Padre Island National Seashore (TX)
Rescue of Illegal Immigrants
A ranger and a special agent with Immigration and Customs Enforcement
were patrolling by helicopter near the Mansfield Channel on March 28th
when an onboard observer saw what appeared to be a boot and part of a
pants leg protruding from underneath some vegetation. They landed and
found eight undocumented aliens hiding in the brush. The two men in the
group were from El Salvador and Mexico and all six women were from
Honduras, including three who appeared to be in their late teens or
early twenties. The eight had crossed the channel by raft, but had not
been picked up by their smuggler. They had been without food or water
for three days and were suffering from exposure, with another cold front
expected to arrive that afternoon. One member of the group said she was
injured. The eight were airlifted by helicopter to the Malaquite Beach
visitor center parking lot, where Border Patrol agents took them into
custody. One of the eight was identified as the group's guide. As this
incident progressed, a ranger identified a man down the beach toward the
group's location as the suspected smuggler. He was also an undocumented
alien and was taken into custody. A subsequent investigation by Border
Patrol agents revealed that the man was a convicted felon who had
illegally entered the country again after having been previously
deported. Additional charges against him are pending. [
[Submitted by
Randy Larson, Chief Ranger]
Cape Cod National Seashore (MA)
Unexploded Ordnance Found on Marconi Beach
On the morning of April 3rd, ranger David LaMere found what appeared
to be an unexploded bomb, partially exposed near the top of a
100-foot-high dune on the outer beach north of Marconi Beach. From 1942
to 1944, this portion of the park, known then at Camp Wellfleet, was
used by the military as an anti-aircraft artillery training center, and,
through 1961, as a training center for National Guard and Reserve units.
As a result, a wide range of munitions, from 50 caliber rounds to
1000-pound dove bombs have been located through exposure and cleanup
efforts. A digital photo of the bomb and specific information was sent
to the explosive ordinance disposal (EOD) unit at the Otis Air Force
Base, located on Cape Cod. A three-person team arrived on scene to
remove it. Due to the advanced state of deterioration, they were unable
to determine if the bomb was real or a training device. They decided
that they needed to "spank" the 750-pound bomb in place rather than risk
detonation attempting to move it to another location. The explosive C4
was used to detonate the bomb, which was found to be a training bomb
containing plaster. The remains, which were now in small pieces, were
removed from the beach. The area had been secured for a mile in each
direction along the beach and for 1000 yards behind the dune. Due to the
time of year, visitors in the area was not a significant issue. If it
had been summer, as many as a thousand or more visitors would have been
on the beach within a quarter mile of the location.
[Submitted by Bob
Grant, District Ranger]
Canaveral National Seashore (FL)
Drowning in North District
On the afternoon of April 14th, ranger Mike Chambers received a call
from the North District fee collector reporting that Volusia County FD
and other emergency vehicles had entered the park and headed toward the
beach. When he arrived shortly thereafter, he found that visitor K.W.,
54, had expired. K.W., who weighed between 350 and 400 pounds
and had a history of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, high
blood pressure, high cholesterol and other medical problems, had been
swimming in the ocean earlier that day when she experienced some
difficulty breathing. She'd gone back into the ocean, however, and had
been in the water for almost an hour when members of her family and
others noticed that she was having some difficulty in the water.
Attempts were made to rescue her and administer CPR, but were
unsuccessful.
[Submitted by Rosemary Williams]
PARKS AND PEOPLE
Shenandoah National Park (VA)
GS-12 Supervisory Park Ranger
The park is recruiting for a GS-12 supervisor park ranger who will serve as the park's resource protection and land management specialist. This is a 6c covered position. The announcement is SHEN 2003-18; the USA Jobs control number is IM2045-FM. This is a newly-developed position with emphasis on the strategic planning component of resource protection at multiple levels (park, region, national, interagency, etc.) It offers the person selected with an opportunity to provide national leadership in resource protection through long range project development and management as well as training. He/she will serve as a senior staff member of the park' resource and visitor protection operation. There are four areas of focus. The resource protection and land management specialist will:
- Analyze complex resource protection issues and develop strategic plans for the mitigation of threats to park resources.
- Provide leadership in land management and boundary issues, working with neighbors as well as county and state officials.
- Coordinate field ranger operations parkwide when assigned as shift supervisor in providing law enforcement, criminal investigation and emergency and visitor services.
- Serve as project manager for the Green Springs National Historic Landmark District, working with landowners and interested parties to develop and implement planning and management solutions.
For job specific information contact Clayton Jordan, the park's assistant chief for operations, at 540-999-3201.
[Submitted by Ginny Rousseau, Chief Ranger]
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Several Vacant Ranger Positions To Be Filled
The park has several vacant protection ranger positions that will be filled in the coming months. A formal vacancy announcement will be issued soon. In the meantime, the park is open to considering lateral transfers for one or more positions. If interested in being considered, please forward your application to the Chief Ranger's Office, 107 Park Headquarters Road, Gatlinburg, TN 37738 or contact Jack Piepenbring, Cades Cove district ranger, at 865-448-4105.
[Submitted by Jack Piepenbring, District Ranger]
Cuyahoga Valley National Park (OH)
Full-Time GS-5 Seasonal Ranger
The park will be providing a journeyman ranger to work with the Service's FLETC-based PPE/WMD program through the end of FY03. This is an unanticipated vacancy that comes at the start of the busy spring/summer season. They are accordingly looking for a full-time seasonal ranger (GS-05) to work backfill in this temporarily vacant position from now through September 30th. They will also consider taking someone on detail from another NPS area. The candidate must be eligible for a Type I or II LE commission (including annual LE training hours requirement), have met (or be able to meet) medical standards, and have received or passed a BI, pre-employment drug screening and a pre-employment PEB. The park has an active law enforcement program. The candidate selected will gain experience dealing with drug cultivation detection and monitoring, drug possession and use, DUI apprehension, public intoxication, various hunting and resource violations and special event management. Located within the park boundary is the popular outdoor Blossom Music Center, home to rock and classical concerts all summer long, the Cuyahoga Valley Environmental Education Center, the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, several NPS visitor centers and visitor contact stations and much more. The Akron-Cleveland metropolitan area is home to a dozen colleges, internationally-known medical facilities, a number of museums, several major professional sports teams and noted local and metro park systems. Housing may be available in the park dorm; short-term rentals outside the park are also available. If interested, please contact Dale Silvis, DR, South District, at 330-657-2793 ext. 311. This vacancy is not yet advertised, but will be in the immediate future.
[Submitted by Dale Silvis, District 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.