NPS Morning Report - Friday, March 15, 2002



                           NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                              MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Friday, March 15, 2002

INCIDENTS

02-060 - Organ Pipe Cactus NM (AZ) - Drug Seizures

During the period from February 14th through March 12th, rangers were
involved in six drug seizure cases and pursuit of two loaded vehicles that
returned to Mexico at high speeds, avoiding road spikes along the way. A
total of a ton and a quarter of marijuana was seized. One load was found by
rangers in the walls of a trailer; another load was found inside a pair of
Seadoos that were being towed back from Rocky Point, Mexico. Drug runners
have established twelve miles of active new roads in the park's wilderness
over the past 30 days. [Dale Thompson, CR, ORPI, 3/14]

02-061 - Badlands NP (SD) - Assist; MVA with Fatalities. Injuries

Park employees Nick Koenigs and Ken Thompson responded to a multiple
vehicle accident just outside the park along with volunteer fire and rescue
personnel from the town of Wall around 5:20 a.m. on March 6th. The driver
of a Peterbilt semi pulling a car hauler lost control of his rig on a curve
on I-90 made slick by freezing drizzle. The truck slid into the median and
overturned; the driver died after being ejected from the truck. The car
hauler separated from the cab and continued into the eastbound lane,
hitting a Freightliner head-on and killing the driver of that truck. Four
vehicles came off the car hauler, one of which was struck by a third semi.
That driver was not hurt, but passengers in the sleepers of the first two
rigs were injured, one seriously. Both lanes of the interstate were closed
for two hours. [Mark Gorman, Acting CR, BADL, 3/7]

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Medical Standard Program Update - Effective immediately, rangers should
black out the question on infertility on page six of the Standard Medical
History and Examination Form. This question has no bearing on safe job
performance. Federal Occupational Health has been informed of this change,
but it will be some time before a corrected form can be issued. They will
notify contracted health units. [Pat Buccello, RAD/WASO]

Correction - Yesterday's Morning Report contained a note that there would
be a management policies hearing on April 10th before the House Resources
Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands. That was an
error stemming from a misreading of an update transmitted by the Office of
Legislative and Congressional Affairs. It should have said that there was a
hearing on the FY 2003 budget request for the National Park Service.
Director Mainella will testify and it will be in Rayburn B-308. The error
is entirely at this end. [Editor]

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Washington Office (DC) - The AD, Park Operations and Education, is looking
for people who are interested in a 120-day detail as either a GS-14
operations program coordinator or a GS-15 deputy associate director. The
person in the position will work directly for the associate director and
will be involved in the wide range of programs that fall under park
operations and education. She/he will assist the associate director in
meeting the many WASO, servicewide, departmental, interagency and external
requirements and responsibilities associated with programs in ranger
activities, fire, interpretation, concessions, risk management, facility
management, public health and youth programs. Temporary positions are
available. Salary and travel costs will be covered by WASO. Expressions of
interest are being requested for a detail to begin in May. Please send them
to Dick Ring via email no later than March 22nd. For further information,
please contact either Dick Ring (202-208-5651) or Vaughn Baker
(202-208-3277). [Vaughn Baker, WASO]

Rocky Mountain NP (CO) - The park reports that Jim Schaack, retired Midwest
Region chief of interpretation, died on March 6th at his home in
Allenspark, not far from the park. During his career, Jim worked at Aztec
Ruins NM, Grand Canyon NP, Rocky Mountain NP, Zion NP and Olympic NP. He
married his wife, Jane, in 1952. Jim co-authored "Zion: The Story Behind
the Scenery" among other works. He is survived by his wife, six sons, two
daughters, and nine grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to
Allenspark Volunteer Fire Department in care of Allnutt Funeral Service,
1302 Graves Avenue, Estes Park, CO 80517. [Katy Sykes, ROMO]

FILM AT 11. . .

The Rocky Mountain News (Denver, Colorado) had a story in its March 14th
edition by writer Gary Gerhardt entitled "Disease Confirmed In Park." The
opening paragraphs read as follows: "Biologists have confirmed that elk and
deer in Rocky Mountain National Park suffer from chronic wasting disease
and officials are requesting a federal research grant to launch an
extensive testing program to see if the deadly illness is spreading. There
are approximately 3,000 of the majestic elk in three herds in Moraine Park
and Horseshoe Park, both within park boundaries, and in the bordering town
of Estes Park. There are some 500 mule deer in the park.  More than 3
million visitors come through the park each year, and a huge number of them
come in the fall to watch the elk in the rut in Moraine and Horseshoe
parks." For the full story, go to:
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/state/article/0,1299,DRMN_21_1029584,00.html
.
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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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