02-539
Gateway National Recreation Area
Follow-up on Power Outage
Heavy rains and winds associated with Tropical Storm Kyle caused a
major electrical power outage to occur at Fort Wadsworth in the Staten
Island Unit on October 10. The storm damaged the high voltage
distribution and breaker panel and the primary electrical feeder cable
which supplies power to the northern tier of that unit. The outage
affected numerous park facilities as well as park tenants and
cooperators, including headquarters, USPP facilities, the park visitor
center, park and Coast Guard housing units, and the Coast Guard
headquarters and associated facilities. On October 28, after 16 days of
operating on diesel generators, regular electrical service was restored.
Park and contractor crews spent many hours replacing about 700 feet of
primary electrical cables. Three "high pot" tensions tests (up to 10,000
kV) were conducted in order to assure that the system would function
properly. The power was restored just in time for the kickoff of the
park's thirtieth anniversary celebration. The year-long commemoration,
sponsored by the Friends of Gateway Parks, began with a free family fall
festival that included food, live music, hayrides, children's
activities, and military reenactments.
[Submitted by José F.
Rosario, Chief Ranger]
02-562
Kenai Fjords National Park (AK)
Follow-up on Flooding
Heavy rains (more than five inches) caused flooding in southern
Alaska late last week and had substantial impacts on the park. Water in
the Resurrection River rose six feet in twelve hours last Wednesday,
reaching the deck level of the bridge on the Exit Glacier road. An
avalanche on the Forest Service side of the bridge closed traffic to the
glacier on Thursday night. The glacial outwash stream shifted channels
and began flowing behind the site where the new nature center is being
built and continues to threaten the building. Gravel was trucked in to
create a berm to protect the center. The dike protecting the park
maintenance area is still holding. Rain was still falling at the time of
the report (Monday), and more problems were considered possible. Despite
the rain, the slide on the Exit Glacier road was cleaned up and the road
has reopened.
[Submitted by Anne Castellina,
Superintendent]
02-565
Great Sand Dunes National Monument & Preserve (CO)
Follow-up on Search
On the evening of October 23, ranger Colorado Cordova noted that a
Nissan Pathfinder had been left for more than 24 hours in the Dunes
parking lot. He checked the plate and found that it was registered to
J.L., 29, of Centennial, Colorado, who had been reported to the
Arapaho County Sheriff's Office as a missing person. An extensive search
was conducted, but has since been scaled back due to a lack of clues as
to his whereabouts. The dune field, which was determined to be the area
of highest probability, was searched by aircraft, helicopters and ground
searchers without success. Attention was then turned to the Sangre de
Cristo Mountains to the east of the park, but deteriorating weather and
snow accumulations precluded a search of higher elevations. A box of 9mm
ammunition was found in J.L.'s vehicle with four rounds missing.
Additional investigation into J.L.'s recent behavior and mental state,
coupled with the discovery of a suicide note in his apartment, have led
rangers and the county sheriff to conclude that J.L. probably located
a very secluded spot in the mountains to commit suicide. A smaller scale
search with dogs trained to detect bodies will be conducted this
weekend.
[Submitted by Jim Bowman, Chief Ranger]
02-570
National Capital Parks-Central (DC)
Weapons Arrest
Lt. Phil Beck made a traffic stop on a white Chevrolet van matching
the description of the vehicle originally suspected in the sniper
shootings on the morning of October 15. The vehicle had traveled across
Arlington Memorial Bridge and was stopped a few blocks from the Lincoln
Memorial. Beck and an assisting officer searched the van and found a .45
caliber pistol and ammunition. The operator was arrested and charges
have been filed in DC superior court.
[Submitted by Sergeant
Scott R. Fear, Public Information Officer, US Park Police]
OPERATIONAL NOTES
Fire and Aviation Management
Premier of "Fire on the Mountain"
In July 1994, Chicago Tribune reporter John Maclean heard reports about a tragedy on Storm King Mountain in Colorado--a raging wildfire killed 14 elite firefighters. An official inquiry found firefighters at fault, but Maclean refused to believe it. For him the tragedy had too many eerie parallels to the Montana Mann Gulch inferno 45 years earlier. Why would firefighters make the same mistake twice? Based on his bestseller, Maclean pieces together what really happened. (Text from http://www.historychannel.com/ontv/index.html).
The world premiere of Fire on the Mountain aired Monday, October 28 on the History Channel. The program chronicled the events leading up to July 6, 1994 near Glenwood Springs, Colorado in which smokejumpers and crewmembers of the Prineville Hotshots were killed in the South Canyon Fire.
The program is showing again on:
Saturday, November 2 at 8:00 pm ET/PT
Sunday, November 3 at 12:00 am ET/PT
Saturday, November 9 at 11:00 am ET/PT
The History Channel is also showing the program Firestorms: Nature out of Control in November. More Information...
PARKS AND PEOPLE
Alaska Region
GS-13 Outdoor Recreation Planner
The Alaska Rivers and Trails Conservation Assistance Program has posted an announcement for a GS-13 outdoor recreation planner. The vacancy announcement, which closes on November 7, can be found on USA Jobs. For additional information, call Lindl Hubbard, human resources specialist, at 907-257-2582.
[Submitted by Jane Tranel, Public Information Officer ]
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.