NPS Morning Report - Monday, October 29, 2001



                        NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Monday, October 29, 2001

INCIDENTS

No incident reports received.

FIRE MANAGEMENT

National Fire Situation - Preparedness Level 2

The preparedness level has gone back up one step. Preparedness Level 2 
goes into effect when the following conditions are met: One geographic 
area experiencing high fire danger. Wildland fire activity is 
occurring and a potential exists for escapes to larger (project) 
fires.  Minimal mobilization of resources from other geographic areas 
is occurring.  The potential exists for mobilizing additional 
resources from other geographic areas.

Stam's Type 1 team is assigned to FEMA to support operations in New 
York City. 

Initial attack was moderate over the weekend in the South and East and 
light elsewhere.  Three new large fires were reported in the South on 
Saturday. Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in 
California and Virginia.

Park Fire Situation

No new reports.

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 10/29]

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Veterans Day Fee Waiver - Director Mainella and Secretary Norton have 
announced that fees will be waived to all national parks over the 
Veterans Day weekend (November 10 - 12). Director Mainella's message 
to the public on this special "Veterans Day Weekend for Unity, Hope 
and Healing" appears on a new NPS web site (www.nps.gov/unity/):

"For this special Veterans Day weekend, Interior Secretary Gale Norton 
and I want to invite you to the National Parks. As part of our 
welcome, we have waived entrance fees to all National Parks that 
charge them. We hope you enjoy and find inspiration in these uniquely 
American places. While Veterans Day is a special weekend, the National 
Parks are available for you 365 days a year. From Maine to Hawaii, 
Alaska to the Virgin Islands, America's National Parks tell our 
nation's stories, from which we can all draw lessons of unity, hope, 
and healing. I hope you have a chance to experience all the National 
Parks. To learn more about them, please visit your parks. See you in 
the Parks!"

Additional information and materials for park staffs appear on the NPS 
intranet site, which contains templates for press releases, 
professionally designed posters, and a rack card that is to be passed 
out to all visitors over the course of the weekend. All are in PDF 
files. You will find everything you need at www.nps.gov/unityweekend/. 
[Public Affairs, WASO]
 
PARKS AND PEOPLE

Shenandoah NP (VA) - The park is presently advertising for several 
positions in its Ranger Activities Division:

o       GS-11 supervisory park ranger (two positions) - The park is 
        looking for rangers with strong field skills who are seeking a 
        more active role in providing leadership and oversight in the 
        field. Skills in managing fire, SAR and EMS operations and 
        resource and visitor protection and investigative efforts are
        desirable. Those hired will work together with existing staff  
        to provide oversight, guidance and supervision on a parkwide 
        basis, with a focus on identified, prioritized, 
        resources/visitors at risk. Each supervisor will directly 
        supervise five or six permanent employees, and may at times 
        oversee all field protection staff parkwide. They will be part 
        of the division management team. The announcement number is 
        2001-25; it closes on November 1st.

o       GS-7/9 protection rangers - The park will be hiring a number 
        of rangers under this register. These rangers will be involved 
        in both front and backcountry work in resource and visitor 
        protection areas, as well as SAR, EMS and wildland fire 
        response. Park housing may be available. Work schedules will 
        include weekend and shift assignments. Work is focused on a 
        response to identified resource/visitor at risk concerns and 
        may involve targeted patrols, investigations and/or special 
        details.  The announcement number is 2001-26; it closes on 
        November 2nd. 

o       GS-401-11 fire management officer - The person hired will 
        direct a fire and aviation management program that is in the 
        process of moving from a suppression-oriented focus towards a 
        proactive multi-dimensional focus that will utilize 
        significant prescribed and wildland fire use components.  The 
        person in this position also serves as the area FMO for 12 NPS 
        areas in Virginia and Maryland. Opportunities abound for 
        working with state, federal and local agencies. The 
        announcement number is 2001-24; it closes on November 2nd.

These vacancies can be obtained at USA Jobs or by calling Debbie Truax 
at 540-999-3479. [Ginny Rousseau, SHEN]

                            *  *  *  *  *

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

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