NPS Morning Report - Monday, November 5, 2001



                        NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Monday, November 5, 2001

INCIDENTS

01-584 - South Florida Areas - Hurricane Michelle

Although Hurricane Michelle is now moving off into the Atlantic, parks 
in south Florida spent the weekend preparing for a possible landfall 
in that area:

o       Dry Tortugas NP - The park closed on Friday, November 2nd. 
        Employees on duty at the park took shelter in Fort Jefferson. 
        Park employees who live in the Keys were evacuated to a hotel 
        on the mainland. The "Activa," the vessel that transports 
        employees and supplies between Key West and the park, took 
        safe harbor in Miami.

o       Everglades NP - The park began preparations on Friday and 
        closed at noon on Saturday. Most employees were released on 
        Friday to take care of their personal preparations. Employees 
        in government housing remained on site and were sheltered in 
        the park. The park was placed under ICS; Steve Hurd was the 
        IC.

o       Big Cypress NP - The park implemented its hurricane plan. 
        Final shutdown of facilities was planned for Sunday if the 
        hurricane continued in that direction. 

o       Biscayne NP - Park staff began pulling and securing park boats 
        on Friday.

[Deb Nordeen, IO, IMT, EVER, 11/3; Larry Belles, IC, IMT, BICY, 11/2; 
Ken Garvin, SERO, 11/2]

01-585 - Grand Teton NP (WY) - Bear Mauling

C.S., 40, of Champlin, Minnesota, was mauled by a sow grizzly 
bear around 5 p.m. on October 23rd while hunting for elk near Moran 
Junction. C.S. and hunting partner M.R., also from Minnesota, 
were hunting in the Schoolhouse Hill area when they split up. The two 
men were about 200 yards from each other when C.S. heard a crashing 
noise and saw a young bear cub running away from him. Seconds later, 
he heard a louder crashing sound and was charged by an adult bear. 
C.S. went into the fetal position and remained that way until after 
the attack. He sustained severe puncture wounds, lacerations, and 
bruising, but his most serious injuries were bite wounds to his head 
and scalp. After the attack, C.S. contacted his hunting partner on a 
two-way radio, and the two walked out of the area together. He was 
treated at St. John's Hospital in Jackson, then flown to Wyoming 
Medical Center in Casper.  Investigating rangers determined that this 
was an unintentionally provoked attack. No management action will be 
taken against the bear. This was the second grizzly bear mauling in 
the park this year. [Rich Spomer, Acting CR, GRTE, 11/4]

01-586 - Glacier Bay NP&P (AK) - Search and Rescue

On the afternoon of October 31st, ranger Wendy Bredow answered a  
marine radio hail from the ship "Stellar Sea" and took a report of two 
crew members lost in the vicinity of Bartlett Cove. D.S., 40, 
and A.M., 18, had gone jogging for exercise on a park trail, 
then had diverted onto a game trail. They subsequently lost track of 
the game trail and tried to head out to the shoreline, but became 
disoriented and headed in the opposite direction. D.S. made marine 
radio contact with the "Stellar Sea" and reported that they were lost 
and gave a general description of their surroundings just moments 
before the radio battery died. D.S. was minimally dressed for cold 
rainy weather and A.M. was wearing only shorts and a sweatshirt. 
They had coffee, water and an energy bar with them. Maintenance 
employee Forrest Weldon and two crewmembers from the "Stellar Sea" 
conducted an initial search with no success. They were subsequently 
joined by other crew members, but their efforts also proved fruitless. 
Due to temperatures near freezing and concerns over possible 
hypothermia, six members of the Gustavus emergency response team and 
five park employees began a joint night search on foot in an attempt 
to locate the pair. The search took place in the rain and amid bogs, 
muskegs, and dense vegetation. D.S. and A.M. were found at 4 
a.m. They had taken shelter under a tree and covered themselves with 
moss and branches. They were cold, wet and tired, but suffered only 
blisters on their feet. [Wendy Bredow, IC, GLBA, 11/4]

                   [Additional reports pending....]

HOMELAND SECURITY

No incidents reported. Please see Director Mainella's memorandum below 
regarding employee safety and risk management.

FIRE MANAGEMENT

National Fire Situation - Preparedness Level 2

Initial attack activity was moderate in the South on Saturday and 
light elsewhere.  Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in 
North Carolina 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 Management Notes

No reports.

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 11/4]

MEMORANDA

"Our Concern for Your Safety," signed on November 2nd by Director 
Mainella and transmitted electronically to all employees. The full 
text follows:

"I know that each of us has become much more concerned about our 
personal safety and the safety of our families, friends and co-workers 
because of the acts of September 11th. While we have responsibility to 
protect and preserve our prized symbols of America's cultural and 
natural resource legacy, we have an even greater responsibility to 
ensure that we keep each other as safe as we can.

"We know the nature of risks we face and the ways we respond to those 
risks are frequently changing.  But we want to share the best current 
information to keep you and our workplaces safe.

"I have asked Dick Powell, Chief of Risk Management, to help us be as 
informed as possible about issues, questions and concerns relating to 
biological and chemical terrorism. He is working closely with John 
Hanley and our U.S. Public Health Service officers to obtain and make 
available the best, most current information as quickly as they can.

"Our Risk Management website (http://www.nps.gov/riskmgmt/) will carry 
current information on these issues, including recommended 
mail-handling procedures. The site will be continually updated as new 
information and links to other helpful, related sites become 
available. If you have Internet access from your workstation or home, 
please bookmark the site and check it often.

"This week, we hosted Washington-area meetings open to all employees 
on mail-handling procedures and anthrax-related risks.  The 
information presented at those meetings is also available on the NPS 
risk management website.

"I know a lack of information can lead to anxiety.  By providing this 
information, we hope to reduce your anxiety and keep you and your 
families as fully informed and as safe as possible.

"In closing, I wish I could thank each of you personally for how well 
you have responded to the threats against our country.   You are 
keeping our parks open, our programs advancing and going about your 
work with great resolve.  You ARE 'unity, hope and healing' to 
America.  I want you to know how deeply I appreciate that.

"Thank you!"

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Cape Cod NS (MA) - The park is recruiting for a GS-11 supervisory park 
ranger (interpretation).  The incumbent manages the North District 
interpretive operation from spring through the fall and coordinates 
interpretive media projects in the winter. The duty station is in 
Provincetown. The position is listed on USA Jobs (CACO 02-01) and 
closes on November 10th. For more details, contact Sue Moynihan, 
chief, Interpretation and Cultural Resources Management Division, at 
508-349-3785 ext. 230. [Sue Moynihan, CACO]

                            *  *  *  *  *

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

                             --- ### ---