NPS Morning Report - Thursday, November 1, 2001



                        NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Thursday, November 1, 2001

INCIDENTS

01-509 - Servicewide - Follow-up: Terrorism Alerts and Threats

Follow-ups on the September 11th attacks and reports on any subsequent 
incidents that stem from the heightened state of alert in parks 
Servicewide will continue to appear under this heading. Two reports 
today:

o       Yosemite NP (CA) - The Yosemite Valley post office was closed 
        for several hours on Monday, October 29th, due to the 
        discovery of a letter that fit the U.S. Postal Service's 
        profile for suspicious packages. Rangers and fire personnel 
        secured the post office, coordinated the collection of the 
        letter with Mariposa County Public Health and the state's 
        Office of Emergency Services, and transported it to a lab in 
        Stockton, where it was inspected and determined to be benign. 

o       Biscayne NP (FL) - Last weekend, six men were detained in the 
        Midwest who had photos and descriptions of nuclear power 
        plants in Florida in their possession. Although the men were 
        later released, this led to a state of heightened awareness 
        throughout the Turkey Point nuclear power plant security zone. 
        The plant is located just a mile and a half from park 
        headquarters, and the security zone is almost exclusively on 
        park waters. Several agencies working cooperatively to patrol 
        the zone, including the park, the Coast Guard, Miami-Dade 
        police department, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife 
        Conservation Commission. Airspace is restricted around the 
        power plant to a height of 18,000 feet and for a distance of 
        ten miles. At the highest level of enforcement, penalties 
        include felony arrests and forfeiture of vessels.  Biscayne is 
        taking the lead on arranging a meeting of involved parties to 
        define each agency's role in the event of active enforcement 
        of the zone. 

[Jim Tucker, DR, YOSE, 10/31; Holly Rife, CR, BISC, 10/31]

FIRE MANAGEMENT

National Fire Situation - Preparedness Level 2

Initial attack activity was heavy in the South on Tuesday and light 
elsewhere. One new large fire was reported in the East; two large 
fires were contained in the East and one large fire was contained in 
southern California. Very high to extreme fire indices were reported 
in North Carolina, Utah and Virginia.

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

Park Fire Situation

No new fires reported.

Fire Program Management Notes

The October 24th broadcast of the television show "West Wing" 
contained a message about wildland fire. The show contained a story 
line about a wildland fire which was ignited by lightning in 
Yellowstone National Park. Debate between the characters ensued, but 
the overall message was that fire is good for the environment. At one 
point, the fictional president stated "Fire is good for the 
environment. You know how I know? Because smart people told me." The 
writers of this fictional show contacted the NPS Fire Management 
Program Center in late July to consult about the National Fire Plan, 
wildland fire policy and procedures, fire history and the beneficial 
aspects of fire to the resource. 

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 10/31; Roberta D'Amico, 
FMPC]

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Hawaii Volcanoes NP (HI) - The park has an opening for a GS-1010-9 
exhibit specialist. The announcement is open until November 2nd. It's 
posted on USA Jobs as HAVO-DEU-2001-04. For further information, 
contact Melissa Heiser at 206-220-4067. [Jim Gale, HAVO]

Cape Cod NS (MA) - The park is currently recruiting for a GS-11 
supervisory park ranger (resource and visitor protection) for its 
North District. The vacancy announcement can be found in USA Jobs and 
closes on November 14th. This is a required occupant position. 
Questions should be directed to North District DR Andy Fisher at 
508-487-2100. [Kevin FitzGerald, CACO]

                            *  *  *  *  *

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

                             --- ### ---