NPS Morning Report - Thursday, July 12, 2001
- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Thursday, July 12, 2001
- Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2001 10:38:19 -0400
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
To: All National Park Service Areas and Offices
From: Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office
Day/Date: Thursday, July 12, 2001
INCIDENTS
00-716 - Manassas NB (VA) - Follow-up: Car Clout Arrests
On June 25th, J.E.P., 31, of Linden, Virginia, pled
guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit 35 car clouts, four
residential burglaries, numerous thefts and instances of fraud from
hotels and businesses, possession of stolen property, theft of
government property, and assault on a ranger. His girlfriend, Nicole
Arnoto, 26, of Centreville, Virginia, pled guilty to conspiracy to
commit fraud and theft and has entered a plea agreement. J.E.P. was
arrested on November 17, 2000, when ranger Joe O'Haver witnessed him
break into a van at the Stone Bridge parking lot. J.E.P. refused to
comply when he was ordered out of his car at gunpoint and took off,
leading to a high speed chase that terminated on Interstate 66 in rush
hour traffic. O'Haver and FBI special agent Ron McCall began a
six-month investigation into J.E.P.'s activities which eventually
uncovered a rash of car clouts that occurred at Manassas Battlefield
and at day care centers and libraries in Prince William and Fairfax
counties, residential burglaries in Warren county, thefts from local
businesses, and the theft of a US Department of Energy laptop
computer. This conviction was made possible through the exceptional
cooperation of several state and local police departments, AUSA Dennis
Kennedy, the FBI, and rangers from Manassas and Shenandoah. J.E.P. is
currently serving a three-month sentence on state charges stemming
from the November 17th incident and will be held without bond until
sentencing in federal court in September. J.E.P. and Arnoto will be
ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $38,500 to the victims.
O'Haver was the lead investigator. [Kim Coast, CR, MANA, 6/28]
01-349 - Servicewide - Fourth of July Roundup
Several parks have sent along reports of holiday and holiday-related
special events and activities:
o Guilford Courthouse NMP (NC) - Visitation and media attention
increased significantly due to the events leading up to and
associated with the 225th anniversary of the signing of the
Declaration of Independence. The park hosted numerous
activities prior to the Fourth, including a concert of
military music by the 440th Concert Band and the Greensboro
Concert Band on July 1st. On Monday, July 2nd, the park hosted
a ceremony that designated the park and surrounding lands as a
national historic landmark. The celebration continued on July
3rd with the rededication of the recently refurbished Joseph
Winston Monument and a concert of colonial music. The event
culminated on Independence Day with continued interpretive
activities and a declaration ceremony honoring the three
signers of the Declaration of Independence from North
Carolina, two of whom are buried in the park. During this
time, the park premiered a new visitor center orientation
film, an animated tactical battle map program, new wayside
exhibits, and new visitor center exhibits. Visitation during
the celebration was in excess of 11,000. Assistance was
provided by staff from Kings Mountain NMP and Moore's Creek NB
during the event. There were few problems and no significant
incidents.
o Jefferson National Expansion Memorial (MO) - The 21st annual
Fair Saint Louis (formerly known as the Veiled Prophet Fair)
was held on park grounds on June 30th and 31st and July 4th.
Special events teams from Midwest Region and Northeast Region
supplemented park staff for the event. City police and
commuter rail managers estimated that 1.2 million people
attended the three-day event. The fair was highlighted by
performances by the Beach Boys, Lee Ann Womack, Diamond Rio,
Patti LaBelle, Cheap Trick and the Commodores. Each evening's
celebration culminated with an elaborate fireworks display.
Rangers made 15 arrests and city officers made many more. The
most common charges were public drunkenness, disorderly
conduct, and DUI. There were no serious injuries.
o National Mall (DC) - The Independence Day celebration on the
mall included a spectacular fireworks display and parade.
Eleven rangers and 88 VIPs were assigned to provide emergency
services throughout the day and evening. Thirty-five EMS
incidents occurred, seven of them requiring ambulance
transport. The number of incidents was considerably lower than
in past years due to cloud cover and rain in the late
afternoon and early evening hours. Four AED-equipped bike
teams and ten ambulances were assigned to the incident.
o Antietam NB (MD) - On July 7th, the park hosted its 16th
annual "Salute To Independence" with a concert by the Maryland
Symphony Orchestra, accompanied by National Guard artillery
for Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture" and a fireworks display. An
estimated 30,000 people attended the event, which is managed
under ICS. About 100 employees and volunteers from Antietam
and four other parks, the Park Police and state and local law
enforcement agencies assisted with parking, traffic,
logistics, minor incidents and visitor services. The incidents
included a disorderly, several lost persons, and parking
violations. There were also a few minor injuries requiring
first-aid. Local fire and EMS personnel and physicians were on
hand to deal with all medical incidents. The orchestra
coordinates all musicians, sound, fireworks and stage
operations; the NPS coordinates logistics and operations.
[Steve Ware, CVS, GUCO, 7/9; Rod Danner, CR, JEFF, 7/9; Randy Coffman,
RAD/WASO, 7/10; Ed Wenschhof, ANTI, 7/10]
[Additional reports pending....]
FIRE MANAGEMENT
National Fire Situation - Preparedness Level II
Four new large fires were reported, one each in the Northwest and
eastern Great Basin and two in the Rockies. Heavy initial attack was
reported in the Northwest and northern California Areas; light to
moderate activity was reported elsewhere. Very high to extreme fire
indices was reported in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho,
Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
On July 10th, firefighters from a USFS crew working the Thirty Mile
#103 fire on the Okanogan National Forest deployed fire shelters when
entrapped in a narrow canyon of the Chewuch River Valley. Four
firefighters were fatally injured. According to today's Seattle Times,
the Forest Service identified the dead yesterday as Tom Craven, 30, of
Ellensburg; Karen FitzPatrick, 18, of Yakima; Devin Weaver, 21, of
Yakima; and Jessica Johnson, 19, of Yakima. Injured firefighters were
Jason Emhoff, 21, of Yakima, who was listed in serious condition after
being airlifted to Seattle's Harborview Medical Center with burns over
30 percent of his body; Thomas Taylor, 31, of Lake Wenatchee; Scott
Sherzinger, 24, of Selah; and Rebecca Welch, 22, of Naches. Bruce
Hagemeyer, of Thorp, confirmed that he and his wife, Pauline, were the
injured hikers.
The paper also notes that Welch was instrumental in saving the lives
of the Hagemeyers. She wrapped both of them with her inside her
shelter, which, the paper notes, is "a space designed for one, big
enough for two, but a stretch for three." According to Bruce
Hagemeyer: "There's no question that she saved us. No doubt about it
at all. We would have died."
Please see the newspaper's web site for extensive coverage of the
incident: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/home/.
Several calls and messages have been received asking if flags will be
lowered to half staff in memory of the four firefighters. No word has
yet been received from the Department of Interior, but any such
notification will be relayed immediately to the field.
The full NICC situation report can be found at
http://www.nifc.gov/news/sitreprt.pdf.
National Resource Status (Five Day Trend)
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu
Date 7/8 7/9 7/10 7/11 7/12
Crews 130 99 80 111 174
Engines 256 178 142 302 439
Helicopters 54 50 34 48 78
Air Tankers 4 1 2 4 3
Overhead 549 452 306 351 882
Park Fire Situation
Zion NP (UT) - There's no new information on the Supernatural Complex
fires. As of Tuesday, the Gander Fire was burning in the bottom of
Goose Creek, a deep slot canyon with 700-foot walls and no firefighter
access. A Type I helicopter mad a number of bucket drops, after which
no smoke was showing.
Dinosaur NM (CO/UT) - The Moonshine Fire was contained at 62 acres on
Tuesday evening.
Park Fire Danger
Extreme Hawaii Volcanoes NP
Very High Crater Lake NP
High Joshua Tree NP, Lava Beds NM, Sequoia and Kings Canyon
NPs, Grand Canyon NP, Big Bend NP, Dinosaur NM,
Carlsbad Caverns NP, Guadalupe Mountains NP
[NPS Situation Summary Report, 7/11; NPS Alaska Wildland Fire
Situation Update, 7/11; NICC Incident Management Situation Report,
7/12]
PARKS AND PEOPLE
Department of Interior (DC) - Additional information has been received
regarding the memorial service for DOI law enforcement program manager
Irv Tubbs, who died on Sunday afternoon at his home in McLean,
Virginia. The service will be held at 9 a.m. on July 18th at the
Columbia Baptist Church, 103 West Colombia Street, Falls Church,
Virginia. This will be a one-hour service with an opportunity for a
few of Irv's friends to share memories. Since time is limited, those
wishing to say a few words should contact Dick Powell in WASO (via
email or at 202-208-6350) by July 16th. Following the memorial
service, a procession will escort his ashes to Arlington National
Cemetery for internment at the Columbariun with full military honors
at 11a.m. Those who will join the family at Arlington should meet the
procession at Memorial Gate just prior to 10:30 a.m. The family asks
that donations be made in Irv's name (in lieu of flowers) to the
American Heart Association Mid-Atlantic Affiliate, Memorial and
Tributes Processing Center, P.O. Box 5216, Glen Allen, Virginia
23058-5216. If you would like to make a special donation, please
contact Pam Rivera or Gary Allen at 202-208-4108. The Tubbs family
will hold a reception at their McLean home following the Arlington
ceremony. An album of letters, notes and cards remembering Irv is
being assembled for Barbara. If you wish to contribute, please send
your submission to Dick Powell, 1849 C Street, NW, Room 7422,
Washington, DC 20240. During this very difficult time, please direct
your calls to Dick Powell or Gary Allen rather than to the family.
[Dick Powell, WASO]
FILM AT 11...
The summer issue of American Archaeology, published by the
Archaeological Conservancy, has a feature article entitled
"Archaeology Goes to War" by Anita Stratos which is on battlefield
archaeology and the role the work plays in helping to discover new
information for specific battlefield interpretation as well as larger
issues of the anthropology of war. Two National Park Service
archeologists - Douglas Scott from the Midwest Archeological Center
and Charles Haecker of the Intermountain Support Office in Santa Fe -
are featured in the article for their work at Little Bighorn, Washita,
Palo Alto, Apache Pass at Fort Bowie, Sand Creek, and other non-NPS
areas. [Douglas Scott, MWAC]
* * * * *
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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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