NPS Morning Report - Wednesday, March 6, 2002



                           NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                              MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Wednesday, March 6, 2002

INCIDENTS

02-033 - Ozark NSR (MO) - Follow-up: Death of Employee

Chris Andress, superintendent at Ozark NSR and chief ranger for the
National Park Service from 1995 until 2001, died of cancer at his home in
Van Buren, Missouri, on the afternoon of Monday, March 4th. Chris began his
National Park Service career working at Grand Teton and Yellowstone
National Parks as a seasonal employee from 1964 to 1967. It was there that
he met his future wife, P. In 1968, Chris entered the U.S. Army and
served four years with tours of duty in Vietnam and Turkey. Following his
honorable discharge in 1972, Chris returned to the Service and worked four
years as a seasonal at Yellowstone, then Yosemite National Park, while
attending school. In 1974, he graduated from California State University at
Los Angeles with a bachelor of science degree in police science and
administration. In 1976, while at Yosemite National Park, Chris obtained
his first permanent position as a ranger, and served in several positions
there over the next few years. He became chief ranger at Petrified Forest
National Park in 1980 and served there until 1988, when he was selected as
the chief ranger for Mid-Atlantic Regional Office in Philadelphia.  The
region encompassed a wide array of  National Park Service sites, ranging
from Civil War battlefields to wild and scenic rivers and ocean beaches.
As chief ranger for the region, Chris provided leadership not only for the
parks, but also for his  colleagues in the regional office. He was often
called upon to serve as acting associate regional director for management
and operations and also took on responsibility for managing the overall
budget for that directorate. He earned the respect of all those who came in
contact with him because of his technical expertise, his calm demeanor, and
his dedication to service. In 1995, Chris became the chief ranger for the
entire National Park Service when he was selected to head the Ranger
Activities Division in the Washington Office.  He held that position for
the next six years, overseeing the many diverse responsibilities of
National Park Service rangers.  These included both day-to-day operations
in law enforcement, search and rescue, emergency medical services, and
numerous other ranger specialties, and oversight of a number of major
programmatic areas, such as wilderness management, entrance and user fee
administration and formulation of regulations implementing laws and
administrative policies. He was also deeply involved in a concerted and
successful effort to improve ranger grades, pay and benefits. In February
of 2001, Chris moved from Washington to Missouri to become the
superintendent of Ozark Nation Scenic Riverways, a position he held until
his retirement due to terminal illness on February 26th. Throughout his
career Chris demonstrated exceptional leadership skills and abilities that
he shared with all he met.  Chris served in numerous positions of
leadership in the National Park Service, which allowed him in turn to
provide opportunities for all employees to grow and succeed. Chris' legacy
with the National Park Service can be described in many ways, but his love
of family and his devotion to them was the cornerstone of his  love for the
entire National Park Service family and friends whose hearts he touched.
[Dennis Burnett, RAD/WASO, 3/5]

02-048 - Cape Hatteras NS (NC) - Beach Closure

Eight steel dredge pipes broke free from a raft of nine pipes being towed
from Connecticut to North Carolina on the afternoon of February 21st. The
pipes have welded end caps to provide flotation and are 30 inches in
diameter, with lengths varying from 540 to 710 feet. Weeks Marine, the
marine tow company, immediately notified the Coast Guard, which promptly
issued a notice to mariners. During the afternoon of February 24th, rangers
JoAnn Gillette and Mike Ice saw all eight pipes come ashore on Coquina
Beach and contacted the tow company. Weeks Marine is conducting the salvage
operation with assistance from a local company. Plans were to retrieve the
pipe using three D-6 bulldozers and a front-end loader to pull the pipe
from the surf, then cut the end caps off to determine if any of the pipes
are flooded, weld the caps back into position, tow the pipes into Oregon
Inlet, and assemble them into another raft. Weeks Marine is working on this
project under a special use permit detailing protective measures for park
resources and visitors. Coquina Beach was closed to all pedestrian and
vehicle traffic. The project is expected to be underway for up to 14 days.
[Jeff Cob, CR, CAHA, 2/26]

02-049 - Prince William FP (VA) - Vandalism

Vandals damaged 14 historic CCC buildings in Camp Pleasant between 11 a.m.
on February 24th and 3 p.m. on February 25th. Over 200 windows were
shattered, more than 30 window screens were torn, numerous doors were pried
open or kicked in and torn off their hinges, fire extinguishers were
expended, vents were kicked in, exterior walls were pried open and kicked
out, and light bulbs were smashed. The damage is estimated at $12,000.
Rangers Jeff Pinkard and Stuart West are investigating. [Stuart West, CR,
PRWI, 2/26]

02-050 - Yosemite NP (CA) - Search

On March 1st, D.G., 46, of Chatsworth, California, became lost
while cross-country skiing near the Badger Pass ski area. D.G. had
planned to ski on the marked ski trails for a few hours, then meet her
husband at the trailhead at 4:30 p.m. On her return from a visit to Dewey
Point, however, she lost the trail. At 6 p.m., her husband reported her
overdue, and Wawona rangers began searching the Badger Pass area by
snowmobile. Overnight temperatures were in the mid-20s. Teams of skiers and
snowshoers and a helicopter were committed to the search the next morning.
A single ski track was found descending a steep, bushy drainage. D.G.
was spotted from the air as ground searchers were nearing her location
around 2:30 p.m. She was in good condition, and was assisted back to the
ski area. [Maura Longden, IC, YOSE, 3/5]

[Additional reports pending. . . .]

FIRE MANAGEMENT

Update on Program Review - At the request of Dick Ring, associate director
for park operations and education, a team led by retired superintendent
Bill Wade has reviewed the organizational and management structure of the
fire, aviation and incident response programs. They completed their work
last November. The report and recommendations were then sent to the field
for review. Comments are now being received and compiled, and Wade will be
briefing the fire management leadership board on the report this month.
Once comments from the field, the leadership board and other groups have
been received, a consolidated implementation proposal will be prepared and
presented to the directorate for those actions that are national in scope
and require the director's approval. Other recommendations falling within
the purview of the associate director or program managers will be reviewed
and implemented as appropriate. Periodic status reports will be prepared
and made widely available to keep interested parties informed on the
implementation of the report. Because of the high profile of the wildland
fire program, the director has decided to proceed with the creation of a
Division of Fire and Aviation Management which will report directly to the
associate director. The position of division chief, based in WASO, is
accordingly being advertised at present. Other recommendations of the Wade
report will be evaluated on their merits after comments from the field have
been reviewed. [Dick Ring, Associate Director, Park Operations and
Education]

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Jean Lafitte NHP&P (LA) - The park will soon be announcing an opening for a
WS-8 maintenance supervisor for the Crescent City Unit, which includes
Chalmette Battlefield and the French Quarter. The latter contains a visitor
center and park headquarters offices. Further details will be in the
announcement. [Dave Herrera, JELA]

Lassen Volcanic NP (CA) - The park is advertising for a GS-9 law
enforcement ranger. The position is covered under 6c and is permanent full
time. The duty station is in Mineral and housing may be available. Duties
include LE, EMS and SAR. The incumbent also serves as the brigade chief for
the Mineral structural fire brigade. For further information, please
contact Mike LaLone at 530-595-4444 extension 5156. [Mike LaLone, LAVO]

FOOTNOTE

The follow-up report on the fatal pursuit at Saguaro in yesterday's Morning
Report contained this passage: "Joseph McDowell, who was in the vehicle
with Doty, was killed instantly. McDowell fled, but was eventually found
and arrested." Inquiring readers raised a few questions about this apparent
miracle and made some uncharitable comments about the quality of
proofreading in the Morning Report. A reply is in order. First, a mea
culpa: Yes, it was the editor who did that, not the report's author, ranger
Robert Stinson. Second, a rationalization: As has been previously noted,
the editor suffers from certain cognitive impairments prior to the
morning's second cup of coffee. A little forbearance would be appreciated.
It's not helpful to ask questions like "Did they read him his rights?" or
"Being dead, he was probably pretty easy to find and arrest. . . ."

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

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