NPS Morning Report - Saturday, July 7, 2001



                        NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Saturday, July 7, 2001

INCIDENTS

01-315 - Shenandoah NP (VA) - Follow-up: Death of Employee

A memorial service for Alan Sager, district ranger for the park's 
North District, was conducted at 2 p.m. on Monday, July 2nd. Over 400 
friends, family and co-workers attended. Alan passed away on June 28th 
after a long and courageous battle with cancer. The service was held 
at the Mill Creek Church of the Brethren in Port Republic, Virginia. A 
National Park Service presence was markedly visible in tribute to Alan 
and in support of his family; the large number of Shenandoah employees 
in attendance were joined by employees and friends from eleven other 
NPS areas, including the Washington Office, the Northeast Region's 
support office and the Park Police.  Representatives from the North 
Carolina Parks and Recreation Department and the Virginia Department 
of Game and Inland Fisheries also attended, as did people from groups 
that reflected Alan's commitment to his family and involvement in his 
community, including church, elementary school, Cub Scouts, Boy 
Scouts, and soccer teams. The family has also asked that memorial 
contributions be made (in lieu of flowers) to either of the following:

o       Alan and N.'s friends at Shenandoah National Park have 
        established a memorial fund for the Sager Family.  
        Contributions may be sent to First Union Securities, P.O. Box 
        1187, Harrisonburg, VA 22803, Attn: Ron Holsinger.  Please 
        include a note designating the contribution as a gift for the 
        Sager family. Checks should be made payable to N.S.  
        Please indicate in your note if you want your gift to remain 
        anonymous.

o       Alan and N. received support from the Rockingham Regional 
        Cancer Center throughout this past year.  Contributions may be 
        sent to The Rockingham Regional Cancer Center, 35 E. Grace 
        St., Harrisonburg, VA  22801.

As was noted in the June 29th Morning Report, Alan's family is 
interested in collecting written memories, photos and other 
memorabilia relating to Alan's life so that his children may 
understand the impact that he had on his friends and extended Park 
Service family.  These can be sent to Shenandoah National Park, 3655 
Highway 211 East, Luray, Virginia 22835, Reference:  Sager Family. 
[Ginny Rousseau, CR, SHEN, 7/3]

01-328 - Glen Canyon NRA (UT/AZ) - Follow-up: Drowning

After nearly four days of searching in near zero visibility 
conditions, the body of C.E., 18, of Centerville, Utah, was 
found and recovered. The dive operations consisted of over 45 hours of 
bottom time in 132 dives by members of the Glen Canyon and Maricopa 
County Sheriff's Office dive teams. The park was also assisted in the 
search by Gene Ralston and Associates, which provided side-scan sonar, 
and Utah State Parks. The body was discovered in 60 feet of water near 
the outer boundary of the designated search area. [Mike Mayer, ACR, 
GLCA, 7/2]

01-334 - Gulf Islands NS (MS/FL) - Shark Attack with Severe Injury

An eight-year-old boy from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, was attacked by 
a shark while swimming at Langdon Beach in the Fort Pickens Unit in 
the Florida District around 8:30 p.m. on July 6th. The boy's right arm 
was severed, and his right leg was injured. The boy's uncle managed to 
wrestle the shark to the beach, where a park ranger shot and killed 
it. This action made it possible for rescuers to pry the shark's mouth 
open with an expandable baton. A park lifeguard then reached into the 
shark's mouth and retrieved the boy's arm. The shark has been 
preliminarily identified as a bull shark. The boy was flown by medevac 
to Baptist Hospital and his arm was transported to the hospital by 
ambulance. The boy and limb have been flown to the University of 
Florida Medical Center, where an attempt will be made to reattach the 
limb. Media attention is intense. The bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas) 
is a very common shark; it typically ranges in size from about seven 
feet long and 200 pounds (adult males) to over eleven feet long and 
500 pounds (adult females). It is the most frequent attacker of 
people, as it swims in very shallow waters where people swim and is an 
aggressive shark. The bull shark is found close to shore and can live 
for a while in fresh water, frequenting estuaries, rivers and lakes. 
It has been found up to 1,750 miles up the Mississippi River. [CRO, 
GUIS, 7/7; Encarta On-Line Encyclopedia (http://www.encarta.msn.com/)]

01-335 - Gateway (NY/NJ) - Storm Impacts

On the afternoon of Sunday, July 1st, Sandy Hook and neighboring 
communities were hit with tornado force winds, lightning, heavy rain 
and golf-ball-size hail. Prior to the storm's arrival, park lifeguards 
began evacuating capacity crowds from the park's beaches. Vehicle 
traffic exiting the park was bumper-to-bumper on all roads and 
remained backed-up for two hours as the storm persisted. Within one 
hour, over two inches of rain fell. Fifty-six mph gusts swept two 
400-pound surf rescue boats off the beach at D Lot. They were later 
recovered about one mile offshore by the patrol boat "George B. 
Hartzog Jr.," a 41-foot Coast Guard utility boat that Gateway recently 
acquired and refurbished. The winds also blew a private vessel ashore 
in Horseshoe Cove and ripped a large tent covering from the deck of 
the Sea Gull's Nest concession restaurant, damaging two vehicles 
parked below. No injuries to park visitors were reported. Two visitors 
who refused to comply when ordered to evacuate the beach area were 
arrested. [Tom Lobkowicz, SA, Sandy Hook Unit, GATE, 7/2]

01-336 - Yellowstone NP (WY) - Special Event 

Over the four-day period from June 19th to June 22nd, the park hosted 
an official delegation of 29 representatives from the Lower Brule 
Sioux tribe of South Dakota. In what is likely an historic moment for 
the Service, the full contingent of the Lower Brule - including the 
chairperson, tribal council, and the elder resource advisory  
committee - visited the park to see wolves, tour geyser basins, and 
meet with park managers. Acting superintendent Frank Walker, most 
division chiefs, and other staff met with the group and with the 
tribe's cultural resources staff. They discussed the joint management 
plan for bison, the reintroduction of wolves, sacred sites, fee 
waivers for religious and other traditional purposes, and employment 
opportunities. An end-of-the-week dinner honored the guests. Among the 
attendees were park staff and external partners. The tribe's director 
of cultural resources, Scott Jones, said that they had come with 
trepidation:  "It's a little like getting on a broncing bull to come 
to a place where people don't quite understand why and how it's sacred 
to us."  In summarizing the visit, chairperson Jandreau told dinner 
guests that this was the first time that the Lower Brule Sioux tribe 
had "met with such responsive and caring  federal employees" in his 30 
years of working with federal people (21 of which have been in the 
role of tribal leader). [Rosemary Sucec, YELL, 6/27]

01-337 - Badlands NP (SD) - Two MVA's with Serious Injuries, Fatality

On June 30th, rangers from the Cedar Pass, Pinnacles, and the 
Stronghold Districts responded to a single-vehicle rollover accident 
along Highway 240 just south of the Sage Creek National Wilderness 
Area. All three occupants of the pickup truck were thrown from the 
vehicle after it struck an abandoned railroad embankment, went 
airborne for more than 100 feet, then rolled down the highway. All of 
the people in the truck suffered from severe injuries. Two were found 
unconscious, while the third was extremely combative due to a 
combination of alcohol and illegal drugs. While rangers attempted to 
provide emergency medical attention, she attempted to bite them and 
later tossed blood at them from her bleeding lip and face. All three 
were transported to the Rapid City Regional Hospital; one died during 
transport. This accident occurred just six days after another vehicle 
rollover accident that occurred along Bombing Range Road in the 
Stronghold District. A large passenger van carrying 15 teenagers from 
a San Antonio church group rolled over after one of the tires blew and 
the driver lost control. Rangers from the same three districts 
responded as part of a regional response to the accident. One of the 
teens had been thrown from the vehicle; another was pinned inside and 
subsequently extricated. A total of 12 people were transported to the 
Rapid City Regional Hospital for a variety of injuries, including 
broken ribs, spine and back injuries and possible internal injuries. 
[Scott Lopez, CR, BADL, 7/1]

01-338 - Devils Tower NM (WY)  -  Shooting, Agency Assist

Rangers responded to a report of a man with a gunshot wound outside of 
park boundaries on July 2nd. P.S., 48, was found in the 
parking lot of the Devils Tower Trading Post with a single, small 
caliber bullet wound in his left forearm. P.S. had been looking 
through binoculars at the terrain around the tower when he was struck 
in the left arm. Neither P.S. nor any of the witnesses was able to 
identify the source of the gunshot.  Rangers secured the immediate 
scene, treated  P.S., and turned the case over to the Crook County 
Sheriff's Department. Officers from five agencies searched the 
campground, ranch and bluffs around the scene. No suspect has been 
identified.  A .22 caliber bullet was retrieved from P.S.'s left 
forearm. [Scott Brown, CR, DETO, 7/3]

01-339 - Glen Canyon NRA (UT/AZ) - Drowning

Park dispatch received a call via marine band radio on the evening of 
July 1st, reporting a drowning in the Halls Creek Bay area. The victim 
was a two-year-old girl from Cedar Valley, Utah. Witnesses said that 
family members had finished dinner and were cleaning up when the child 
wandered outside the houseboat. They noticed that she was missing 
within minutes and spotted her face down in the water. CPR was begun. 
Ranger/paramedics Steve Luckesen, Dave Walton and Richard Moore 
responded by boat and were on scene within nine minutes. When they 
arrived, a dentist from a nearby camp was performing CPR. The rangers 
began advanced life support and transported her to the clinic at 
Bullfrog. Resuscitation efforts continued for another 45 minutes 
before being called off by clinic staff. This was the second drowning 
in the park in six days. [Mike Murray, ACR, GLCA, 

                   [Additional reports pending....]

FIRE MANAGEMENT

National Fire Situation - Preparedness Level II

Nearly 500 new fires were reported on Thursday as a series of 
thunderstorms moved across the West. The storms were mostly wet, 
however, assisting firefighters in containing hundreds of small and 
eight large fires. As of Friday, there were 25 large fires burning in 
eight western states. Additional details on Friday and Saturday's fire 
situation will appear tomorrow.

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

Park Fire Situation

No new reports.

Park Fire Danger

Extreme         Joshua Tree NP, Lake Mead NRA, Hawaii Volcanoes NP
Very High       Grand Canyon NP, Zion NP, Dinosaur NM
High            Everglades NP

[NPS Situation Summary Report, 7/6; Alaska Wildland Fire Situation 
Update, 7/6; National Fire News, 7/6]

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Uniform Ordering: Second Notice - July 16th is the last date that 
made-to-measure and non-standard uniform items can be ordered this 
fiscal year (non-standard items are those outside the sizing charts in 
the catalog or on the contractor's web-site). August 31st is the last 
date for ordering ALL uniform items for this fiscal year. The 
contractors web site will not accept any orders after close of 
business on that date and ALL allowances for FY 2001 will be 
terminated at that time. To ensure the best service possible, order 
now. [Randy Coffman, RAD/WASO]

MEMORANDA

Although not a memoranda, this seemed the best place to post the 
following, which is the text of director-designate Fran Mainella's 
opening statement at her confirmation hearing before the Senate's 
Energy and Natural Resource Committee on June 27th:

"Mr. Chairman, Senator Murkowski, and Members of the Committee, it is 
a great privilege and special honor to appear before you today as the 
President's nominee for Director of the National Park Service, in the 
Department of the Interior. To be responsible for America's 384 
special places, her crown jewels, is an awesome challenge. Working to 
preserve and protect their natural and cultural resources for the over 
285 million visitors that enjoy them each year is a dream come true.

"My love of the outdoors began as a child in Groton, Connecticut, 
where through scouting, I went on my first camping trip and hiked my 
first trail. While I attended the University of Connecticut, I 
launched my 36-year career in parks and recreation as a summer 
playground counselor. Upon graduation, I taught junior and senior high 
school physical education and worked part-time for the Southington 
Connecticut Park and Recreation Department. I also completed my 
master's degree in counseling at Central Connecticut State College. My 
academic training and overall work experience has allowed me to 
develop the skills that are necessary to work well with a variety of 
groups, building consensus and developing very important partnerships.

"My park and recreational experiences in Florida have been on the 
local, state and private sector levels. As Executive Director of the 
Florida Recreation and Park Association, a non-profit organization, I 
worked with the many hundreds of volunteers, citizens, and numerous 
other organizations and groups to further the Association's goals.

"For the last 12 years I have served as Director of Florida State 
Parks under both Democrat and Republican administrations. Most 
notably, Florida State Parks were voted the best in the nation, 
achieving the Gold Medal Award for 1999-2001. This award is given by 
the National Sporting Goods Association, and the National Recreation 
and Park Association. This prestigious recognition reflects most 
positively our approach to resource management, citizens involvement, 
innovative funding concepts, and the emphasis we place on visitor 
services. Building a dynamic team and working closely together to 
accomplish our mission were essential components for the award which 
includes our great employees, our 1900 partners including our 
concessioners and friends groups, our volunteers and many others.

"Florida parks, with 155 units and 16.7 million visitors, have only 
some of the challenges that face the National Park Service. Yet the 
successful techniques involved in establishing partnerships and 
bringing all stakeholders together for meaningful discussion and 
consensus building benefits all land managers. As Director of Florida 
State Parks, I biannually schedule interactive meetings with 
environmental leaders and recreation users to discuss challenges and 
goals. This process parallels Secretary Norton's 4 C's - consultation, 
cooperation, and communication, all in the name of CONSERVATION.

"America's National Park System is the envy of the world. I commend 
all those dedicated public servants that serve at our national parks. 
If confirmed, I look forward to working with staff, our partners such 
as the National Park Foundation, and other stakeholders. With the 
support of the Congress, I look forward to the challenges this 
position holds as we address park management, protection of 
ecosystems, improvement of outdoor recreational opportunities, and 
improving park infrastructures. I pledge to this Committee, Mr. 
Chairman, that I will work closely with all stakeholders, open 
channels of communication with all, including elected leaders, and all 
those that have a common interest in making our national parks the 
best they can be.

"Also, I pledge to work hard to improve our partnerships, volunteer 
development, and accountability through meaningful performance goals. 
The President has made a strong commitment to our national parks by 
supporting the Natural Resource Challenge, the elimination of the 
maintenance backlog, and the establishment of partnerships as 
reflected through the Land and Water Conservation Fund. I believe that 
by working with all partners and staff to achieve success, I can play 
an integral role in having the National Park Service meet the goal 
described in the Organic Act of 1916: of conserving '... the scenery 
and the natural and historic objects and the wildlife and to provide 
for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will 
leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.'

"I am also extraordinarily grateful and appreciative of the support my 
nomination has received from Members of Congress, state and local 
officials, leaders from organizations with which I have worked and 
served. I pledge to you, to my supporters, to the President, and to 
the American people my best efforts to meet the challenges ahead, and 
further enhance the ability of the National Park Service as we move 
through the 21' century."

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Hopewell Furnace NHS (PA) - The park is currently recruiting for a 
GS-025-11 park ranger (natural resources management and protection). 
The position is a 6c-secondary (administrative) senior park ranger 
(division chief) reporting directly to the superintendent.  The ranger 
is independently responsible for managing the park's natural resources 
and protection programs, including scientific research, safety, law 
enforcement, computers, fire, special uses, NEPA compliance, emergency 
medical, physical security, radios, and interagency coordination and 
cooperation. The vacancy announcement is listed on USAJobs and closes 
on July 20th. Contact Bill Sanders at 610-582-8773 for further 
information. [Bill Sanders, HOFU]

FILM AT 11...

A story about "Boone & Crockett - The Hunter Heroes" will air on the 
History Channel this evening at 8 p.m. EST (7 p.m. CST) and again on 
Saturday, July 14th, at noon EST (11 a.m. CST). The program contrasts 
the lives of these two frontiersmen (born two generations apart) and 
what each man contributed to the country's westward expansion. The 
scenes of the siege of the Alamo and Crockett's death were filmed at 
Mission San Jose at San Antonio Missions NHP. They portray a different 
picture and story than those depicted by the Walt Disney and/or John 
Wayne versions of Crockett's demise at the Alamo. Gary L. Foreman of 
Native Sun Productions, who worked in the park previously on another 
History Channel project, directed and helped produce this documentary. 
[Rich Arias, SAAN]

                            *  *  *  *  *

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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