NPS Morning Report - Tuesday, July 10, 2001
- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Tuesday, July 10, 2001
- Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2001 13:04:45 -0400
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
To: All National Park Service Areas and Offices
From: Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office
Day/Date: Tuesday, July 10, 2001
INCIDENTS
01-055 - President's Park (DC) - Follow-up: Shooting Incident
On February 7th, R.P. of Evansville, Indiana, approached the
south side of the White House, brandishing a handgun. R.P. pointed
the weapon variously at himself and at officers. An officer from the
Secret Service's Uniformed Division fired a single shot from his
weapon at R.P., striking him in the leg. R.P. was taken into
custody without further incident and transported to George Washington
University, where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Picket was released from the hospital on February 13th; after being
formally processed by the Park Police, he was remanded to U.S.
District Court for arraignment. On July 31st, R.P. is scheduled to
plead guilty to assaulting a federal police officer and carrying a
pistol without a license. Upon acceptance of this plea agreement by
the court, R.P. could be sentenced to three years in prison and
three years of intensive supervised probation. Detective sergeant
Timothy Moser of the USPP Criminal Investigations Branch has dedicated
many hours to investigating this incident and has been instrumental in
ensuring a successful prosecution. The incident was jointly
investigated by the Park Police, Secret Service and FBI. [Sgt. R.
MacLean, USPP, NCR, 7/9]
01-347 - Vietnam Veterans Memorial (DC) - Search
On the evening of July 8th, the Park Police received a call regarding
a missing person. The caller reported that he'd seen an elderly woman
wearing a green jacket near the Arlington Memorial Bridge who fit the
description of a woman who'd been reported missing two days
previously. Local media had aired a photo of M.B. after she was
reported missing by her family, and the caller had recognized her. NPS
employee Alice Bowser subsequently found her near the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial. M.B. was wearing an Alzheimer's Association "safe return"
bracelet that contained a contact number. Park Police located M.B.'s
relatives, who returned her safely to her sister. [Sgt. R. MacLean,
USPP, NCR, 7/9]
[Additional reports pending....]
FIRE MANAGEMENT
National Fire Situation - Preparedness Level II
The national level of preparedness remains low despite extreme fire
conditions being reported from most western states. More than 200
wildland fires were reported yesterday, with only three becoming large
fires in Colorado, Oregon and Washington. Scattered thundershowers and
humid conditions are expected to continue today throughout the West.
Initial attack activity was heavy in the Rockies and the Southwest,
moderate in the East, northern California, and the South, and light
elsewhere. Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in Arizona,
California, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah,
Washington, and Wyoming.
The full NICC situation report can be found at
http://www.nifc.gov/news/sitreprt.pdf.
National Resource Status (Five Day Trend)
Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue
Date 7/6 7/7 7/8 7/9 7/10
Crews 158 151 130 99 80
Engines 371 289 256 178 142
Helicopters 76 69 54 50 34
Air Tankers 5 4 4 1 2
Overhead 595 528 549 452 306
Park Fire Situation
Zion NP (UT) - The Supernatural Complex consists of the
lightning-caused Wynonpits, Little Wyno, and Crazy Quilt Fires. The
fires have burned 250 acres to date. A total of 15 firefighters and
overhead personnel are assigned.
Point Reyes NS (CA) - The park completed a ten-acre training bun last
Friday. Local firefighters and staff from Golden Gate NRA
participated. This was the first prescribed fire in the park in a year
and a half and the first done under the new RM-18 guidelines.
Park Fire Danger
Extreme Hawaii Volcanoes NP
Very High Crater Lake NP
High Everglades NP, Zion NP, Guadalupe Mountains NP,
Dinosaur NM, Sequoia and Kings Canyon NPs, Lake
Meredith NRA, Carlsbad Caverns NP
[NPS Situation Summary Report, 7/9; NICC National Fire News, 7/10;
NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 7/10]
CULTURAL/NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Grand Canyon NP (AZ) - Condor Pool Party
Due to extreme fire conditions in the park, fire crews have set out
supplemental water "pumpkins" (portable water tanks) in order to
respond to wildfires. On the morning of June 29th, park resource staff
received reports of California condors utilizing these pumpkins as
dipping ponds. Unfortunately, they preferred the pumpkin located near
the North Rim helibase. Upon arrival, park staff found 14 condors at
the pumpkins - some perched precariously on the edges, some completely
submerging themselves, others simply there for the social gathering.
Fire crews immediately responded by covering all pumpkins in the park
in order to prevent attractants to park wildlife. [Elaine Leslie,
Wildlife Biologist, GRCA]
OPERATIONAL NOTES
Updated Depositing Procedures - During a 1997 management review, the
NPS blueprinted an electronic financial banking system to provide
accountability for non-appropriated funds. Intermountain Region was
designated as the region that would lead this management improvement.
Through cooperative efforts with the Department of the Treasury, the
NPS now has the federal government's first electronic banking website.
This site has been used successfully to deposit non-appropriated
funds, and Treasury has now certified that the NPS regional banking
system (RBS) is operating successfully and that it meets Treasury
manual requirements. The interagency agreement with Treasury has been
written so that the rest of the NPS can also use the RBS. Terry
Penttila, NPS banking officer under the interagency agreement, may be
contacted by other NPS regions that would like to use this system for
efficient and accountable oversight of the collection, deposit and use
of non-appropriated funds. The RBS eliminates the need to make entries
in FFS, as they are automatically uploaded on the day after deposit by
the Department's FFS "platform" in Denver, which receives the FFS
upload file directly from the Treasury-designated depository (key
bank). The NPS banking website enables program managers to have
read-only view of deposited funds so they can make daily management
decisions based on solid information about the fund "stream." Terry
Penttila may be contacted by e-mail or by phoning 303-969-2662 to
arrange for presentations and for scheduling additional regions/parks.
Frank Seng, NPS management officer, is also available in WASO to
discuss the system. [Terry Penttila, IMRO]
FILM AT 11...
"Secrets of the Dead," a PBS-produced series, will premiere "Death at
Jamestown" on Tuesday, July 10th. Billed as "part detective story,
part true-life drama," the hour-long episode explores the high
mortality rates suffered in the early years at Jamestown, the first
permanent English settlement in the America. Portions of the episode
were filmed on location at the Jamestown unit of Colonial National
Historical Park in March, 2000. Check local listings for broadcast
times. [Mike Litterst, PAO, COLO]
UPCOMING IN CONGRESS
The following activities will be taking place in Congress during
coming weeks on matters pertaining to the National Park Service or
kindred agencies.
For inquiries regarding legislation pertaining to the NPS, please
contact the Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs at
202-208-5883/5656 and ask to be forwarded to the appropriate
legislative specialist. For additional information on specific bills
(full text, status, etc.), please check Congress's web site at
http://thomas.loc.gov/.
HEARINGS/MARK-UPS
No hearings scheduled.
LEGISLATION INTRODUCED
The following bills either directly or indirectly pertaining to the
NPS have been introduced since the last Morning Report listing of new
legislation (June 26th):
o S. 1097 (Thompson, TN), a bill to authorize the Secretary of
the Interior to issue right-of-way permits for natural gas
pipelines within the boundary of the Great Smoky Mountains
National Park.
o S. 1105 (Thomas, WY), a bill to provide for the expeditious
completion of the acquisition of State of Wyoming lands within
the boundaries of Grand Teton National Park, and for other
purposes.
o S. 1108 (Snow, ME), a bill to authorize the transfer and
conveyance of real property at the Naval Security Group
Activity, Winter Harbor, Maine, and for other purposes.
o H.R. 2386 (Hansen, UT), a bill to establish terms and
conditions for use of certain Federal lands by outfitters and
to facilitate public opportunities for the recreational use
and enjoyment of such lands.
o H.R. 2388 (Hefley, CO), a bill to establish the criteria and
mechanism for the designation and support of national heritage
areas.
o H.R. 2420 (Souder, IN), a bill to require the Secretary of the
Interior to conduct a theme study on the peopling of America,
and for other purposes.
o S. 1136 (Sarbanes, MD), a bill to provide for mass
transportation in certain Federally owned or managed areas
that are open to the general public.
NEW LAWS
The following bills have passed Congress and been signed into law by
the President:
No new laws.
* * * * *
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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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