NPS Afternoon Report - Saturday, September 15, 2001



                        NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           AFTERNOON REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Saturday, September 15, 2001 - Afternoon Edition

INCIDENTS

01-509 - Northeast Region - Follow-up: Terrorist Attacks

The National Park Service response to last Tuesday's terrorist attacks 
continues. The following summarizes new developments within Northeast 
Region; the status of other NER sites listed in yesterday afternoon's 
report remains unchanged. Two digital photos are attached to give 
readers a feel for the NPS response; more will appear in the future. 
One is of a responding Fire Island NS patrol boat, the other is a view 
of smoke rising from the World Trade Center as seen from the patrol 
boat in the harbor.

o       Federal Hall NM (NY) - Federal Hall remains closed; work 
        continues in the Wall Street/World Trade Center area. 
        Structural engineers have examined all floors and the roof of 
        Federal Hall and have made a list of structural concerns. A 
        report and estimate for the cost of rehabilitation of the 
        facility will be submitted on Monday. A request has been made 
        to hire a contractor to clean up the building's exterior. The 
        Type 2 team in NERO will be working to facilitate this 
        request.

o       Statue of Liberty NM/Ellis Island NM (NY) - A four-person CISD 
        team headed by Pat Buccello is at the statue. Another five 
        team members will arrive on Monday. The team will serve 
        employees throughout the New York harbor area.

o       Gateway NRA (NY/NJ) - Another four rangers have been brought 
        in to assist with security at Sandy Hook, which is open to the 
        public. Several rangers who are reservists have been placed on 
        standby for call-up.

o       Boston NHP (MA) - A total of seven rangers have been called in 
        from other parks to provide additional security for the park. 
        The Boston Navy Yard remains closed at the Navy's request.

o       Minuteman NHP (MA) - The park is assisting with security along 
        its common boundary with Hanscom AFB.

New York and Boston area parks have received assistance from rangers 
who responded from Assateague NS, Cape Cod NS, Colonial NHP, Fire 
Island NS, Richmond NB, Petersburg NB, Upper Delaware NS&RR, Delaware 
Water Gap NRA, Gettysburg NB, Shenandoah NP, and Blue Ridge Parkway. 

The Park Police have also provided additional details on their 
response over the first 48 hours after the attacks, which amplify 
prior reports:

o       Statue of Liberty NM/Ellis Island NM - All employees and       
        residents were evacuated from Liberty Island when the second 
        plane hit the tower. A CP was established at Ellis Island to 
        protect the site and to prepare to receive evacuees from lower 
        Manhattan. Park Police boats from the Statue of Liberty and 
        Gateway established a zone around Ellis and Liberty Island and 
        assisted with evacuations. About 275 evacuees from Manhattan 
        were taken in, including civilians and injured rescue workers. 
        More than 60 of them were subsequently transported to  
        hospitals in New Jersey. A list of all their names was put 
        together, and efforts were made to notify their families. A 
        SWAT team was deployed on the USPP boats to provide security 
        for the islands.

o       Gateway NRA - Fort Wadsworth was locked down at the request of 
        the Coast Guard. The back gate was closed, a vehicular 
        barricade was established at the front gate, and a 100% ID 
        check was instituted at the entrance. Miller Field was closed 
        and a secondary morgue was established in the hanger area. 
        This was disbanded on Wednesday morning and moved to Staten 
        Island University Hospital. All NPS/USPP phone service was 
        lost due to the collapse of the WTC buildings; one temporary 
        line was in service by Wednesday afternoon. A security check 
        point was established at the entrance to Floyd Bennett Field 
        at the request of NYPD due to the presence of NYPD's Special 
        Operations Division on-site. A marshalling point was 
        established on the field for heavy equipment and supplies, and 
        medevac helicopters were positioned there. 

o       Manhattan Sites - Park Police officers are providing 
        round-the-clock coverage of all sites. 

The Park Police committed five patrol boats to marine operations, 
ranging in size from 25 to 41 feet. Fire Island augmented the force 
with two boats and LE rangers. [Karl Merchant/Paul Pfeninger, Type 2 
IMT, NERO, 9/15]

01-511 - Gateway NRA (NY/NJ) - Rescue

While engaged in post-attack operations, sergeant John Guarino and 
officers Dave Moen and Dean Mohammed were aboard USPP vessel "Marine 
5" near North Cove Marina. They saw numerous rescue workers in full 
flight from an impending building collapse near the marina and entered 
the dock to help rescue them. They picked up seven US Marshals and two 
construction workers and moved them out of the danger zone. Another US 
Marshal was rescued from the water. All were taken to Ellis Island for 
treatment of minor injuries, then returned to Manhattan to resume 
rescue efforts. [Lt. John Marigliano, USPP, GATE, 9/13]

                   [Additional reports pending....]

                            *  *  *  *  *

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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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