NPS Morning Report - Monday, September 17, 2001



                        NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Monday, September 17, 2001

                            *** NOTICE ***

Effective today, the Morning Report will return to regular morning 
editions only. Additional updates will be transmitted as warranted by 
circumstances.

INCIDENTS

01-510 - DeSoto NM (FL) - Follow-up: Tropical Storm Gabrielle

In the early morning hours of Friday, September 14th, Tropical Storm 
Gabrielle struck the park with sustained winds of 70 mph, ten inches 
of rain, and a storm surge of from three to four feet, causing 
extensive damage to park resources and facilities. Numerous trees were 
uprooted, severe shoreline erosion took place, roadways and trails 
were impassable, and localized flooding occurred.  Among the 
causalities were several large gumbo limbo trees, including the 
recognized champion of that species (the largest recorded in the 
United States), as well as the third largest in the nation.  Efforts 
are ongoing to save the national champion gumbo limbo.  Power and 
telephone services were interrupted at the park from Friday until 
Sunday.   Damages include the loss of 1,340 cubic yards of beach, with 
over 30 cords of wood and 100 cubic yards of debris removed to date. 
The site has remained closed to visitation while personnel from De 
Soto and Big Cypress NP work to clear the area. The park hopes to 
re-open for visitation by this afternoon.  [Paul Carson, CR, DESO, 
9/16]

01-516 - Klondike Gold Rush NHP (AK) - Search 

Late on the evening of Friday, September 7th, rangers determined that 
Chilkoot Trail hikers B.F., 20, and P.M., 37, had 
been separated from their backpacks for at least two days and nights 
near the historic Canyon City site, nearly eight miles from the 
nearest road, and that they were probably lost and/or injured.  
Weather during this period had been cold, rainy, and windy, adding to 
the urgency of the situation. On the morning of September 8th, park 
staff, working with the Skagway Volunteer Fire Department, began a 
search for the missing hikers under a unified incident command 
operation. Backcountry ranger Seth Plunkett hiked into the search area 
that same night and by first light the next morning had confirmed the 
last-known-point, where their backpacks, personal gear, and supplies 
were found. Rangers and volunteer searchers were flown by contract 
helicopter to a helispot about a half mile away and were preparing to 
begin the planned initial search when the missing hikers walked into 
the Canyon City hiker warming shelter. P.M. and B.F. were 
accompanied by a party of hikers that had found them just an hour 
earlier after hearing their cries for help.  Both hikers were 
suffering from exhaustion, exposure and hunger, but were otherwise 
unharmed. They reported that they had removed their packs in order to 
more easily take a side trail to the Canyon City site before 
continuing on their journey to a backcountry camp where they planned 
to spend Wednesday night. After crossing a cable suspension bridge 
over the Taiya River and hiking another half mile, they became 
disoriented and were unable to relocate the trail, the bridge, and 
their packs. They spent the next two-and-a-half days searching 
unsuccessfully for the trail and weathered the nights huddled together 
for warmth. They had no food, shelter, or heavy clothing. When they 
heard the other hikers' voices, they cried out for help and were 
located and assisted. After being reunited with their packs and gear, 
P.M. and B.F. opted to camp the night before hiking back to the 
trailhead and returning to Skagway. [Reed McCluskey, CR, KLGO, 9/12]

                   [Additional reports pending....]

FIRE MANAGEMENT

National Fire Situation - Preparedness Level 2

Three national Type 1 teams are supporting FEMA operations in 
Washington and New York. Bateman's team is supporting urban rescue 
efforts in New York City and is based at the incident command post at 
the Jacob Javits Convention Center in lower Manhattan; Stutler's team 
is managing mobilization centers in Edison and at McGuire AFB in New 
Jersey; Gage's team is supporting Pentagon rescue operations and is 
based at the Anacostia Naval Station in Arlington, Virginia.

One new large fire was reported on Saturday. Initial attack was 
moderate to heavy in northern California and the Northwest. 

Very high to extreme indices were reported in Arizona, California, 
Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE TRAINING CALENDAR

This calendar appears every other Monday as an addendum to the Morning 
Report. Please note:

o       Entries are listed no sooner than FOUR months before a 
        training course begins, except in cases in which registration 
        dates close much earlier. 

o       Brevity in submissions is required and appreciated.

o       Please send along web sites for additional information where 
        possible.

o       Asterisks (*) indicate new entries. 

**********************************************************************

FY 2002: ADMINISTRATIVE COMPETENCIES FUND, Servicewide. Closes on 
November 15th. This cost-share funding is available to individuals and 
to groups of three or more to provide local training opportunities for 
GS-1 through GS-7 administrative and office management support 
positions and for individuals in positions in other divisions who 
consistently perform at least three administrative functions. Contact: 
 http://www.nps.gov/training or jan_gauthier@nps.gov. (Joyce Howe, 
STMA)

* FY 2002: ESSENTIAL COMPETENCIES IN INTERPRETATION. Closes on April 
30th. Matching funds are being provided to support curriculum-based 
developmental opportunities in support of essential competencies in 
interpretation. Contact http://www.nps.gov/training or 
dave_dahlen@nps.gov. [Joyce Howe, STMA]

October 6 - March 23: SEASONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING, University of 
Massachusetts, Amherst, MA. Tuition: $1,600. For more information, 
call the program coordinator's office at 413-545-2484, or send an 
email to goodchild@admin.umass.edu. [SLETP, UMass)

October 15 - 26: PHYSICAL FITNESS COORDINATOR TRAINING (PFCTP-201), 
FLETC, Glynco, GA. Closes on September 18th. Contact: Regional 
employee development officers or the Learning Place BB for 
applications; FLETC for further information (912-267-2246, WASO 
FLETC-NPS). (Wiley Golden, FLETC)

October 22 - 25: ARCHEOLOGICAL LAW ENFORCEMENT (ARPA) TRAINING, Santa 
Fe, NM. Closes on September 21st. Tuition: $195. This three-day 
archeological law enforcement course will focus on all aspects of the 
investigation and prosecution of archeological crimes. For information 
on the course and/or on applying, contact Martin McAllister 
(406-728-7195 or ari@bigsky.net). [Phil Young, Office of Cultural 
Affairs, NM)

October 23 - November 1: POLICE BICYCLE TRAINING, FLETC, Glynco, GA. 
Closes on September 18th. Contact: Regional employee development 
officers or the Learning Place BB for applications; FLETC for further 
information (912-267-2246, WASO FLETC-NPS). (Wiley Golden, FLETC)

October 25 - 28: NORTHEAST REGION AND NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION 
CURATORS' MEETING/MID-ATLANTIC ASSOCIATION OF MUSEUMS (MAAM) 
CONFERENCE, Wyndham Hotel, Wilmington, DE. Closes on October 10th. The 
Northeast Museum Services Center is sponsoring a curators' meeting and 
conference sessions in conjunction with MAAM. Topics will include the 
Cultural Resources Challenge, natural resource collections, 
interpretive media projects. NPS management policies, archives 
management, and copyright law. Contact: Laurel Racine or Louis 
Hutchins via email or at 617-242-5613. [Laurel Racine, NMSC]

October 28 - November 1: 2001 ASSOCIATION OF NATIONAL PARK RANGERS 
CONCURRENT TRAINING, Jackson Hole, WY. Servicewide training courses 
developed and sponsored by the WASO chief of interpretation and the 
training manager for interpretation at Mather will be included in the 
2001 Ranger Rendezvous. Contact: ANPR (www.anpr.org). [Joyce Howe, 
STMA]

October 26 - 28: FIFTH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL PRESERVATION TRADES 
WORKSHOP, Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn, NY. Sponsored by the 
Preservation Trades Network and Gateway NRA, the theme of the workshop 
is "Partners in Preservation."  Experienced craftspeople and related 
professionals will address the application of preservation technology 
to treatment of historic structures through hands-on demonstrations, 
presentations, and roundtable discussions. Contact: Further 
information is available at http://ptn.org or http://iptw.org, or 
contact the Preservation Trades Network at 806-633-8254. [Lisa Sasser, 
NER/BCB]

October 29 - November 4: HIGH-ANGLE RESCUE TEAM SKILLS RESCUE SEMINAR, 
Arches NP, UT. Closes on October 1st. The tuition is $500. Contact: 
Gary_Haynes@nps.gov, or call him at 435-719-2224. [Randy Coffman, 
RAD/WASO]

October 29 - November 11: DEFENSIVE TACTICS INSTRUCTOR TRAINING 
(DTITP-201), FLETC, Glynco, GA. Closes on September 25th. Defensive 
tactics instructor training. Contact: Regional employee development 
officers or the Learning Place BB for applications; FLETC for further 
information (912-267-2246, WASO FLETC-NPS). (Wiley Golden, FLETC)

October 29 - November 9: PHYSICAL SECURITY TRAINING (PSTP-201), FLETC, 
Glynco, GA. Closes on September 20th. Training in physical security 
systems and procedures. Contact: Regional employee development 
officers or the Learning Place BB for applications; FLETC for further 
information (912-267-2246, WASO FLETC-NPS). (Wiley Golden, FLETC)

October 30 - March 8: BASIC LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR NATIONAL PARK RANGERS 
(NPRI-201), FLETC, Glynco, GA. Closes on September 26th. This 
intensive basic training course has been developed especially for the 
NPS and is specifically designed to meet the basic training required 
of park rangers in order to qualify for a permanent Type I commission. 
Contact: Regional employee development officers or the Learning Place 
BB for applications; FLETC for further information (912-267-2246, WASO 
FLETC-NPS). (Wiley Golden, FLETC)

November 6 - 10: 2001 NATIONAL INTERPRETERS WORKSHOP, Des Moines, IA. 
Early bird registration (reduced rate) by August 26th; regular 
registration (normal rate) by October 7th. This annual workshop offers 
training for NPS interpreters to gain skills for professional growth 
and development. Contact: NAI at www.interpret.com for additional 
information. [Joyce Howe, STMA]

November 6 - 16: NPS CERTIFIED STRUCTURAL FIREFIGHTER TRAINING, 
Canyonlands NP, Moab, UT. Closes on October 5th. This course combines 
the previous NPS Level I and Level II structural fire suppression 
courses. Instruction includes lecture and audio visual aids but 
maintains an emphasis on individual and engine company manipulative 
skills essential for personal safety and effective and safe fire 
ground operations. At the end of the second week, the student will 
have had advanced technical information and hands-on training for 
standardized tactical procedures to confidently act as a member of a 
team and facilitate direct and indirect structural fire control 
operations. Students will participate in live fire and smoke house 
exercises requiring skills that develop their abilities to competently 
assess and safely initiate offensive, defensive, and transitional 
initial attack procedures for ignitable liquid and flammable gas, 
vehicle and interior structure firefighting. Students will also be 
trained on the necessary skills for efficient auto extrication of the 
critically injured. Contact: Michelle Busbee at 435-259-8859 ext 13. 
[Hal Spencer, FMPC]

* November 13 - 16: INSTRUCTOR TECHNIQUES FOR NON-LETHAL TRAINING 
AMMUNITION, FLETC, Glynco, GA. Closes on October 4th. The course is 
for current firearms instructors. Focuses on methodologies, policies, 
procedures, contemporary firearms trends, tactics and techniques. 
Students are required to develop a course of fire, demonstrate 
instructor skills, and evaluate program objectives. Contact: Regional 
employee development officers or the Learning Place BB for 
applications; FLETC for further information (912-267-2246, WASO 
FLETC-NPS). (Wiley Golden, FLETC)

November 26 - 28: "FEDERAL PRESERVATION IN THE 21ST CENTURY: STRIKING 
A BALANCE AND MEETING THE CHALLENGE THROUGH CREATIVE CULTURAL 
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT," ANNUAL MEETING, FEDERAL PRESERVATION FORUM, 
Riverside, CA. The meeting will focus on several topics regarding the 
future of cultural resources preservation in federal agencies. Two 
day-and-a-half long training classes will also be offered on the 29th 
and 30th. The National Preservation Institute will offer Dr. Tom 
King's "CRM: It's History and Ethics," and the University of 
California and Information Systems Management Specialists will offer 
and ESRI-certified ArcView GIS training class tailored to cultural 
resources management. For more information and on-line registration, 
go to www.federalpreservationforum.org or http://www.pe.net/~fpforum. 
Contact: Rolla Queen, 909-697-5386 or Rolla.Queen@blm.gov. [Anne 
Vawser, MWAC]

November 26 - December 7: FIREARMS INSTRUCTOR TRAINING (FITP-202), 
FLETC, Glynco, GA. Closes on October 17th. Firearms instructor 
training. Contact: Regional employee development officers or the 
Learning Place BB for applications; FLETC for further information 
(912-267-2246, WASO FLETC-NPS). (Wiley Golden, FLETC)

November 27 - 30: INTRODUCTION TO AFS 3 INSTRUCTOR WORKSHOP, AOC, 
Herndon, VA. Closes on October 19th. A cadre of instructors will be 
developed in this training session to instruct AFS 3 courses in each 
region. An instructor team consisting of two or three instructors will 
be selected to represent each region. Contact: 
http://www.nps.gov/training or Gina Moriarty at 703-487-9326. [Joyce 
Howe, STMA]

* November 27 - 30: WILDERNESS PLANNING WORKSHOP, Amado, AZ. Closes 
October 1st. The course will provide guidance on developing 
programmatic wilderness management, a framework for developing 
wilderness management direction, and information on other aspects of 
wilderness management. Contact: Rick Potts, 406-243-4612, or 
http://www.nps.gov/training. [Joyce Howe, STMA]

December 3 - 13: DRIVER INSTRUCTOR TRAINING (DITP-201), FLETC, Glynco, 
GA. Closes on October 24th. Driver instructor training. Contact: 
Regional employee development officers or the Learning Place BB for 
applications; FLETC for further information (912-267-2246, WASO 
FLETC-NPS). (Wiley Golden, FLETC)

December 4 - 7: INTRODUCTION TO AFS 3 INSTRUCTOR WORKSHOP, AOC, 
Herndon, VA. Closes on October 19th. A cadre of instructors will be 
developed in this training session to instruct AFS 3 courses in each 
region. An instructor team consisting of two or three instructors will 
be selected to represent each region. Contact: 
http://www.nps.gov/training or Gina Moriarty at 703-487-9326. [Joyce 
Howe, STMA]

December 10 - 14: INLAND SAR COORDINATION, Juneau, AK. Closes on 
September 24th. Comprehensive, graduate-level look at inland SAR 
theory and its application to planning land and air searches for 
missing persons and aircraft. Taught by USAF National SAR School. 
Contact: www.nps.gov/training or Peggy_Sandretzky@nps.gov. [Joyce 
Howe, STMA]

* December 10 - 14: MANAGING VISITOR USE IN WILDERNESS, Sturbridge, 
MA. Closes on October 19th. Training on indicators and monitoring 
techniques for determining physical and social carrying capacities and 
techniques for managing visitor use, including travel management, 
education, creation of camping areas, setting limits, and designing 
and implementing permit systems. Contact: Sue Matthews, 406-243-4627, 
or http://www.nps.gov/training. [Joyce Howe, STMA]

                            *  *  *  *  *

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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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