02-160
Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park (VA)
Follow-up: Sentencing on ARPA Conviction
On April 6, B.S., 43, was apprehended while relic hunting in
the Wilderness Battlefield by ranger Dave Laclergue. B.S. had six
Civil War era artifacts, a metal detector and digging equipment in his
possession. Rangers identified a total of 38 separate sites that B.S.
had excavated. An archeological damage assessment was conducted which
placed the archeological value at $18,896 and the cost of restoration
and repair at $1,816. The commercial value of the artifacts was placed
at $5.50. B.S. plead guilty to a misdemeanor ARPA violation on
September 17 in federal district court in Alexandria. He was sentenced
to a year of supervised probation and fined $1,000, of which $500 will
go as a reward to a park neighbor who provided the tip that led to
B.S.'s arrest. B.S. is to pay the park for the cost of restoration
and repair as restitution. He has also purchased $4,000 worth of
advertising in a local newspaper to publish a looting prevention
message.
[Submitted by Mike Greenfield, Supervisory Park
Ranger, Frederick & Spotsylvania NMP]
02-481
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument (AZ)
Van Accident with Several Fatalities
On September 14, six people were injured when the driver of a van
fell asleep at the wheel and it went off the road and rolled over.
Rangers responded and provided emergency medical assistance. All six
were transported to Lukeville by Mexican EMS personnel, where they were
transferred to the care of U.S. EMS responders. All of the victims were
treated for severe trauma by Ajo ambulance crews and park EMT's. Four
were flown to hospitals in Tucson and Phoenix, where three later died
from their injuries - including two women and a five-year-old boy.
Assisting agencies included Customs and INS.
[Submitted by Bo
Stone, Park Ranger, Organ Pipe Cactus NM]
02-482
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument (AZ)
Two Illegal Immigrants Die of Exposure
Rangers recovered the bodies of two illegal immigrants near the north
boundary of the park on September 6. Maintenance employees discovered
one of the bodies within a quarter mile of the road; the second was
reported missing near Montezuma's Head and was subsequently found to
have died of exposure as well. Eighteen people have lost their lives
this year while attempting to illegally enter the country from Mexico
within the Border Patrol's Ajo sector, which covers about 67 miles of
the border and includes the park. Since last October, 143 people have
died of exposure while illegally entering the U.S. in Arizona alone.
[Submitted by Bo Stone, Park Ranger, Organ Pipe Cactus
NM]
FIRE MANAGEMENT
National Fire Situation
Preparedness Level 2
Initial attack was light nationwide on Sunday. Only one of 77 newly-reported fires escaped initial attack.
Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in the following states: California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Wyoming.
National Resource Commitments
| Day |
Sun |
Mon |
Tue |
Wed |
Thu |
Fri |
Sat |
Sun |
| Date |
9/15 |
9/16 |
9/17 |
9/18 |
9/19 |
9/20 |
9/21 |
9/22 |
| Crews |
91 |
88 |
96 |
87 |
116 |
83 |
83 |
76 |
| Engines |
202 |
192 |
173 |
217 |
315 |
183 |
178 |
174 |
| Helicopters |
47 |
50 |
35 |
40 |
33 |
23 |
23 |
36 |
| Air Tankers |
1 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
| Overhead |
1,251 |
1,046 |
1,013 |
955 |
969 |
615 |
494 |
554 |
National Team Commitments
| State |
Type Team |
Team IC |
Fire/Location |
Acres 9/19 |
Acres 9/22 |
Percent Contain |
Est. Full Contain |
| CA |
T2 |
Walker |
Williams Fire, Angeles NF |
---- |
750 |
0 |
UNK |
| CA |
CDF T1 |
Walters |
Burns Fire, Mendocino Unit |
---- |
485 |
100 |
9/21 |
Watches/Warnings
NICC has issued a fire weather watch for gusty east winds and very low relative humidity for the ridges of southwestern Oregon tonight.
Park Fire Situation
C&O Canal NHP/Antietam NB (DC/MD) - Both parks have put open fire bans into effect due to drought conditions. The actions have been taken in cooperation with state and local governments, which have also instituted burning bans.
PARKS AND PEOPLE
Gateway National Recreation Area
Bruce Springsteen Shoots Music Video in Park
On the morning of September 19, Bruce Springsteen and a production crew used scenic roads and beaches at Sandy Hook to film portions of a music video for the song "Lonesome Day" from his recently release album, The Rising. Other units from the company have been filming buildings and sunsets in the park's historic Fort Hancock District. In 1987, Springsteen, who lives in the area, filmed the music video for his song "Brilliant Disguise" in the fort's officer's club, which dates from 1878.
[Submitted by Russ Wilson, Superintendent, Sandy Hook Unit, Gateway NRA]
Office of International Affairs
Park Planner and Landscape Architect Needed for Assignment in Qatar
Dates: 09/20/2002 - 09/24/2002
Note: The participation of the NPS team on this project is contingent on State Department approval, which should be forthcoming by COB September 23, 2002. The trip may be cancelled or postponed depending on current events. However, interested candidates are encouraged to apply in the event the trip does indeed take place as planned.
The National Park Service Office of International Affairs is seeking a Park Planner and a Landscape Architect to participate in a two-week international assignment to Qatar (October 20 - November 2, 2002). Qatar is a small peninsula adjacent to Saudi Arabia and near Bahrain. The selected individuals will travel with an already selected NPS Resource Manager to assist the Qatari government with the development of its first national park. The NPS team members will work with the Qatar State Environmental Department and Qatargas to:
1. Assist with the establishment of the park boundaries;
2. Determine suitable uses and access restrictions for people, vehicles, and/or domestic animals;
3. Conduct resource baseline surveys;
4. Establish goals/functions of the park; and
5. Assist with Park Planning & Management goals for the park.
The "Inland Sea," the area selected by the Qatari government for its first national park, is a large tidal bay stretching nearly 25km into the interior. Relatively shallow for the most part, the bay includes a few small rocky islands and large expenses of inter-tidal flats. The interior of the park contains extensive and mobile dunes 30-40m in elevation.
Candidates need the permission of their supervisors in order to participate. Ideally, since they may be called upon to answer a wide-range of park related questions, the candidates should have strong backgrounds in park planning or landscape architecture, and other associated skills such as GIS, community partnerships, ecology, geology, cartography, interpretation, and good verbal and writing skills. Candidates who work in parks with similarities to the Inland Sea are encouraged to apply as are those who may not have had an opportunity to travel before internationally.
Accommodations will generally be in a hotel located near the Inland Sea but the team may have to spend several nights camping. Candidates should be willing and able to "rough it" occasionally and should expect temperatures from 55F to 90F. Team members cannot bring any alcoholic beverages or pork products into the country with them.
Because of the time restrictions needed for approval for international travel, all interested candidates need to submit a resume, SF 171, SF 612, and/or enter their skills on the NPS International Affairs Skills Roster (www.nps.gov/skroster) by COB September 24, to David Krewson (david_Krewson@nps.gov) or fax (202) 371-1446. Arabic language skills are not necessary, as Qatargas will provide an interpreter. Selections will be made by COB September 25 to allow for sufficient approval time and processing of travel forms. Qatargas will cover all travel costs and in-country expenses, however salaries must by covered by the park or unit of the selected individual.
[Submitted by David Krewson, david_krewson@nps.gov, (202) 354-1807]
Submission standards for the Morning Report can be found on the left side of the front page of InsideNPS. All reports should be submitted via email to Bill Halainen at Delaware Water Gap NRA, with a copy to your regional office and a copy to Dennis Burnett in Division of Law Enforcement and Emergency Services, WASO.
Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement and Emergency Services, WASO, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.