NPS Morning Report - Monday, March 11, 2002



                           NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                              MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Monday, March 11, 2002

INCIDENTS

02-055 - Biscayne NP (FL) - Vessel Grounding; Threat To Park Resources

Late on the afternoon of March 6th, the 178-foot Panamanian-flagged
freighter Faro 1 grounded just outside the park's northern boundary near
Cape Florida. The ship allegedly broke anchor off Miami and drifted onto a
shoal in about eight feet of water. Underwater surveys revealed that the
vessel was aground primarily on a sandy bottom. At the time of the
grounding and the initial assessment effort, there were concerns regarding
the structural integrity of the vessel and some minor oil sheens were
issuing from the bilge. A NOAA trajectory analysis showed that there would
be a catastrophic release of on-board cargo, including 6,500 gallons of
fuel oil, if the ship's structure failed, in turn causing serious impacts
on park natural resources. On March 7th, a salvage contractor removed the
on-board fuel and was able to refloat the vessel early the next morning. A
slow response from the salvage company and rough seas complicated the
incident. Coast Guard personnel and Biscayne NP rangers ensured that
adequate measures were taken to minimize any damage that could have
occurred if the vessel's structure failed. No determination has yet been
made as to damage to any surrounding underwater marine communities. The
ship is no longer a threat to park resources and is currently moored on the
Miami River for further evaluation. [David Pharo, LES, BISC, 3/8]

02-056 - Lake Roosevelt NRA (WA) - Geocaching Incident

Rangers recently conducted an investigation into geocaching in the park.
Geocaching is a sport in which individuals or organizations cache materials
at particular locations, then provide the GPS coordinates via the Internet
so that other people can attempt to find them. Some times caching entails
digging, which presents obvious problems in national parks. On February
27th, P.H. asked permission to bury a geocache within the park's
historic Fort Spokane Unit. During the conversation, P.H. made several
statements which revealed that he'd previously been investigated by the US
Fish and Wildlife Service for this same activity, and that other geocaches
might already be buried within the park. Ranger Jaime Green investigated
and found that two caches had already been buried near Fort Spokane by a
geocache player known as "Fuzzybear." Additional investigation uncovered a
connection between "Fuzzybear" and P.H. P.H. was interviewed and admitted
placing both caches. Parks concerned about this activity within their
boundaries may go to http://www.geocaching.com and search for caches
located in their areas. [Chris Rugel, DR, Fort Spokane District, LARO, 3/8]

FIRE MANAGEMENT

The Federal Fire and Aviation Safety Team (FFAST) has announced the
launching of a new website. The purpose of the annual wildland fire safety
refresher training website is to provide a centralized resource where
refresher training instructors can obtain information necessary to conduct
high quality safety refreshers. The site identifies topics for refresher
training and lists a wide variety of reference materials that support
refresher training, including publications, videos, training packages,
lessons learned and investigation reports. The website includes links to
the refresher training polices of the federal fire management agencies and
NWCG direction for refresher training, and also provides the opportunity
for instructors to submit abstracts of their refresher training programs
for use by other instructors. Plans are to launch the web site on or about
March 11th. The site is http://www.nifc.gov/safety_study/index.htm. This
address will get you to the NIFC safety page, then just click on the
refresher training icon. If you have any questions, please contact NPS
FFAST representative Al King by e-mail or call him at 208-387-5967. [Al
King, NPS FMPC]

PARKS AND PEOPLE

National Capital Region (NCR) - The announcement for a GS-14 biologist or
ecologist to serve as coordinator of the Chesapeake Watershed Cooperative
Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) has been posted on USA Jobs. It opened on
February 27th and closes on March 19th. The announcement number is
NPS-NCR-01-41.  This is a second advertisement for the position; previous
applicants automatically will be reconsidered and need not reapply.  The
person selected will:

•     develop and implement an integrated program for natural, cultural,
and social science research, education, and technical
assistance in support of the resource management responsibilities of NCR
and other areas of NPS responsibility within the C    hesapeake watershed;
•     serve as a liaison with other federal research and land management
agencies and CESU members; and
•     develop partnerships and secure outside sources of support, providing
NPS with technical leadership in an integrated program
      of research, technical assistance, and education at the regional and
Servicewide levels.

More information about the national CESU system is found at
http://www.cesu.org/cesu or by calling Jim Sherald at 202-342-1443 x208.
[Jim Sherald, NCR]

Florissant Fossil Beds NM  (CO) - The park is seeking candidates
governmentwide/all sources for a GS-025-7/9 interpretive ranger/education
specialist. The primary duty is to serve as interpretive, education and
visitor service specialist. The incumbent will implement the park's
education, outreach, and volunteer programs, serve as education
coordinator, develop the
education program, establish contacts with the educational community,
develop and present curriculum-based on- and off-site education programs,
serve as staff planner for interpretive facilities and media, and present
interpretive programs relevant to park resources and themes. The position
is currently advertised on USA Jobs. [Tacy Smout, FLFO]

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MEETING AND EVENTS CALENDAR

This calendar appears every other Monday as an addendum to the Morning
Report. Please note:

•     Entries are listed no sooner than FOUR months before an event, except
in cases in which registration dates close much
      earlier.
•     Brevity in submissions is required and appreciated.
•     Please send along web sites for additional information where
possible.
•     Asterisks (*) indicate new or revised entries.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************

March 8 ? 10: "DOMESTIC TRANQUILITY: THE VICTORIAN HOME," 2002 GETTYSBURG
WOMEN'S HISTORY SYMPOSIUM, Gettysburg, PA. The symposium will be a
celebration of Victorian life and manners during the middle 1800s. It will
be held in the park's Cyclorama Center from the afternoon of March 8th
through noon on March 10th. The registration fee is $95. To register, send
a check or money order for that amount to Gettysburg NMP Women's History
Symposium 97 Taneytown Road, Gettysburg, PA, Attn: Becky Lyons. Make checks
payable to Eastern National, Women's History Symposium, and submit them no
later than March 1st. For more information, contact Becky Lyons or Terry
Deal at 717-334-1124 ext. 430 or 432, or send an email to
Becky_Lyons@nps.gov. [Katie Lawhon, GETT]

March 10 ? 14: ANNUAL CONVENTION, ASSOCIATION OF PARTNERS FOR PUBLIC LANDS
(APPL), Charleston, SC. The focus will be on innovative ways to connect the
public to public lands. Contact: APPL at 301-946-9475 or send a note to
appl@appl.org or visit their web site at http://www.appl.org . [APPL
"Newswire"]

March 11 ? 13: ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION, Fort
Worth, TX. For more information, go to http://www.asae.org/. [Sheila Lee,
NCRC/WASO]

March 11 ? 15: EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FOR MAJOR DAMS, Las Vegas, NV. Bureau
of Reclamation Conference intended primarily for mid-level and regional
bureau managers and personnel involved with security and emergency
management for major dams or other large water projects whose failure or
misoperation could lead to high loss of life and/or property and/or
significant economic disruption. Funding by benefiting account. Contact:
Chris Duke, 303-445-2775; for further information, go to
http://www.nps.gov/training . [Steve Hastings, HOAL]

March 22: WORLD WATER DAY. For more information, go to
http://www.paddlermagazine.com. [Sheila Lee, NCRC/WASO]

April 6 ? 7: "LEADERSHIP THAT INFLUENCED THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG," 2002
GETTSYBURG SEMINAR, Gettysburg, PA. The seminar will explore some of the
leaders, significant and otherwise, their military campaigns, and other
events during the Gettysburg campaign and how they affected the outcome of
the war. Attendance will be limited to 160 people. Registration is $65;
after March 23rd, the late registration fee of $70 will apply. To register,
send a check or money order to Gettysburg National Military Park, 2002
Seminar, 97 Taneytown Road, Gettysburg, PA 17325, Attn: Park Ranger
Evangelina Rubalcava. Make checks payable to Eastern National: Year 2002
GNMP Seminar and send no later than March 23rd. For further info, call
Evangelina Rubalcava at 717-334-1124 ext. 447. [Katie Lawhon, GETT]

* April 14 ? 19: DOI FACILITY MANAGERS CONFERENCE, Town and Country Hotel,
San Diego, CA. REVISION - NEW WEB PAGE: This conference, sponsored by the
Department of the Interior's Planning, Design Construction and Maintenance
Council,  will provide a forum for staff to meet and exchange information
on facility management issues/topics and training related to facilities and
infrastructure operation, maintenance, condition assessment, database
management, repair, renovation and rehab. Log on to
http://www.nbc.gov/conference/facilities/ for target audience and
conference tracks.  Watch this web site for further developments including
training tracks and an on-line registration module. [Steve Hastings, HOAL]

April 11 ? 14: PRESERVING THE HISTORIC ROAD IN AMERICA, Omaha, NE. This
four-day national conference, the third of its kind, will focus on the
preservation and management of historic roads. It follows highly successful
meetings in Los Angeles in 1998 and Morristown in 2000 and continues the
dialogue on effective tools and techniques for balancing use and safety
with preservation. Sponsored by the National Trust for Historic
Preservation, the National Park Service, FHWA, the Nebraska Department of
Roads, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation
Officials, and the Nebraska State Historical Society. Information and
registration material can be found at http://www.historicroads.org.
Contact: Syd_scott@nthp.org . [Dena Sanford, MWRO]

April 23 ? 25: MANAGING EMPLOYEE SAFETY AND SECURITY IN THE NEXT DECADE,
Phoenix, AZ. This Servicewide conference will offer current information on
a variety of occupational safety, health and security issues, including
terrorism, biohazards and workplace preparedness; workers compensation case
management; federal recordkeeping; structural fire; job hazard analyses;
SMIS; and root cause analyses. Keynote speakers include Joe Avery,
superintendent of Manhattan Sites, who will speak about the park's response
to September 11th, and David Herbert of the National Safety Council, who
will speak on safety excellence in park operations. Two small-group
certification sessions will be offered for the American Heart Association's
"Heartsaver AED" course. Registration is $150. See
http://www.nps.gov/riskmgmt for further information on the conference.
Contact: Shirley Rowley at 303-969-2197. [Shirley Rowley, RMD/WASO]

* May 30 - June 2: 'SAR SOUTHERN STYLE: 30TH ANNUAL NASAR CONFERENCE AND
EXHIBITION," Hilton-University Place, Charlotte, NC. For a full schedule of
events, go to http://www.nasar.org/sar2002sched.shtml; in order to register
on line, go to http://www.nasar.org/register.shtml.  For more information,
contact Mylea Wade, NASAR, at 703-222-6277. [Randy Coffman, WASO]

                               *  *  *  *  *

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

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