02-619
Biscayne National Park (FL)
Boat Collides with Reef and Sinks

The 49-foot cabin cruiser Evening Star struck a coral reef in the park yesterday afternoon and sank about three minutes later. All three occupants were safely taken aboard another vessel. The boat has about 600 gallons of diesel fuel on board, but no leakage has yet been noted. Towboat U.S. is employing a number of pumps in efforts to refloat the vessel and minimize damage, but strong winds, turbulent water and waning daylight were hindering operations. According to a passenger on the boat, the impact was "like hitting a wall - the boat stopped and we continued on." Under the National Park System Resource Protection Act, the operator can be held financially liable for restoration required to repair the damaged reef.
[Submitted by Holly Rife, Chief Ranger]

02-620
Gateway National Recreation Area
Burglary Arrests

Rangers Peter Tortorell and Luke Yacovou responded to a 911 burglary call at the Coast Guard station on Sandy Hook around 11 p.m. on November 22. They determined that over $800 in goods and cash had been stolen from the base exchange. Two adults and a juvenile were quickly tracked down and found to be in possession of the stolen merchandise. Middletown PD officers and ranger Anthony Macri assisted in the investigation, which led to confessions to another 15 or so local residential and business burglaries. Charges filed will include burglary, possession of stolen property, and conspiracy.
[Submitted by Anthony Macri, Park Ranger]

Fire and Aviation Management
Request for NPS Fire Success Stories

The Fire Management Program Center in Boise, ID is beginning to work on the next publication that will be distributed at the National Fire Plan meeting in New Orleans, LA in January.  We would like to introduce some new fire stories and fire photos from all the regions.  You can take a look at http://www.nps.gov/fire/success/2002 and see what's already out there, we're sure there are plenty more stories to be told from all across the National Park Service.

We're looking for the best of the best!!!  We're looking for new and unique stories from traditional as well as non-traditional parks that deal with fire!  We're looking to publicize your program in front of a national interagency audience as well as politicians.  And, of course, we need your help to achieve this goal...

The stories need to support the National Fire Plan, see the categories below.  We may not be able to use all the categories and all the stories in this publication, but if we don't use your story in the publication, it will be placed on the website.

 National Fire Plan Categories

1. Firefighting
    a. Hiring
    b. Workforce Development
    c. Facilities Maintenance
    d. Equipment
    e. Contracts
    f. Research

2. Rehabilitation and Restoration
    a. Projects
    b. WUI Areas
    c. Research

3. Hazardous Fuels Reduction
    a. Projects
    b. Wildland-Urban Interface
    c. Out-Year Planning
    d. Forest Health
    e. Research

4. Community Assistance
    a. RFA
    b. Education
    c. Prevention
    d. Programs

5. Accountability
    a. Fire Management Plans

 Below is the information to help you write that great story.  Please send stories and high quality images (as separate jpgs or tifs) to Tina Boehle at tina_boehle@nps.gov.  If you have any questions, please call 208-387-5875 or contact Tina via e-mail. 

Thank you very much, we look forward to being FLOODED with fantastic stories and images from all the regions!!! 

Please have all stories and images to Tina by December 15.

Tips for Success Stories and Photo Documentation

The NPS Fire Program has an excellent history of successful program management.  Telling the "world" about our program is critical to our continued success.  It allows us to build support from all of our constituents (internal and external.)  Subsequently, this support allows us to maintain, if not increase, funding. 

There have been a number of outstanding stories and photographic portrayals of our successes in fire.  More are always welcome.  Stories can be told about fuels projects, rural fire assistance, public programs and outreach in the community, sharing successes regarding recruitment efforts, and just about anything else you can think of.  The following tips were developed to help you tell your fire program success story.  See the reverse side of this page for a sample success story.

Story content:

• Write the story as you would for a newspaper or other publication - use 3rd person (he, she, they) instead of 1st person (I, we).  Keep it simple - avoid jargon that only those in the fire community would understand.  
  
• Press release format is an option to consider.  If you have images in your press release, please also attach image files separately, and always include captions with the photos in the release.  Send image files as tif or jpg. 

 Photo Documentation:

• Digital photos are fine for use with small images on the website and the success stories publications.  For website use alone, images can be anywhere from 72-150 ppi (pixels per inch).  72 ppi is lower quality and does not enlarge well, 150 ppi is a medium quality.  For the success stories publication, it's preferable to have at least 150 ppi, if you have higher quality images (300 ppi +), please send those too.
  
• When taking "before" and "after" photos, always use a photo point, which is a pre-determined point of reference for the viewer, and shoot the picture from the same location so you have the same scene (and the same photo point) portrayed.  A photo point can be a structure, a satellite dish, a telephone pole, a temporary signpost or some other inanimate object.  Photo points follow the same concept of scientific documentation. 

[Submitted by Tina Boehle, tina_boehle@nps.gov, 208-387-5875]

New River Gorge National River (WV)
GS-9 Permanent Protection Ranger

The park, which also administers the Bluestone National Scenic River and the Gauley River National Recreation Area, is seeking candidates interested in a lateral transfer into a permanent GS-9 protection ranger position. The park is an active, dynamic, four season area with no down time: Rangers here are on the move and involved in issues and incidents on a year-round basis. The ranger selected will be involved not only in traditional ranger duties in law enforcement, but integral to our boundary management, encroachment, hunting and trapping, landowner (in-holding and adjacent) liaison, and off-road vehicle enforcement and management programs. The park is a world-class climbing destination with over 1,500 identified routes, has a river program involving internationally known Class V whitewater on both the New and Gauley Rivers, and a very active vertical and whitewater SAR team. Training opportunities are abundant. Numerous special events occur in the park, ranging from local marathons and triathlons to the International Whitewater Rafting Championships, National Canoe and Kayak Championships, and Bridge Day (at 100,000+ visitors, the largest annual single-day event in the state). Only self-motivated, positive and enthusiastic rangers need apply. No government housing is provided, but housing is available in many communities surrounding the park. For further information, please contact chief ranger Gary Hartley at 304-465-0508 ext. 218.
[Submitted by Gary Hartley, Chief Ranger]

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.