Haleakala National Park (HI)
Follow-up on Double Drowning
Repeated searches of the half-mile stretch of 'Ohe'o Stream from
Makahiku Falls to the ocean were made throughout the weekend, but were
hampered by continued flooding. By late Saturday, waters had subsided
enough for divers to check the several pools along the stream, but no
sign was found of either K.B., 39, or his daughter, E.B., 8,
who were swept over the 200-foot falls by a flashflood on Thursday.
Vegetation was bent back from 15 to 20 feet above the normal stream
level below the falls, indicating the height of the flood. On Monday
afternoon, a bathing suit bottom was found along the ocean coast about a
mile from the point where the incident occurred. It was identified as
part of the suit worn by E.B. IC Ron Martin has suspended
that portion of the search that was being conducted within the park.
[Submitted by Karen Newton, Chief Ranger]
Joshua Tree National Park (CA)
Resource Theft/Permit Violations
Ranger Scott Fischer came upon a desert bighorn sheep skull in a tent
in the Hidden Valley campground on October 29, 2002. An investigation
ensued and the occupants of the site were found to be a group from
Prescott College. The owner of the tent was reported to be J.M.,
an instructor from the school. When he was interviewed later that day,
he admitted to taking the skull from Dead Horse Canyon in Death Valley
NP several days earlier. The group was on a class field trip to both
parks. J.M. was cited with a mandatory court appearance for possession
of wildlife parts and violating terms and conditions of a permit. On
February 7th, J.M. appeared in court and pled guilty to the charges.
As a consequence of his actions, J.M. was terminated from his position
with Prescott College. The college has since made provisions to educate
its instructors and students on both common National Park Service rules
and regulations and the terms and conditions of NPS permits. On April
4th, J.M. was sentenced to a fine of $1200 and a year's unsupervised
probation and banned from entering Joshua Tree or Death Valley for a
period of one year. The skull will be returned to Death Valley.
[Submitted by Jeff Ohlfs, Acting Chief Ranger]
Big Thicket National Preserve (TX)
Assist on Drowning
A warden from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department contacted
ranger Johnny Stafford on the morning of April 11th and asked for his
help in recovering the body of an apparent drowning victim just outside
the boundary of the Upper Neches River Corridor Unit. Earlier that
morning, W.A., Jr., had been fishing from a boat in the canal
below the generator at Lake Steinhagen Dam. While standing up in the
boat to reel in a fish, he apparently leaned too far back, lost his
balance and fell into the canal. He surfaced once, then disappeared. The
body was recovered in late morning.
[Submitted by Mark Peapenburg,
Chief Ranger]
FIRE MANAGEMENT
National Interagency Fire Center
NIFC Situation Report - Tuesday, April 15, 2003
Preparedness Level 2
A total of 428 new fires were reported on Monday. Eight of them were large fires — half in Minnesota, half in Oklahoma. Another ten large fires were contained.
The commitment of IMT's to the Columbia Response remains the same.
Fire Danger
| State |
4/7 |
4/8 |
4/9 |
4/10 |
4/11 |
4/14 |
4/15 |
| Arizona |
-- |
-- |
-- |
EX |
VH |
VH-EX |
VH-EX |
| Colorado |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
VH-EX |
VH-EX |
| Indiana |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
VH-EX |
| Minnesota |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
VH-EX |
VH-EX |
| Missouri |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
VH-EX |
VH-EX |
| New Mexico |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
VH-EX |
-- |
| North Dakota |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
VH |
-- |
VH-EX |
| Wisconsin |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
VH-EX |
VH — Very high EX — Extreme VH-EX — Very high to extreme
National Resource Commitments
| Day |
4/7 |
4/8 |
4/9 |
4/10 |
4/11 |
4/14 |
4/15 |
| Crews |
161 |
162 |
164 |
161 |
149 |
157 |
149 |
| Engines |
6 |
14 |
15 |
17 |
84 |
65 |
71 |
| Helicopters |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
7 |
14 |
11 |
| Air Tankers |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| Overhead |
2,452 |
2,382 |
2,377 |
2,395 |
2,419 |
2,319 |
2,099 |
National Team Commitments
| State |
Type Team |
Team IC |
Incident/Fire |
Acres |
Percent Contain |
Est Full Contain |
| TX |
T1 |
Bennett |
Columbia Response |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
| TX |
T2 |
Crisman |
" |
" |
" |
" |
| TX |
T2 |
Morcum |
" |
" |
" |
" |
| TX |
T2 |
Raley |
" |
" |
" |
" |
| TX |
T2 |
Gray |
" |
" |
" |
" |
PARKS AND PEOPLE
Intermountain Region
GS-025-13/14 Regional Chief Ranger
The region is advertising for a GS-025-13/14 regional chief ranger under announcement IMDE-03-36. The announcement opens today and closes on May 7th. The duty station is Lakewood, Colorado. The major duties are as follows:
- Serves as chief and principal assistant to the support office superintendent and Intermountain Region parks and partners in providing expertise and support in visitor and resource protection, law enforcement, ranger activities, wilderness coordination, fire and aviation management.
- Facilitates activities that benefit from service wide coordination.
- Participates with the support office superintendent and park superintendents in the formulation and adoption of regionwide operating plans, programs procedures and policies.
- Advises on objectives, program direction and professional support functions pertaining to the Division programs.
- Directs fiscal management and implementation of Division's financial plan, operating programs and special accounts.
For further information contact Laura Chavers at 303-987-6681 or Hal Grovert at 303-969-2800.
[Submitted by Hal Grovert, IMRO]
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (PA)
FMO Doug Riley Retiring
Fire Management Officer Douglas J. Riley retires from the National Park Service on May 2, 2003, after 36 years of service to the NPS.,
Riley spent his whole career working in protection and fire. He began his career in 1967 as a seasonal ranger at Everglades National Park. In 1968, he was accepted into the intake trainee program at the Horace M. Albright Training Center, as a park ranger. In 1968-1969 he was a park ranger at Yellowstone National Park. In June, 1969 he moved to Rocky Mountain National Park as a park ranger, staying there until 1971 when he was park ranger at Shadow Mountain National Recreation Area.
In April, 1972 he went to Glacier Bay National Monument as a park ranger. Then, in April, 1973, he moved on to Nez Perce National Historical Park, where he was Chief of IRRM.
His final stop was at Delaware Water Gap NRA, first as a Supervisory Park Ranger in the New Jersey District and then in 1989 becoming the Fire Management Officer for the park.
Delaware Water Gap NRA will be losing a mentor and a friend with this retirement. He has provided great service to both fellow employees and park visitors. We wish him a happy and healthy retirement.
Cards and well wishes can be sent to Doug at: Douglas Riley PO BOX 113, Columbia, NJ 07832.
[Submitted by April Porth]
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.