NPS Morning Report - Tuesday, March 19, 2002



                           NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                              MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Tuesday, March 19, 2002

INCIDENTS

02-062 - San Francisco Maritime NHP (CA) - Major Structural Fire

Around midnight on March 17th, San Francisco Fire Department units
responded to a fire at the Haslett Warehouse, a historic structure that was
being renovated by a private contractor. The building was engulfed in
flames when they arrived, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of restaurant
and bar patrons from the nearby Cannery, a popular tourist attraction.
About 170 firefighters worked the blaze for four hours. The warehouse,
built in 1907, was empty at the time of the fire, and nobody was injured.
Its red brick façade still stood yesterday morning, but the area was
cordoned off to the public for fear that the walls would collapse. The
building was being leased to the Kimpton Hotel and Restaurant Group. It was
due to open in November as the 252-room Argonaut Hotel; the building was
also to contain a museum and retail shops. The 180,000-square-foot
warehouse and neighboring Cannery once composed the world's largest fruit
cannery. An investigation and assessment of the total damage is underway;
participating are the NPS, FBI, ATF and local authorities. [Heather Knight,
Reporter, San Francisco Chronicle, 3/18; Jerry McCarthy, NPS, 3/18]

02-063 - Badlands NP (SD) - Attempted Suicide; Life Saved

Rangers were contacted by the local sheriff's department on the evening of
March 13th and notified of a medical emergency involving the attempted
suicide of the wife of a park concession employee. The 41-year-old woman
resides in a trailer house behind the Cedar Pass Lodge. Rangers provided
emergency medical assistance and contacted the Sioux Valley Poison Control
Center for support. The center provided directions on necessary actions,
and the rangers were able to stabilize the woman until an ambulance arrived
from the town of Kadoka. She was then taken to Rapid City Regional
Hospital, where she is listed in stable condition. The investigation
revealed that she'd taken a large number of prescription medications
following a family dispute. When family members became aware of the
attempted suicide, they contacted emergency services for assistance. [Mark
Gorman, Acting CR, BADL, 3/18]

FIRE MANAGEMENT

As noted yesterday, the Southwest Coordination Center (SWCC) has issued a
forecast calling for much higher than normal fire dangers across the
Southwest this year due to low amounts of winter precipitation and a
general forecast of continued warm and dry conditions into early summer,
plus a continuation of a multi-year drought in some areas.

The Santa Fe Zone Board, comprised of all the local, state, tribal, and
federal wildland firefighting agencies in the greater Santa Fe area, met
last Friday and began making preparations for an above-average fire season.
The zone includes Bandelier NM, Pecos NHP, Capulin Volcano NM, and Fort
Union NM. The board identified resources currently available for
firefighting and agreed to have all available resources ready by April
15th. Several agencies will also request supplemental firefighting
resources, including extra wildland fire engines, crews, and air support.
Training and refresher courses are taking place throughout northern New
Mexico to ensure that firefighters are prepared for the upcoming fire
season.

Fire restrictions are already in place throughout the area. Other agencies
plan on putting such restrictions into place shortly if dry conditions
continue.

INTERCHANGE

Petersburg NB (VA) - The park has four horses available for transfer. For
more information on the horses, please see the Lotus Notes discussion
database under admin issues or available excess property (horses available
for transfer). [Rhonda Jackson, PETE]

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Buffalo NR (AR) - The park is recruiting for a GS-025-13 supervisor park
ranger. The incumbent serves as chief of the Division of Ranger Activities
and coordinates visitor protection and use functions. The merit promotion
announcement opened on March 18th and closes on April 8th. For more
information, contact superintendent Ivan Miller at 870-741-5446 ext. 222)
or the Human Resources Office at 870-741-5446 ext. 249). [Jim Gray, HRS,
BUFF]

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE TRAINING 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 a training
course begins, 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 entries; pound signs (#) indicate revised
entries.

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

March 26 - April 5: NPS CERTIFIED STRUCTURAL FIREFIGHTER, Glen Canyon NRA,
UT. This 80-hour course combines the previous NPS Level I and Level II
structural fire suppression courses. Instruction includes lectures and
audio-visual aids, but maintains an emphasis on individual and engine
company manipulative skills essential for personal safety and effective and
safe fire ground operations. Students will participate in live fire and
smoke house exercises as members of engine companies and will practice
offensive, defensive and transitional initial attack procedures for
ignitable liquid and flammable gas, interior structures and vehicle fires.
Students will also be trained in auto extrication of the critically
injured. Contact: Lisa Ford at 928-608-6250. [Hal Spencer, NIFC]

April 9 - 12: WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS. Contact course coordinator for
location. This course, a collaborative effort among BLM, USFS and the
Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association, will provide participants
with information on the siting, construction, operation and management of
wireless telecommunications systems. Site field trip included. Tuition:
$450. Contact Chantel Jordan, 602-906-5515. [Michele Kuna, DEWA]

April 9 - 19: NPS CERTIFIED STRUCTURAL FIREFIGHTER, Sandy Hook Unit,
Gateway NRA, NJ. This 80-hour course combines the previous NPS Level I and
Level II structural fire suppression courses. Instruction includes lectures
and audio-visual aids, but maintains an emphasis on individual and engine
company manipulative skills essential for personal safety and effective and
safe fire ground operations. Students will participate in live fire and
smoke house exercises as members of engine companies and will practice
offensive, defensive and transitional initial attack procedures for
ignitable liquid and flammable gas, interior structures and vehicle fires.
Students will also be trained in auto extrication of the critically
injured. Contact: Dennis Soyka at 732-872-5931. [Hal Spencer, NIFC]

* April 11: TEL STATION TRAINING: INTRODUCING THE CLIMATE CHANGE, WILDLIFE
AND WILDLAND INTERPRETERS' KIT. Deadline: April 4th. EPA, in partnership
with the NPS and USFWS, has created a kit of tools to use when talking with
the public about how climate change is affecting our nation's wildlife,
public lands, refuges and other national treasures. This interactive
satellite training event will be available on TEL stations using
push-to-talk microphones for instructor/student interaction. Contact: Jim
Boyd at 304-535-6401 or go to http://www.nps.gov/training . [Joyce Howe,
STMA]

April 16 - 18: BASIC EMT REFRESHER, Zion NP, UT. The practical and written
National Registry tests will be offered in the evening for those needing
NREMT certification (only the written test is required if you've passed a
state-approved practical test within the last year). Tuition: $75. Contact:
Cody Cole via email or at 435-772-0163. [Randy Coffman, RAD/WASO]

April 29 - May 2: BASIC PEER SUPPORT TRAINING, Phoenix, AZ. Closes on March
20th. Peer support training; listening skills and other CISM techniques
will be taught. Contact: Contact: Regional employee development officers or
the Learning Place BB for applications; Jill Hawk at Mount Rainier NP for
more information (360-569-2211 ext. 3300). [Jill Hawk, MORA]

May 6 - August 4: BASIC LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR NATIONAL PARK RANGERS
(NPRI-204), Glynco, GA. Closes on March 19th. Basic training for
commissioned rangers. Contact: Regional employee development officers or
the Learning Place BB for applications; FLETC for further information
(912-267-2246, WASO FLETC-NPS). (Wiley Golden, FLETC)

May 6 - 9: PIPELINE SYSTEMS. Contact course coordinator for location. This
course, a collaborative effort among BLM, USFS, NPS, USFWS, FERC and the
International Right-of-Way Association's International Pipeline Committee,
will provide participants with information on the siting, construction,
operation and management of oil and gas pipeline systems. Tuition: $500.
Contact Chantel Jordan, 602-906-5515. [Michele Kuna, DEWA]

* May 6 - 10: HIGH-ANGLE RESCUE AND SWIFTWATER UPDATE, New River Gorge NR,
WV. Closes on March 31st. The course will include instruction on the most
recent rescue systems being used Servicewide and will update SAR team
leaders, riggers and instructors. For more information, contact Ron
Matthews at Delaware Water Gap NRA at 973-948-6500 or go to
http://www.nps.gov/training . [Joyce Howe, STMA]

* May 6 - 10: RESOURCE STEWARDSHIP FOR PROTECTION RANGERS, Ashford, WA.
Closes on March 22nd. Pacific West Region and the Ranger Advisory Committee
have created a curriculum-based resource protection training program that
includes six courses - three for commissioned rangers and three for an
interdisciplinary audience. This is the second course in the curriculum; it
has been designed by field protection ranges to provide basic information
to help commissioned rangers meet their primary resource stewardship
responsibilities. Contact: Jeri Hall at 209-372-0357. [Dennis Burnett,
RAD/WASO]

May 27 - 29: GILDER LEHRMAN SEMINARS FOR INTERPRETERS AND EDUCATORS:
HISTORY OF SCIENCE IN THE AMERICAN WEST, Estes Park, CO. Closes on April
6th. An examination of the history of natural scientists in the cultural,
social and political contexts of their professional lives. Contact: Tony
Knapp at 304-535-6178 or http://www.nps.gov/training. [Joyce Howe, STMA]

June 3 - 5: GILDER LEHRMAN SEMINARS FOR INTERPRETERS AND EDUCATORS: SLAVERY
AND ANTI-SLAVERY, Mather Training Center, Harpers Ferry, WV. Closes on
April 6th. An examination of the origins and development of the movements
to end slavery in the United States from the colonial era to the end of the
Civil War. Contact: Tony Knapp at 304-535-6178 or
http://www.nps.gov/training. [Joyce Howe, STMA]

* July 8 - 12: LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR MANAGERS, FLETC, Glynco, GA. Closes on
May 5th. Training on basic law enforcement topics for upper level
management employees with supervisory  or oversight responsibility for law
enforcement programs. Contact: Regional employee development officers or
the Learning Place BB for applications; FLETC for further information
(912-267-2246, WASO FLETC-NPS). (Wiley Golden, FLETC)

Various Dates: GILDER LEHRMAN SUMMER SEMINARS FOR INTERPRETERS AND
EDUCATORS. The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is offering
fourteen seminars that will provide NPS participants with the opportunity
to enhance their historical and interpretive skills. For more information
on the seminars and dates, go to http://www.nps.gov/training. Contact:
Sandra Weber, WASO Office of Interpretation and Education, 202-565-1057.
[Joyce Howe, STMA]

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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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