NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
BLACKBERRY EDITION
Thursday, September 1, 2005
INCIDENTS
Eastern Areas
Response to Hurricane Recovery Escalates
The National Park Service continues to steadily increase its support to parks hit by Hurricane Katrina. Two incident management teams (IMTs) have so far been committed to Hurricane Katrina recovery operations and a third is on standby. As previously noted, one Eastern IMT (Gordon Wissinger, IC) is now at Everglades NP, assisting the park staff with damage to Flamingo and to Dry Tortugas NP. A second Eastern IMT (Rick Brown, IC) is currently en route to Gulf Islands NS to work with that park on recovery operations in the Mississippi District. And the national IMT (JD Swed, IC) is on standby for possible deployment to the New Orleans area to assist the staffs at Jean Lafitte NHP&P, New Orleans Jazz NHP and any other areas that might need assistance. One critical incident stress management (CISM) team has been committed to Everglades and another will likely soon be dispatched to Gulf Islands. Other teams of specialists are on standby and will be committed when the necessary ground work has been laid to accommodate them. Numerous NPS employees have also been called out to support FEMA, DOI or other agencies in recovery operations. Here's a wrap-up of what was known about affected parks as of yesterday evening:
Everglades NP/Dry Tortugas NP
Work is progressing in the Flamingo area of the park. Park employees who live in Flamingo employee housing will be returning to their homes today. Although the majority of restoration work has been done by the park maintenance staff to make the units habitable, they will continue ongoing minor repairs to the facilities. Sprint and Bell South will begin restoring phone service to Flamingo as well. Working under the IMT, park employees concentrated their efforts yesterday to remove floating and stationary debris from the Flamingo boat basin maintenance area and also the public marina.
A Type II hand crew and technical specialists — plumbers, electricians, carpenters — will start arriving tomorrow to assist in the recovery efforts. These new arrivals will relieve park employees who have been making repairs since the storm hit.
Members of the IMT will be transported by aircraft to Fort Jefferson/Dry Tortugas to begin assessment of damages and restoration efforts.
While the focus remains on employee health and welfare and reopening the park to the public, park management recognizes that this storm event is of significant scientific interest. The park and the IMT are working with researchers to accommodate access to research areas critical to monitoring efforts.
The critical incident stress management team began meeting yesterday with park employees in the Flamingo area. Meetings are scheduled at park headquarters tomorrow and other meetings will be scheduled throughout Everglades and Dry Tortugas in the future to reach as many employees as possible.
Gulf Islands NS
The park is still trying to get a handle on the full scope of the damage caused by the hurricane. An overflight of both districts was conducted yesterday morning with that objective in mind. As noted previously, the majority of known damage is in the Mississippi District. All buildings there are extensively damaged, except for some in the maintenance complex. Park staff yesterday worked at clearing many trees from the access road to that complex from Highway 90 so that an incident command post can be established there. A Forest Service crew is en route to the area and will probably arrive today; they will help clear the roadway from the maintenance area further on down to the visitor center. On Tuesday and again on Wednesday, staff in the Florida District got together shipments of ice, water, fans, generators, fuel and other emergency materials and transported them to the Mississippi District. Rick Brown's Eastern IMT should arrive on site today to begin assisting with recovery efforts.
Some areas in the Florida District also remain closed - Perdido Key, Okalosa and Fort Barrancas have joined Fort Pickens and Santa Rosa, still closed due to road damage suffered from Hurricane Ivan a year ago. The main reason for closure is sand and water covering surfaces through the three areas. The Naval Live Oaks Visitor Center and Headquarters complex remains open.
Jean Lafitte NHP&P/New Orleans Jazz NHP
Not much information is yet available due to the lack of communications and the staff's inability to return to the downtown portions of either site. Almost all employees from both parks have been accounted for; efforts continue to contact those who've not been heard from.
Natchez Trace Parkway
About 200 miles of the parkway remain closed due to downed trees and power lines. The road may be opened sometime today. The park has no internet or email communications and outgoing long distance phone service is also out. Incoming calls can be received. The park's 800 emergency line is fortunately still in service for both incoming and outgoing calls, thereby making it possible for employees from other parks to check in. A current concern is the lack of propane fuel for generators and other types of fuel as well.
Natchez NHP
Power was restored on Tuesday night and the park has reopened. At present, however, both internet and email services are down.
[Nancy Gray, IO, EVER; Nina Kelson, GUIS; Keith Whisenant, NATC; Charles Cuvelier, NATR]
Rocky Mountain NP
Missing Hiker Found Following Extended Search
The search for hiker J.B.-A., 45, of Austin Texas, who'd been missing since early afternoon last Sunday, came to a successful conclusion yesterday when he was spotted by aerial searchers in the Hague Creek area of the Mummy Range. He was picked up and flown to the park's helibase at Upper Beaver Meadows, where he received medical care. Although tired and hungry, he appeared to be okay. [Kyle Patterson, Public Affairs Officer]
FIRE MANAGEMENT
Individual fire entries for today for the National Park Service can be obtained at HYPERLINK "http://www.nps.gov/fire/news" http://www.nps.gov/fire/news . The full NIFC Incident Management Situation Report for today can be obtained at HYPERLINK "http://www.nifc.gov/news/sitreprt.pdf" http://www.nifc.gov/news/sitreprt.pdf.
OPERATIONAL NOTES
Associate Director, Visitor and Resource Protection
Message of Thanks to V&RP Seasonal Workforce
The following message was prepared by AD/V&RP Karen Taylor-Goodrich and goes out to the V&RP seasonal workforce:
The seasonal workforce has been a vital component of the National Park Service since its creation in 1916. As the end of another summer approaches, many of you will be leaving us once again. Today, your jobs are more demanding than ever. Your willingness to selflessly obtain the training necessary to perform your jobs, live in sometimes less than ideal housing, and work under temporary conditions requires significant personal commitment. That commitment epitomizes the character of the men and women that make up the National Park Service. As the recent passing of Jeff Christensen has so painfully reminded us, the vital roles you play in protecting our national parks cannot be overlooked or overemphasized.
We are still negotiating and working closely with the Department on the future of the seasonal workforce. This is a top priority and we will keep you, park managers and seasonal academies informed of the status of our efforts so we can plan our future accordingly. Nevertheless, please understand the criticalness of your positions and our sincere appreciation for your diligent work efforts. We hope to see you next summer.
Sincerely,
Karen Taylor-Goodrich
PARKS AND PEOPLE
Nothing today.
JOBS
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Prepared by Visitor and Resource Protection, WASO, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.
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