to stop himself. Prince became entangled in 
his partially-deflated float, however, and was unable to arrest his 
momentum. As he neared the top of the falls, McGee plunged into the 
water, grabbed him, and dragged him from the rapids - just seconds 
before he would have been washed over the falls. McGee's quick 
thinking undoubtedly prevented severe injury or death from a 45-foot 
drop onto the rocks below. [Mike Clarke, PR, LIRI, 6/19]

01-301 - Pinnacles NM (CA) - Rescue

K.H., 31, of Fairfax, California, fell about 25 feet while 
climbing near the Rat Race route in the Tourist Trap climbing area on 
Saturday, May 5th. K.H. struck the back of his head, knocking himself 
unconscious. During the fall, he became entangled in excess rope, so 
he also sustained severe rope burns to the back of both legs. Ranger 
Neal Labrie climbed about 30 feet to K.H.'s position on an exposed 
ledge. K.H. had by that time regained consciousness, but was 
disoriented. After treating K.H.'s injuries, Labrie performed a solo 
pick-off to lower him to waiting paramedics and air transport to San 
Jose Valley Medical Center, where he was treated and released. 
Assistance was provided by CDF, American Medical Response and Calstar 
II Air Ambulance. This was the second technical rescue in a week and 
the second major climbing accident in the Tourist Trap area in the 
past year. [Neal Labrie, DR, PINN, 6/18]

01-302 - Badlands NP (SD) - Rescue

A group of four visitors set out on a hike of the mile-and-a-half long 
Notch Trail in the park's Cedar Pass District on June 23rd. The 
temperature at the time was nearing 107 degrees. After reaching the 
summit, S.M. began complaining about the heat, was able to 
return to their car only with great difficulty, and soon became 
confused. S.M. was at first driven to the park visitor center, but 
was taken to the ranger station as her condition continued to 
deteriorate. Ranger Aaron Kaye and volunteer Natalie Brown were first 
on scene. They found S.M. drifting in and out of consciousness and 
her legs, arms and face red, dry and very warm to the touch. They 
summoned help, then began treating her. Rangers Mark Gorman and Jack 
Hanson were on scene within minutes and began emergency care. S.M. 
was suffering from muscular twitching, a strong and rapid pulse, 
shortness of breath and falling blood pressure. By the time an 
ambulance arrived, her temperature had been brought down and she was 
again alert and oriented. She reported that she had been scared that 
she was going to die. [Mark Gorman, DR, Cedar Pass District, 6/25]

01-303 - Zion NP (UT) - Rescue

Park dispatch received a report of a man suffering from chest pains on 
the Lower Emerald Pools trail on the afternoon of June 20th. Park 
medics Rick DeLappe and Cindy Purcell administered advanced life 
support measures to the 56-year-old man. As he was being evacuated on 
a wheeled litter, he went into cardiac arrest, but respirations and 
pulse were restored through defibrillation. He was taken to a medevac 
helicopter, then flown to Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George. 
He was in stable condition at the time of the report. Eighteen park 
personnel were involved in the rescue. [Chuck Passek, ZION, 6/21]

01-304 - Grand Canyon NP (AZ) - Rescue

On the afternoon of Saturday, June 16th, park dispatch received a 911 
call reporting that a man with a known cardiac history was unconscious 
at the Desert View General Store, 25 miles east of South Rim Village. 
Within minutes, EMTs responded from the Tusayan museum, maintenance 
facility and entrance station, and the park helicopter took off with 
ranger/paramedic Nancy Mecham on board. She found the man suffering 
from focal seizures and treated and stabilized him. He was flown by 
park helicopter to Flagstaff Medical Center. [Kristin Fey, SAR Shift, 
GRCA, 6/21]

01-305 - GW Memorial Parkway/C&O Canal NHP (VA/MD/DC) - Resource       
         Violations

On May 18th, a multi-agency task force concluded the spring 2001 
operation of Task Force Potomac, a fisheries enforcement operation on 
the Potomac River in the Little Falls/Chain Bridge area. Citations 
were issued for 167 violations, including the illegal catch of striped 
bass, use of cast nets, snagging, fishing without a license, and a 
multitude of CFR public use violations. Personnel also provided EMS 
assistance to several visitors who sustained fishing-related injuries 
in the area. During a similar period last year, citations were issued 
for over 420 violations. In addition to the enforcement efforts, an 
education outreach effort has been begun to encourage responsible 
fishing and public use on park lands. Participating in the task force 
were USPP officers, NPS rangers, USFWS agents, and officers from the 
Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police, Virginia Department 
of Game and Inland Fisheries, DC Harbor Police, and Arlington County 
Police. [Einar Olsen, RCR, NCRO, 6/8]

01-306 - Great Smoky Mountains NP (NC/TN) - Resource Violation Cases

On May 20th, J.B. and M.L.P., both of Cherokee, 
North Carolina, were stopped by rangers following a visitor's report 
of possible hunting within the park. The rangers set up surveillance 
at a parking area on one of the headwater streams of Bunches Creek. 
J.B. and his juvenile son were seen driving off in the suspect 
vehicle. After driving about a mile, J.B. stopped and picked up 
M.L.P., who had been hiding in the woods with 22 endangered and 
federally-protected southern brook trout in his possession. Rangers 
were able to track M.L.P. and J.B.'s movements back to the 
small stream from which the trout were taken. The two were charged 
with fishing in closed waters and possession and taking of a protected 
species. On June 12th, ranger Tony Welch found a bait container that 
indicated possible poaching in the Balsam Mountain Road area. A 
vehicle was found parked on a private logging road adjacent to the 
park. Welch followed tracks from the vehicle into the park and across 
a paved park road to the location of the bait container. The trail 
continued on into the lower drainage of Bunches Creek, which is closed 
to fishing to protect the brook trout. Welch was joined by other 
rangers and surveillance of the stream was begun. About two hours 
later, three men came out of the woods and stopped at the edge of the 
park road. Each of them looked up and down the road, then ran across 
to the other side, one at a time. Each was carrying a fishing pole and 
a bag. Holter identified himself and ordered them to stop; Cary Moore 
complied, but his two companions - D.S. and B.S. - fled. 
They were soon stopped and all three were arrested. Moore had a dozen 
brook trout in his possession and was charged with fishing in closed 
waters, use and possession of bait, taking of a protected species, and 
possession of a controlled substance (marijuana); B.S. was 
found in possession of 21 brook trout and was charged with fishing in 
closed waters, use and possession of bait, taking of a protected 
species and failure to obey a lawful order; D.S. was found in 
possession of 32 brook trout and was charged with the same infractions 
as B.S. Since D.S. was found to be wanted for 
escape from a county jail in Waynesville, North Carolina, he was taken 
into custody and returned to that county. Welch is the case agent. 
Southern Brook trout live only in high elevation streams and are the 
only native trout in the Smokies. They can't compete with non-native 
rainbow and brown trout and soon disappear when the latter are 
present. [Lisa Slobodzian, GRSM, 6/7]

01-307 - Big Bend NP (TX) - Drug Interdiction

On June 13th, ranger Jason Smith saw an open container of alcohol and 
drug paraphernalia in plain sight in a vehicle at the Santa Elena 
border crossing. Smith and ranger Matt Stoffolano stopped the vehicle 
when it left the crossing. A search of the vehicle led to the recovery 
and seizure of more than 300 Valium pills, a small piece of a 
substance that may be peyote, some prescription medications, and a 
12-ounce brick of marijuana that the operator had bought in Mexico. 
The driver had his two children - ages two and four - with him. He was 
arrested for felony possession of controlled substances; his children 
were turned over to Texas child protective services. [Matt Stoffolano, 
PR, BIBE, 6/19]

01-308 - Big Bend NP (TX) - Undocumented Aliens

Ranger Matt Stoffolano was directing traffic around a disabled vehicle 
on June 16th when a passing visitor informed him that a large U-Haul 
style rental truck had pulled off the road about a mile behind him and 
let out between 20 and 30 people, all of whom ran north into the 
desert. Stoffolano, another ranger, and Border Patrol agents pursued. 
Nine undocumented aliens were apprehended that evening, and the 
remaining twelve were picked up the next day. This is the first known 
case of a rental-style truck being used to smuggle a large group of 
illegal immigrants into the park. [Matt Stoffolano, PR, BIBE, 6/19]

                   [Additional reports pending....]

FIRE MANAGEMENT

National Fire Situation - Preparedness Level II

Four new large fires were reported yesterday, one each in Alaska and 
New Mexico and two in Florida; three large fires were contained, one 
each in Montana, Idaho and Florida.  Initial attack has slowed but is 
still somewhat moderate in California, the Southwest and the South due 
to higher humidity and precipitation. Initial attack was light 
elsewhere. Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in Alaska, 
Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, 
Texas and Utah.   

The full NICC situation report for today can be found at 
http://www.nifc.gov/news/sitreprt.pdf.

National Resource Status (Five Day Trend)

                        Sat     Sun     Mon     Tue     Wed
Date                    6/23    6/24    6/25    6/26    6/27
                
Crews                   140     127     164     155     103
Engines                 233     226     248     257     183
Helicopters             47      57      55      50      44
Air Tankers             1       4       6       4       1
Overhead                486     562     572     497     534

Park Fire Situation

Carlsbad Caverns NM - The Guad 1 Fire (452 acres, Type 2 team, 230 
FF/OH, 75% contained)  is totally inaccessible via ground, so 
suppression tactics are limited to use of helicopters. Light 
precipitation fell on the fire yesterday.

Zion NP - The Checkerboard Fire has burned 2.5 acres in inaccessible 
terrain. The fire will be monitored. 

Park Fire Danger

Extreme         Lake Mead NRA
Very High       Sequoia/Kings Canyon NP, Zion NP
High            Joshua Tree NP, Hawaii Volcanoes NP, Dinosaur NM, 
                Carlsbad Caverns NP, Guadalupe Mountains NP

[NPS Situation Summary Report, 6/26; NICC Incident Management 
Situation Report, 6/27]

INTERPRETATION AND VISITOR SERVICES

Rock Creek Park (DC) - Bilingual Exhibits

National Capital Region's first bilingual exhibit was opened at the 
park's nature center on June 7th. Acting director Deny Galvin joined 
officials from the National Park Foundation and Coca Cola Foundation 
and students from the third grade at the Marie Reed Elementary School 
to celebrate the opening of the nation's sixth "Discovery Center" 
funded by the Coca Cola Foundation. The exhibit encourage students to 
explore the forest, creek and meadow habitats of the park using their 
senses. All label texts are in both English and Spanish, and the 
"Sounds of Rock Creek Park" interactive computer display is also in 
both languages. [Laura Illige, PIO, ROCR]

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Washington Office (DC) - The Associate Director, Park Operations and 
Education is seeking an individual to serve on a 60-day detail (or 
longer) to further develop and implement the IACP task force 
recommendations. This detail will begin on or about July 23rd. 
Experience in the performance and management of law enforcement 
operations is required. The associate director's office will pay 
travel, per diem and salary.  The task force recommendations encourage 
an implementation by planning in stages from the broad view to 
detailed specifics, utilizing field expertise by getting rangers 
involved in developing solutions. The person selected for the detail 
will be expected to continue moving the task force recommendations 
forward and develop a budget component to support the proposals. 
Interested individuals should send a one-page resume detailing work 
history, educational background and any special qualifications to Dick 
Ring via email by July 13th. For more information, you can call Dick 
Ring at 202-208-5651 or Dennis Burnett at 202-208-7675. [Dennis 
Burnett, RAD/WASO]

Ozark NSR (MO) - The park has three positions open, all of them now 
posted on USA Jobs - GS-12/13 chief ranger (announcement CK113502JR), 
GS-12/13 chief of resources management and education, and 
GS-1640-12/13 facility manager. All close on July 16th. For further 
information on these positions, contact Joe Strenfel at 573-323-4236 
ext 251 or Mary Thompson at ext 245. (Debbie Wisdom, OZAR)

Cuyahoga Valley NP (OH) - The park is advertising for a GS-025-5/7/9 
park ranger (law enforcement).  The position will be open and 
advertised on USA Jobs for governmentwide applicants with career or 
career conditional status OR outstanding scholars from June 20th until 
July 7th. It is covered by 6(c) enhanced annuity retirement. The 
position is in the park's 18,000-acre North District, which includes a 
multi-use hike and bike trail, about 50 miles of hiking trails, picnic 
areas, three visitor centers, and a railroad. The park sits between 
Cleveland and Akron. Housing is affordable and recreational and 
cultural activities are available. Duties include road, foot, and 
bicycle patrol; monitoring of special park uses; poaching patrol; 
maintenance and deployment of district surveillance equipment; and 
coordination of a parkwide volunteer hike and bike patrol program. A 
level I law enforcement commission is required.  Park housing is not 
available. For more information, contact Mosie Welch at 440-546-5952. 
(Mosie Welch, CUVA)

White Sands NM (NM) - The park is seeking a GS-5 or GS-7 LE ranger for 
a 45- to 60-day appointment. The person selected must have a 
commission and be certified at least in first aid and CPR. Duties 
include SAR, EMS, and  monitoring of a variety of special park uses. 
Employment will begin July 15th and last at least through the middle 
of September. Interested parties may call Cliff Spencer at 
505-679-2599 ext 220 or Garry Olson at ext 221. [Cliff Spencer, WHSA]

FOOTNOTE

Several readers have inquired about a statement that appeared in the 
June 21st Morning Report entry on the installation of the ICBM at 
Minuteman Missile NHS, our new park in South Dakota. The report noted 
that NPS representatives were on scene to observe USAF technicians who 
were installing the ICBM in order "to begin recording standard 
procedures for maintaining a thermonuclear warhead for display 
purposes." Readers suspected that the NPS perhaps intended to use said 
warhead as a bargaining chip in future budget negotiations or for some 
similar purpose. The Morning Report accordingly dispatched a reporter 
from its Rapid City bureau to query Bill Supernaugh, superintendent of 
Badlands NP, which is overseeing the site. His comment: "While we did 
not get a warhead, we did get a guidance system, nose cone, and 
reentry vehicle, and the installation procedures that were followed 
were (almost) the same as if there had been a warhead included." Those 
of you who have perhaps crossed someone at Badlands may therefore rest 
easy about any possible consequences...

                            *  *  *  *  *

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

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