NPS Morning Report - Thursday, October 25, 2001



                        NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Thursday, October 25, 2001

INCIDENTS

01-509 - Blue Ridge Parkway (NC/VA) - Follow-up: Terrorism Alerts and 
         Threats

On Sunday, October 21st, a citizen called the park's emergency number 
and reported that a small plastic bag containing white powder had 
broken open in the grassy area between Pine Tree overlook and the 
parkway. Rangers confirmed the report. A section of the parkway was 
closed to facilitate containment of the area, minimize exposure to and 
distribution of the substance, and make it possible for rangers to 
contact visitors within the area. The emergency coordinator and an 
investigator from Bedford County joined the team at the scene. 
Evidence was collected and decontamination procedures were undertaken. 
The initial results from the state lab in Richmond revealed that there 
were no anthrax spores.  Approximately 200 visitors are being 
contacted and advised of the results of the testing.  The incident 
occurred on one of the heaviest visitation days of the year.  
Supervisory ranger Gene Parker was IC.  [John Garrison, Protection 
Specialist, BLRI, 10/24]

01-576 - Virgin Islands NP (VI) - Illegal Immigrants

On the morning of October 22nd, 48 illegal Chinese immigrants were 
arrested by rangers and Virgin Islands police. The immigrants were 
picked up from a rocky shoreline east of Brown Bay on St John. The 35 
men and 13 women were stranded in the remote area without food for 
several days. Some had puncture wounds on the soles of their feet 
which were caused by an abundance of sea urchins . Rangers and 
maintenance employees used a small life raft to ferry the group from 
the shoreline to the park patrol boats. They were then transported by 
four NPS boats to St Thomas and turned over to INS for processing. 
[Schuler Brown, CR, VIIS, 10/23]  

FIRE MANAGEMENT

National Fire Situation - Preparedness Level 1

The preparedness level has done down one step. Preparedness Level 2 
drops to Preparedness Level 1 when there are no large fire activity 
nationally, most geographic areas have low to moderate fire danger, 
and there is little or no commitment of national resources.

Stam's Type 1 team is assigned to FEMA to support operations in New 
York City. The team will continue to provide planning support at the 
Duane Street Fire Station and logistics support to manage warehouse 
operations at Pier 36.

Initial attack was light nationwide on Monday. Very high to extreme 
fire indices were reported in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Texas 
and Utah.

Park Fire Situation

No new reports.

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 10/24]

MEMORANDA

"Age Restrictions on the Performance of Law Enforcement Duties by 
Employees not 'Covered' by Enhanced (6c) Annuity Benefits Retirement," 
signed on October 23rd by Lynn Smith, acting associate director, 
administration, and Dick Ring, associate director, park operations and 
education, and sent to the directorate and all regional directors. An 
informational copy follows:

"In October of 2000, the National Park Service (NPS) agreed in a 
Stipulation of Settlement and Order of Dismissal filed in United 
States District Court for the District of Columbia 'that it will not 
implement that portion of...(D.O.) #57 prohibiting certain collateral 
duty firefighters, age 55 or older, from participating in arduous duty 
wildland fire suppressions...'  This settlement concerned collateral 
duty firefighters working beyond the age of 55 (now 57).  The case 
involved three NPS collateral duty firefighters who were denied 
firefighter responsibilities because they were over the age of 55, 
even though they were not in 6c-covered positions.  The Justice 
Department's position was that because of the Age Discrimination in 
Employment Act, 29 U.S.C. 621, et seq., these firefighters could not 
be removed from firefighter responsibilities based solely upon age if 
they were not in 6c-covered positions (assuming they can meet medical 
standards).  In other words, the mandatory separation at age 57 only 
applies to those employees with enhanced 6c retirement benefits.

"Based on this settlement, the NPS asked the Solicitor's Office for an 
opinion concerning mandatory separation at age 57 for law enforcement 
rangers who are not in 6c-covered positions.  The recommendation of 
the Solicitor's Office is that the NPS should modify its policy so 
that employees with law enforcement responsibilities, that are not in 
6c-covered positions, are not bound by an age restriction.

"Effective immediately, age restrictions as found in D.O. #57 on the 
performance of law enforcement duties by employees who are not 
'covered' by enhanced 6c annuity benefits retirement, will not be 
applied.  These employees may continue to work past the age of 57.  
Such employees, however, must continue to meet all other requirements 
of the D.O. (e.g. medical qualifications).

"This memorandum in no way affects the mandatory separation 
requirement for employees 'covered' by enhanced 6c annuity benefits as 
found at 5 U.S.C. 8335 and 8425.

"D.O. #57 will be amended to reflect this change through the normal 
process."

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Washington Office (DC) - The communications office is recruiting for a 
permanent public inquiries clerk, GS-303-4/5.  The vacancy 
announcement can be found on USAJobs for all sources. The announcement 
closes Friday, October 26th.  For more information, contact David 
Barna, chief, or Elaine Sevy, deputy chief, communications office, 
202-208-6843 [Elaine Sevy, WASO]

                            *  *  *  *  *

Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the 
cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.

                             --- ### ---