NPS Morning Report - Friday, September 14, 2001



                        NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Friday, September 14, 2001 - Morning Edition

                            *** NOTICE ***

President Bush has declared today a National Day of Prayer and 
Remembrance for the victims of Tuesday's terrorist attacks. The text 
of his proclamation follows:

"On Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001, terrorists attacked America 
in a series of despicable acts of war. They hijacked four passenger 
jets, crashed two of them into the World Trade Center's twin towers 
and a third into the Headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense at 
the Pentagon, causing great loss of life and tremendous damage. The 
fourth plane crashed in the Pennsylvania countryside, killing all on 
board but falling well short of its intended target apparently because 
of the heroic efforts of passengers on board. This carnage, which 
caused the collapse of both Trade Center towers and the destruction of 
part of the Pentagon, killed more than 250 airplane passengers and 
thousands more on the ground.             

"Civilized people around the world denounce the evildoers who devised 
and executed these terrible attacks. Justice demands that those who 
helped or harbored the terrorists be punished - and punished severely. 
The enormity of their evil demands it. We will use all the resources 
of the United States and our cooperating friends and allies to pursue 
those responsible for this evil, until justice is done.                
                      
"We mourn with those who have suffered great and disastrous loss. All 
our hearts have been seared by the sudden and senseless taking of 
innocent lives. We pray for healing and for the strength to serve and 
encourage one another in hope and faith.                               
                 
"Scripture says: 'Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be 
comforted.' I call on every American family and the family of America 
to observe a National Day of Prayer and Remembrance, honoring the 
memory of the thousands of victims of these brutal attacks and 
comforting those who lost loved ones. We will persevere through this 
national tragedy and personal loss. In time, we will find healing and 
recovery; and, in the face of all this evil, we remain strong and 
united, 'one Nation under God.' 

"Now, therefore, I, George W. Bush, President of the United States of 
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution 
and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Friday, September 
14, 2001, as a National Day of Prayer and Remembrance for the Victims 
of the Terrorist Attacks on September 11, 2001. I ask that the people 
of the United States and places of worship mark this National Day of 
Prayer and Remembrance with noontime memorial services, the ringing of 
bells at that hour, and evening candlelight remembrance vigils. I 
encourage employers to permit their workers time off during the lunch 
hour to attend the noontime services to pray for our land. I invite 
the people of the world who share our grief to join us in these solemn 
observances."

INCIDENTS

01-509 - Servicewide - Follow-up: Terrorist Attacks

Director Mainella yesterday signed a delegation of authority for 
continuity of NPS operations to the Service's national Type 1 all-risk 
management team (Skip Brooks, IC). The director also designated past 
Type 1 team IC Rick Gale as her representative throughout this 
incident. Director Mainella has given the team nine "specific 
management considerations for this incident":

o       Protect human life and operate safely as the first priority.

o       Notify agency managers and supervisors of the potential need 
        to provide alternative work locations or other reasonable 
        accommodations during the involved period.

o       During the continuation of agency operations, analyze 
        information regarding the overall situation and determine the 
        best course of action that maintains basic, essential agency 
        operations while providing for the safety of our employees.  
        When the analysis is not clear, err on the side of employee 
        safety.  

o       Coordinate the development of information regarding operations 
        for National Park Service Washington Office employees.  
        Provide analysis and alternative solution.

o       Coordinate activities with the Department as needed.

o       Ensure that members of the National Leadership Council are 
        notified of significant events that occur during the period.

o       Gather information from regions about parks as requested by 
        myself, the deputy director, anyone acting as the director, or 
        Rick Gale.

o       Keep costs to a level commensurate with the needs of the 
        incident, but not to exceed $100,000 without further approval 
        from the director.

o       Meet daily with my representative and my associate directors 
        to coordinate incident activities with normal WASO functions.

Incident objectives and strategies have also been worked out and will 
appear in the afternoon edition, along with a full report on the 
status of parks and operations. Also see "Operational Notes" below. 
[Editor]

01-510 - Florida Parks - Hurricane Gabrielle

The hurricane, which formed over the past day or so in the Gulf of 
Mexico, is expected to make landfall early this afternoon near DeSoto 
NM on Florida's west coast. Winds of about 70 mph are anticipated. The 
hurricane will likely drop in severity as it crosses over Florida on a 
northeast path. Rainfall of from five to six inches is also expected. 
DeSoto NM is closed today and the area has been secured. [Ken Garvin, 
SERO, 9/13]

                   [Additional incident reports pending....]

FIRE MANAGEMENT

National Fire Situation - Preparedness Level 2

The preparedness level has done down one step. Preparedness Level 3 
drops to Preparedness Level 2 when all large fires are contained. 
Initial attack resources are again available. Geographic area crew 
availability is at or above the 50% level. No red flag conditions are 
forecast for the next 24 hours and large fire areas are expected to 
receive wetting showers with associated higher humidity and lower 
temperatures.

No new large fires were reported nationwide yesterday, and initial 
attack was light everywhere. NICC has not issued any watches or 
warnings for today. Very high to extreme indices were reported in 
Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, 
Utah and Wyoming.

Two Type 1 teams have been committed to support of FEMA operations in 
New York and Washington. Bateman's team has been committed to the New 
York City Support incident, Gage's to the Pentagon Support incident. 
The primary objective for each team is to support rescue operations. 

For the full NICC report, see http://www.nifc.gov/news/sitreprt.pdf.

National Resource Status (Five Day Trend)

                        Mon     Tue     Wed     Thu     Fri
Date                    9/10    9/11    9/12    9/13    9/14
        
Crews                   238     230     253     238     200
Engines                 213     212     237     246     178
Helicopters             86      76      75      66      68
Air Tankers             0       2       1       1       1
Overhead                1,762   1,667   1,670   1,723   1,743

Park Fire Situation

Glacier NP (MT) - Hand line construction in high priority areas 
continues on the Moose fire (67,400 acres, approximately 17,000 within 
the park), still 45% contained. There is no longer an estimated date 
for full containment. Current commitment: Type 2 team w/444 FF/OH 
committed, including eleven crews, a dozen engines, and five 
helicopters. 

Extreme         Hawaii Volcanoes NP
Very High       Mojave NP, Zion NP
High            N/A

[NPS Situation Summary Report, 9/12; NICC Incident Management 
Situation Report, 9/13]

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Receipt of Morning Reports - These were some indications yesterday 
that the Morning Report was not getting out on cc:Mail. Although there 
were evidently delays in transmission, it appears to have made it out 
Servicewide. Those on Lotus Notes, however, need to remember to go to 
the Lotus Notes discussion database or the NPS web page to pick up a 
copy (http://www.nps.gov/morningreport/). This is also a backup source 
for those of you who can't reach cc:Mail for one reason or another. 
[Editor]

Black Bands/Memorial Events - An illustration showing how to wear 
black bands on badges can be found on page 34 in RM-43. For rangers 
attending memorial services, there's also an illustration of how to 
salute on page 33, along with descriptions of indoor and outdoor 
conduct and bearing in public events on adjacent pages. [Ken Mabery]

                            *  *  *  *  *

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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