NPS Morning Report - Wednesday, November 14, 2001



                        NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Wednesday, November 14, 2001

INCIDENTS

01-603 - Natchez Trace Parkway (MS/AL/TN) - Bomb Threat

A Clinton, Mississippi, police officer came upon an object which 
appeared to be an explosive device lying against one of the support 
pillars of a parkway bridge near milepost 87 early on the afternoon of 
November 2nd. Rangers joined officers and agents from the FBI, ATF, 
Mississippi DPS, Clinton PD and FD, the Hinds County Sheriff's Office 
and Jackson PD bomb squad at the scene. The area was closed to traffic 
for three hours while bomb technicians examined the object. The device 
was disabled and ultimately determined to have been a hoax. The 
investigation is being led by the FBI. Ridgeland DR Charles Cuvelier 
directed the NPS response. [Jackie Henman, ACR, NATR, 11/5]

01-604 - Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania NMP (VA] - Attempted Suicide

On November 12th, a 19-year old freshman from a local college asked 
contractors working at Chatham Manor (park headquarters) for help. She 
was somewhat incoherent, but said she had taken something she 
shouldn't have. She was transported to Mary Washington Hospital, where 
she was treated for ingestion of a large quantity of sleeping pills 
and a slit wrist. Ranger Craig Johnson interviewed her after she was 
treated. She told Johnson she came to the park because she likes to 
look at the trees. She voluntarily entered Snowden, a mental health 
facility. [Mike Greenfield, SPR, FRSP, 11/13]

01-605 - Lake Mead NRA (NV/AZ) - MVA with Fatality

G.G., 54, was heading down Lakeshore Road near 33 Hole around 
10:30 p.m. on November 12th when his car went off the road and rolled 
over. Gannon was thrown from the vehicle and killed. The cause of the 
accident is under investigation. [Cate Clary, Dispatch, LAME, 11/13]

HOMELAND SECURITY

No reports.

FIRE MANAGEMENT

National Fire Situation - Preparedness Level 2

Initial attack was moderate in the South on Monday, but light 
elsewhere. Five new large fires were reported in the South; three 
others were contained. 

Most of the fires are burning in Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia and 
Maryland. The majority are 100-200 acres in size, but several in 
Kentucky are considerably larger - the Southeastern District Complex 
(Type 2 team, 8,903 acres), the Kentucky River Complex (Type 2 team, 
34,136 acres), the Eastern District Complex (Type 1 team, 24,251 
acres), and the Redbird Falls fires (Type 1 team, 15,897 acres). A 
Type 1 team has also been assigned to the Glass Mine fire in Georgia 
(600 acres). 

Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in Georgia, Indiana,  
Montana,  North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia.

Park Fire Situation

Bighorn Canyon NRA (MT/WY) - On November 5th and 6th, the park 
completed its first prescribed fire for resource benefits in juniper 
habitat. Although Bighorn Canyon wildland firefighters were 
responsible for key positions, the burn boss and nearly 24 personnel 
from the US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Crow Indian 
Agency, and Grand Teton National Park held positions as igniters, fire 
effects monitors, and firefighters. All involved were happy with the 
results and the cooperative effort, expressing a desire to be included 
in future projects. Bighorn Canyon's fire crew is relatively small, 
with wildland fire as a collateral duty. They have had a successful 
wildland fire program, however, due to the assistance of other federal 
and state agencies, including the local rural fire district. The park 
in turn assists those agencies with their burn projects and 
suppression efforts. There have also been benefits beyond meeting 
prescribed fire objectives, as the involved organizations have 
developed a partnership for training, worked out resource allocations 
through coordination centers, and developed better understandings of 
each other's missions. [Bonnie Winslow, BICA]

Fire Management Notes

No reports.

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 11/12]

PARKS AND PEOPLE

White Sands NM (NM) - The park is currently seeking a protection 
ranger at the GS-7 or GS-9 level. Duties include law enforcement, 
search and rescue and emergency medical services at the EMT-Basic 
level. The park is seeking a motivated individual with the ability to 
work effectively with federal, state, and local authorities, as well 
as two branches of the military. White Sands offers a small, friendly, 
hard working staff, low cost of living and no snow. The position is 
currently listed on USAJobs as announcement number WHSA-02-01. 
Interested persons with questions should feel free to call chief 
ranger Cliff Spencer at 505-679-2599 ext. 220. [Cliff Spencer, WHSA]

Washington Office (DC) - The NPS Office of International Affairs is 
urgently seeking one or two NPS professionals for an international 
assignment in Chile in mid-December. The assignment will be to conduct 
a two-day seminar for counterparts in the Chilean National Park 
Service on evaluation of the economic benefits of national parks to 
local and regional economies. This international assignment 
opportunity is open to all full-time permanent NPS employees with a 
valid passport and possessing the desired technical qualifications. 
The ideal candidate will have demonstrated experience in some aspect 
of evaluating the economic benefits of national parks, along with some 
prior international experience. Fluency is Spanish is preferred. Any 
interested candidates should send a communication expressing their 
interest in the assignment along with a summary of their 
qualifications as soon as possible to Scott Hall, Office of 
International Affairs, National Park Service, 1849 C Street, NW, Rm. 
2252, Washington, DC 20240. Telephone: 202-565-1277, telefax: 
202-565-1290, email: Scott_Hall@nps.gov. [Scott Hall, WASO]

                            *  *  *  *  *

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

                             --- ### ---