Redwood National and State Parks (CA)
Death of Ranger Curt Vade Bon Coeur
When ranger Curt Vade Bon Coeur failed to report to work on Monday, January 24th, his supervisor asked a state park ranger to check his residence, located in Tolowa State Dunes SP. Vade Bon Coeur lived there by himself. When the ranger checked the residence around 4 p.m., he looked through a window and saw Vade Bon Coeur motionless in the bathroom. He entered and confirmed that Vade Bon Couer had died. The Del Norte County Sheriff's Office was contacted and deputies and investigators responded. Also responding were several NPS rangers. The Del Norte County Sheriff's Office continues the investigation into the death, with the support of NPS and California State Park staff. Foul play is not suspected at this time. The park staff grieves the loss of a fine ranger and a fine person. Curt Vade Bon Coeur had worked at Redwood National and State Parks for almost ten years and had many ties with the local community. He began his NPS career in 1983 as a seasonal ranger at Buffalo National River and subsequently worked at Shenandoah NP, Yosemite NP, Delaware Water Gap NRA, and St. Croix NSR. Curt was 44 years old at the time of his passing. Details on funeral arrangements to follow. [Submitted by Rick Nolan, Acting Chief Ranger]
Northeast Region
Blizzard of 2005
Reports have been received from several parks that were hit by last weekend's blizzard:
- Cape Cod NS — The blizzard struck Cape Cod with near hurricane force winds during the evening of January 22nd and throughout the next day. Snowfall totals were approximately 30 inches, with drifts as high as six feet in some park locations. NPS maintenance crews worked long hours doing their best to keep up with rapid snow accumulations. Thanks to their efforts, all major park roads were opened by the end of the day on January 24th. The Salt Pond Visitor Center and park headquarters re-opened on January 25th. Maintenance crews will be busy the remainder of the week clearing side roads and performing damage assessments on buildings and facilities. To date, no significant damage has been reported in the park. Protection rangers have been active assisting local towns with welfare checks on sick and elderly residents and assisting stranded motorists.
- Boston NHP — The park received a significant amount of snow, with extensive drifting. Snow and drifting snow hampered park maintenance workers in their efforts to remove the snow. They were still working on removal yesterday. The park was closed on Sunday and Monday, but reopened yesterday. The sprinkler system at the Constitution Museum, a private museum within the park, failed on Saturday evening during the storm, dumping significant amounts of water on the lobby/visitor contact area. Rangers isolated and shutdown the water supply and also moved office equipment and computers to dry and secure areas. Boston FD responded, and the museum's alarm company and maintenance staff were notified.
- Gateway NRA (Sandy Hook Unit) — The park sustained between $4,000 and $5,000 in water damage, probably more related to the intense cold than the storm itself.
More snow is forecast for the region for today.
[Submitted by
Steve Prokop, Chief Ranger, CACO; John Lynch, Chief Ranger, BOST; Clay
Jordan, Acting Regional Chief Ranger, Northeast Region]
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (PA)
Pursuit and Arrest of Drunk Driver
While conducting a hunter checkpoint on Route 739 on December 4th, ranger Chris Kross smelled the odor of alcohol on the driver of a Saturn and told him to pull over into Dingman's Access. The driver, D.W., began to pull into the access area, but then drove straight through the checkpoint, almost hitting ranger Don Philpot, and fled up Route 739. Kross and ranger Mike Croll pursued. During the chase, D.W. passed numerous vehicles in a no passing zone, forcing one to drive off the road, and hit speeds of nearly 80 mph on the winding road. Although D.W. was able to escape, Kross had his registration from his initial stop at the checkpoint. Kross, Croll and ranger Gregg Tinkham drove to D.W.'s house about 20 minutes later. As Croll was walking around to the back of the house, D.W. went out the back door and fled on foot. D.W. ignored instructions to stop and was taken down and arrested forcibly in his back yard. D.W. was charged with operating under the influence (.158 % BAC), fleeing to elude, driving on a suspended license and illegal passing. [Submitted by Chris Kross, Supervisory Park Ranger]
Canyon De Chelly National Monument (AZ)
Assist in Fugitive Arrest
On Friday, January 21st, the Navajo Police Department asked rangers to assist in apprehending an escaped fugitive within the park. The man, who was in his early twenties and a former high school cross-country runner, escaped from the Chinle Navajo Nation courthouse, still dressed in his orange jumpsuit, and fled east on foot towards the park. Some officers and rangers chased him into the canyon, while others positioned themselves along the rim and observed as he ran up canyon through flowing cold water and areas of thick exotic vegetation. He eluded officers for about six miles before being caught near the Junction area of the inner canyon. When captured, he was hiding between a rock wall and a log in a vegetated area. He'd discarded his orange jumpsuit and was barefoot and clothed in only a pair of boxer shorts. [Submitted by William Yazzi, Chief Ranger]
OPERATIONAL NOTES
Director/Deputy Directors
Update on Law Enforcement Retirement and Administrative Issues
As many of you are aware, there is considerable discussion throughout the workforce regarding the status of law enforcement retirement, enhanced pay, and position descriptions. These issues are of critical concern to all of us and have become our top priority.
A number of people are dedicated to working on all aspects of these concerns, which may take some time to resolve. We have, however, made progress regarding one of these issues: as a result of a meeting held between NPS and Department of the Interior senior staff today, effective immediately, enhanced pay for NPS seasonal protection rangers will continue, uninterrupted.
A technical work group has been established to develop the administrative support documents to adequately address these matters, including development of new benchmark position descriptions to appropriately address enhanced law enforcement pay and retirement coverage. A team consisting of park, regional, and WASO managers, and representatives from the technical work group, will then review all options and documents, including evaluation of any administrative benefits and other workforce considerations. We will keep you informed and updated as we progress through this effort. We are also working in collaboration with the Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs in the preparation of a legislative package to address these issues, as appropriate.
Background: In June 2004, the Department of the Interior's Human Resource Office determined that the NPS seasonal benchmark protection Park Ranger, GS-GS-025-5/7 position descriptions, as reviewed by the Fire/Law Enforcement Retirement Team Office (FLERT) in Boise, did not meet the definitions of primary/rigorous or secondary law enforcement officer positions. (Benchmark position descriptions for the GS-025-5/7/9 permanent protection park rangers are not affected.) This decision did not reach the WASO offices directly responsible for addressing the issue until November of 2004. Since that time, WASO Visitor and Resource Protection and Human Resources managers, in conjunction with regional offices, have been working together to determine how to address the impacts of this Departmental decision. The most immediate issue was the decision that temporary law enforcement PD's did not meet the definitions of a law enforcement officer for retirement purposes, and the individuals occupying these positions were also not eligible to receive the special law enforcement salary rate.
The team will meet with the FLERT staff in the near future to discuss these issues and attempt to find a mutually satisfactory solution that addresses everyone's concerns. Please be assured that we are very sensitive to the implications of all of these issues, and are working to address the Service's mission and needs, while also recognizing the Department's and the Office of Personnel Management's positions on the matter.
[Submitted by : Karen Taylor-Goodrich, Associate Director, Visitor and Resource Protection, and Jim Poole, Acting Associate Director, Administration, Business Practices, and Workforce Development]
PARKS AND PEOPLE
Big Bend National Park (TX)
GS-11 Emergency Services Coordinator
The park is seeking qualified candidates for a permanent full-time GS-11 emergency services coordinator position. An announcement has opened on USA Jobs (BIBE-05-03) and closes on February 7th. Big Bend NP is an isolated duty station with exclusive jurisdiction and is totally self-reliant for all forms of emergency services. The park is seeking an individual with the knowledge and experience to manage the park's EMS, structural fire and SAR programs. The person selected will:
- be responsible for program management, employee training, equipment caches and two fire stations;
- serve as an IC or team member on all-risk incidents;
- serve as a member of the park fire brigade and SAR team, maintain certification as an EMT or park medic and performs law enforcement as a Type I commissioned ranger.
This is a required occupancy position, with housing located at park HQ. The position is subject to mandatory drug testing and is covered by 6(c). Chief ranger Mark Spier invites questions and has more information at 432-477-1185.
[Submitted by Mark Spier, Chief Ranger]
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks (CA)
GS-12 District Ranger
The park is interested in filling the GS-12 district ranger position for the Sequoia District through a lateral transfer. Interested employees should send an application to chief ranger JD Swed postmarked February 9th or earlier. The Sequoia District Ranger provides direction and support to 13 permanent and 35 to 40 seasonal rangers and visitor use assistants. The district encompasses all of Sequoia National Park, from foothills to Sequoia forests to the high Sierra, much of it wilderness. Programs managed include law enforcement, fee collection, structural fire prevention and suppression, EMS/SAR coordination and execution, wilderness management and on-going efforts in resource education. The district ranger is stationed at park headquarters (Ash Mountain) six miles from Three Rivers. Park housing is not provided. Mail applications to Chief Ranger, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, 47050 Generals Highway, Three Rivers, CA 93271. Contact JD Swed (559-565-3110, jd_swed@nps.gov) or Pat Grediagin (559-565-3710, pat_grediagin@nps.gov) for more information. [Submitted by Pat Grediagin, Sequoia District Ranger]
Big Thicket National Preserve (TX)
Supervisory Park Ranger (Protection)
Dates: 01/26/2005 - 02/15/2005
Vacancy announcement BITH 05-MP-01 for a supervisory park ranger (protection) will be posted on USA Jobs on January 26th. The duty station is Woodville, Texas. The person selected will serve as first line, direct supervisor to law enforcement personnel. His/her responsibilities include emergency services, visitor and resource protection, structural fire, search and rescue, backcountry patrol, ARPA, wildlife protection programs, etc. She/he will perform the full range of supervisory responsibilities, will serve as acting chief ranger in the chief's absence, and may serve as the collateral duty park safety officer, fitness coordinator, firearms lnstructor, and defensive tactics instructor. Applicants must possess a Type I NPS LE commission and be certified as a First Responder. This position is covered under 6c as secondary supervisory. Questions should be directed to chief ranger Mark Peapenburg at 409-951-6830.
[Submitted by Nellie Martinez, Nellie_Martinez@nps.gov, 409-951-6812] More Information...
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.