NPS Morning Report - Wednesday, November 28, 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 28, 2001

                           *** NOTICE ****

Due to the phasing out of cc:Mail, the National Park Service's 
internal telecommunications system, the Morning Report will only be 
available via the web as of Thursday, December 6th. 
The specialized but cumbersome delivery system found in cc:Mail has 
become outmoded and is not a feature of Lotus Notes, which is 
replacing cc:Mail. The Morning Report has been posted on the NPS web 
site for some time now, and can be found at 
http://www.nps.gov/morningreport Readers should be prepared to make 
the transition by that date.

INCIDENTS

98-209 - Grand Canyon NP (AZ) - Follow-up: Search

On April 26, 1998, employees at the El Tovar Hotel reported suspicious 
circumstances surrounding a guest who had failed to check out as 
scheduled.  A.G., 42, of Ontario, Canada, had checked into 
his room on April 21st and had a reservation for six nights.  When he 
didn't check out on time, maids entered his room and found what 
appeared to be all his personal property still inside. Investigation 
revealed that he had neither returned home nor contacted friends or 
family. Although A.G. was not described as suicidal or depressed, 
he had previously tried to commit suicide. An air and ground search of 
areas below the rim was begun, but no sign of him was found. Several 
friends subsequently received postcards, postmarked April 23rd, in 
which A.G. described meeting a man who offered to take him on 
private hikes. All efforts to find him proved fruitless, and the 
search was suspended after two weeks. On September 26th, SAR personnel 
found human remains 360 feet below the South Rim east of the Yavapai 
Museum while on an unrelated recovery of a suicide victim. The remains 
consisted of bones and clothing and were scattered over a 
200-square-foot area. On October 9th, SAR staff hiked to the scene, 
investigated, and recovered the remains. They were taken to the 
Maricopa County medical examiner's office in Phoenix. Dental records 
confirmed that they were A.G.'s remains. The remains were located 
outside of the original search area. An investigation is pending. [Bil 
Vandergraff, IC, GRCA, 11/26]

01-617 - Blue Ridge Parkway (NC/TN) - Stabbing

R.B. and K.S. got involved in a domestic dispute at 
their home in Amherst County on November 18th and decided to go to the 
parkway to talk. They stopped at the Metz Run overlook near milepost 
129. After some time there, R.B. was stabbed a single time in her 
left hand with a pocket knife. K.S. drove her to the hospital for 
treatment. R.B. was too afraid of K.S. to tell the staff at the 
hospital what had happened, so phoned the park's emergency number 
after getting home to report the stabbing. Ranger Ed Clark is the 
investigating ranger. [John Garrison, LES, BLRI, 11/27]

01-618 - Yellowstone NP (WY) - Sewage Spill

On Saturday, November 17th, a sewage spill was discovered in the Lake 
Lodge area near Yellowstone Lake. Park staff estimate that between 
50,000 and 250,0000 gallons of sewage bypassed the Lake Lodge lift 
station and entered an old septic tank and infiltration ditch. The 
partially treated sewage that did not soak into the infiltration ditch 
soaked through vegetation and entered a natural lagoon next to 
Yellowstone Lake. The lagoon is connected to the lake, but it appears 
likely that all of the flow was contained in the lagoon and that no 
partially treated sewage actually reached the lake. The sewage in the 
overflow system was apparently caused by grease that partially blocked 
the sewage in a manhole that goes into the lift station. The portion 
that did not go into the lift station went into the overflow pipe. The 
sewage system in this area is under construction to correct 
infiltration into the system, and the manhole serving the lift station 
was recently replaced. During the replacement of the manhole, the 
piping was incorrectly routed to the old overflow system instead of 
three newer overflow tanks. The overflow pipe has now been completely 
disconnected from the system; the new overflow tanks, with an overflow 
alarm, have been connected to the system. The incident has been 
reported to the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality. [Public 
Affairs, YELL, 11/26]

01-619 - Fort Matanzas NM (FL) - Homicide; Assist

On November 24th, ranger Andrew Rich was on beach patrol in the park 
when he heard radio traffic indicating that St. Johns County rescue 
and police units were responding to 911 calls regarding a fight on the 
Matanzas Inlet bridge, a popular fishing spot located just outside the 
park's boundary. Rich immediately responded, arriving on scene just 
after the first county deputy. When he arrived, bystanders were 
performing CPR on a man who had been badly beaten. Rescue units and 
additional deputies arrived, and Rich assisted county officers by 
helping gather a list of witnesses, interviewing witnesses, and 
controlling suspects. The fight had started when two groups of three 
men each got into an argument over a fishing spot. Transported to the 
hospital and later pronounced dead was C.B., 35 of Ocala, 
Florida; arrested were K.E., 39, of Tallahassee and J.N., 
36, of Palatka, both on manslaughter charges. J.N. was also 
charged with aggravated assault, as was D.B., 37, of Peoria, 
Illinois. [Dave Parker, SPR, CASA/FOMA, 11/27]

                   [Additional reports pending....]

HOMELAND SECURITY

The Service's regional chief rangers and the acting chief of the 
Ranger Activities Division in WASO established a multi-region 
coordinating group (MRCG) on November 4th. The MRCG, which is modeled 
on NWCG's multi-agency coordination group (MAC) organizational 
structure, is coordinating mobilizations for ongoing national security 
operations in and adjacent to NPS areas for the nation's war on 
terrorism. The MAC structure has been used successfully during severe 
wildfire seasons for the prioritization and allocation of   scarce 
resources.

The MRCG staff initially worked out of the Northwest geographic area 
coordinating center in Portland, Oregon. Prior to the Thanksgiving 
holiday, the group moved to the Columbia Cascades Support Office 
(CCSO) in Seattle. Mark Forbes (CCSO) is the coordinator, Pete Cowan 
(NOCA) is the deputy coordinator, Chip Davis (WASO) is the 
intelligence unit leader, and Susie Bates (PWRO) is the sitstat/restat 
unit leader.  

Parks making personnel available for security details are encouraged 
to follow procedures issued recently by their regional chief rangers 
(see "Memoranda" below). Updates on developments will appear regularly 
in future editions of the Morning Report.

[Chip Davis, MRCG, 11/27]

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Flag Pin Orders - Additional information has been provided on the SOP 
for ordering the flag pins that have been authorized for both uniforms 
and civilian clothing. Parks are authorized to purchase the pin 
through consolidated orders to V.H. Blackinton and Company for  $.85 
each.  Purchase orders should be faxed to the attention of Rick Hall 
at 508-695-5349. Reference item #J137. [Randy Coffman, RAD/WASO]

MEMORANDA

"National Emergency Response Plan," signed on November 16th by 
Director Mainella and sent to all regional directors. An informational 
copy of the memorandum follows; the attachments are NOT attached to 
the Morning Report, only to the original memo:

"As a result of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the 
National Park Service (NPS) has been tasked by the Department of the 
Interior to provide protection assistance at a number of Interior 
facilities throughout the country.  This additional workload has taxed 
the normal operation of our national parks.  I would like to thank all 
of you for your support of these actions as we go about fulfilling 
this important commitment during these times of national concern and 
uncertainty.

"Currently the National Park Service (NPS) has approximately 1,500 
commissioned law enforcement Rangers located throughout the 385 units 
of the National Park System.  Special deployment resulting from the 
terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, has affected the assignment 
of over 200 Rangers who are committed to serving national protection 
priorities.  Approximately 100 of these Rangers are assigned outside 
of their NPS units, including 61 at 8 Bureau of Reclamation dams, 14 
at the Department of the Interior (DOI) buildings in Washington, DC, 
and 25 allocated to other NPS sites outside their home units including 
Independence National Historic Site, Boston National Historic Site, 
the USS Arizona Memorial, Canaveral National Seashore, Catoctin 
Mountain Park, and Gateway National Recreation Area.  These 
assignments require 24 hour/7day a week coverage and result in the 
need to rotate the Rangers every 2-3 weeks.

"To date, voluntary reassignment from NPS units have met the immediate 
short-term emergency needs for law enforcement personnel for DOI 
staffing requirements.  Long-term resource commitments will require a 
mandatory program.

"Attached is the National Park Service Emergency Response Plan, 
derived from the Assessment of Strategic Alternatives for National 
Park Service Protection Response document. The purpose of the plan is 
to enable effective management and allocation of resources during any 
all-risk national emergency or significant incident, including the 
ongoing terrorism threat facing our country. 

"The National Emergency Response Plan describes five Preparedness/ 
Response levels:

o       Normal Park Operations

o       Heightened Level of Preparedness but no anticipated immediate 
        threat

o       Alert status and prepared to respond to dispatch orders

o       National Urgency with anticipated threat to national 
        resources/facilities

o       National Emergency requiring an immediate external response

"The effectiveness of this plan will hinge on park, regional and 
national preplanning and support. 

"In accordance with the plan, I have determined that we are in 
Preparedness/Response Level 4, a state of National Urgency.  My 
priorities for protection, until further notice, include certain 
Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) dams, the Department of the Interior 
buildings in Washington DC, and specific park areas considered at 
higher risk.  These priorities are to be supported by NPS law 
enforcement resources for an indefinite period of time. 

"I have informed the Department that this action will not close any 
parks, visitor centers, entrance stations or other public contact 
stations, and that emergency services will not be significantly 
affected.  The visiting public will probably not notice any change in 
park operations, except for the following:

o       Reduction in some non-essential services (i.e., an entrance 
        station may be open for 10 hours instead of 12 hours to 
        coincide with protection patrols).

o       Fewer protection Rangers on roadways and in campgrounds

o       Delays in responding to non-emergency incidents (i.e., may 
        take longer to respond to a visitor with a flat tire).

"In accordance with the Emergency Response Plan, please direct each of 
your park areas to develop draw-down plans within two weeks of the 
date of this memorandum.  Draw-down plans will help parks determine 
how many protection rangers or United States Park Police officers must 
remain in the park, and how many can be made available to serve 
current national protection priorities.  Guidance on development of 
draw-down plans is attached for distribution to the parks.

"Superintendents of parks receiving help from outside rangers, 
including those parks supporting BOR dam protection, should use 
seasonal and subject-to-furlough rangers to meet their staffing needs, 
where possible. This will serve to reduce the overall need for rangers 
from other park areas. 

"A Multi-Region Coordination Group (MRCG) has been established with 
your support and in accordance with the response plan.  This group is 
actively working to coordinate the management and effective use of 
available resources to meet our national priorities for protection."

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Yellowstone NP (WY) - The park is recruiting for several permanent 
full time and subject to furlough GS-7/9 law enforcement ranger 
positions. Some of these rangers will deal directly with bison 
management operations. The vacancy announcement, which can be found on 
USA Jobs, will be open from December 6th to December 27th. For more 
information, contact Lisa Helms at the CRO at 307-344-2147. [Lisa 
Helms, YELL]

Grand Portage NM (MN) - The park is looking for a GS-7/9 
administrative officer. Grand Portage NM is both an early fur trade 
and an Ojibwe heritage site. The eight-and-a-half mile long portage is 
within Grand Portage Indian Reservation and sandwiched between the 
North Shore of Lake Superior and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in 
northeastern Minnesota. The park is currently growing in staff, with a 
strong research focus, and is likely to soon build a heritage center. 
They also have a multi-faceted partnership with the Grand Portage 
Ojibwe band. Headquarters is in Grand Marais, a diverse small town 
with a strong arts tradition and good schools and with many outdoor 
activities nearby. The park is seeking an individual who can work 
creatively with staff within a close management team. For more about 
the position, see www.usajobs.opm.gov or call Tim Cochrane at 
218-387-2788.  The application deadline is December 12th. [Tim 
Cochrane, Superintendent, GRPO]

FILM AT 11...

On Monday, USA Today carried a story regarding some of the staffing 
issues alluded to in the director's memorandum that appears above. The 
article by Thomas Kenworthy is entitled "Park Officers Reassigned To 
'Homeland'"; the text follows:

"Several hundred federal law enforcement agents who normally protect 
national parks, wildlife and public rangelands have been temporarily 
assigned to homeland-security duties. They are working as sky marshals 
aboard commercial aircraft, protecting the Liberty Bell and other 
landmarks, and guarding dams.

"The reassignments are causing some staffing problems at 
land-management agencies such as the National Park Service, whose 
ranks are thin to begin with, federal officials say. More than 200 of 
the Park Service's approximately 1,500 law enforcement agents are 
assigned to homeland-security details. Other agencies contributing 
personnel are the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Indian 
Affairs and the Fish and Wildlife Service.

"'A lot of these agencies, especially the Park Service, were 
short-staffed to begin with,'' Interior Department spokesman Frank 
Quimby says. 'It obviously doesn't improve their situation, but in a 
sense, this may help bring attention to the needs of these agencies.'

"To help fill the gaps, the Park Service has been given authority to 
rehire seasonal rangers who normally work only during the busiest 
summer months. 

"Interior employees serving as air marshals will be on reassignment 
for periods up to 6 months, while those protecting dams and other 
federal facilities are on rotations of a week or two. 'Everyone is 
looking at this as a temporary solution until there is a permanent 
force in place,' Park Service spokeswoman Elaine Sevy says."

                            *  *  *  *  *

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

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