Big Bend National Park (TX)
Follow-up on Death of Maintenance Employee
On March 2nd, ranger/medics were dispatched to the scene of a
motorcycle accident north of the park's boundary. The operator, Antonio
G. "Tony" Aguilar, 55, a long-time employee of the park's maintenance
division, was declared dead at the scene. Tony had worked at the park
for ten years. He was a Vietnam veteran, a welder in the park, and a
very skilled artist in metal sculptures. His funeral will be held on
Thursday, March 6th, at the Catholic Church in his home town of
Marathon.
[Submitted by Cary Brown, District Ranger]
Castillo De San Marcos National Monument (FL)
Death of Maintenance Employee
John J. Harley, a mason at the park, died on February 26th following
a brief illness. John began his National Park Service career in 1964 at
the Castillo de San Marcos. He established a reputation as one of the
premier preservation masons in the National Park Service. Though John's
biggest contributions were at the Castillo, the nation's oldest masonry
fort, he was also detailed to assist other sites around the country,
including Stones River National Battlefield in Tennessee, Cumberland
Island National Seashore in Georgia, and Gulf Islands National Seashore
in Florida and Mississippi. He also worked at Anastasia State Park and
the Bulow Plantation, both in Florida, and provided masonry consultation
services to the City of St. Augustine and the St. Augustine Historical
Society. John was named the employee of the year in Southeast Region in
1995, and received numerous achievement awards during his career. In
2002, John was detailed to the Historic Preservation Training Center to
work on a project at the White House. Although his technical skills and
work ethic were indeed legendary, superintendent Gordy Wilson has noted
that John's greatest contribution was the professionalism and pride that
he instilled and inspired in others through his quiet leadership by
example and his selfless dedication to perfection of his craft.
Condolences may be sent to Pat Mitchell, 581 Railroad Street, St.
Augustine, Florida 32084.
[Submitted by Paul Winegar, Southeast
Regional Office]
Lake Meredith National Recreation Area (TX)
Trespass and Security Violations
On the morning of February 13th, rangers Dennis Weiland and Bill
Briggs saw six young men near the spillways from Sanford Dam. All were
dressed in black, with black-colored skateboards, trick bicycles and
personal backpacks. They were apprehended inside the dam's secure area.
Follow-up investigation revealed that five of them were over 18 and
lived in New Jersey, Florida and Texas; the sixth was 16 and from New
Jersey. They had met in an internet chat room for skateboarders. They'd
read about the dam's spillways in several publications and on several
web sites, and told the rangers that the chat rooms were very explicit
about how to avoid security patrols, best points of entry, and means for
entering the area (e.g., using blankets over barbed wire fences). They
said that they'd entered the secured area between 4 and 5 a.m. because
they had heard that it was under video surveillance. Citations were
issued for trespassing in a secured area. This is the third such
incident in the last year. Additional security measures are being put
into effect.
[Submitted by Bill Briggs, Chief Ranger]
PARKS AND PEOPLE
Gateway National Recreation Area
GS-7/9 and GS-11 LE Ranger Positions
The park's Sandy Hook Unit, located in New Jersey, is currently advertising for one GS-11 (LE) supervisor and one GS-7/9 (LE) protection ranger. The announcements close on March 24th and March 27th respectively. The person in the former position serves as one of two law enforcement supervisors responsible for supervising a patrol staff of ten permanent rangers and several seasonal rangers in resource protection, law enforcement and emergency services. This position requires a solid background in law enforcement and experience in emergency services. Sandy Hook receives over two million visitors a year and during summer season is an extremely busy day-use beach area. The Sandy Hook peninsula is also home to historic Fort Hancock, the Sandy Hook Lighthouse, NOAA marine laboratories, and a U.S. Coast Guard base. Government housing is available and the surrounding communities and New York metro area offer unlimited educational, cultural and recreational opportunities. The supervisory position requires a level I commission. Both positions are 6(c) positions and receive the New York area locality pay. For additional information, please contact SHU chief ranger Tadgh McNamee at 732-872-5918.
[Submitted by Russ Wilson, Superintendent, Sandy Hook Unit]
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.