NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

BLACKBERRY EDITION

Wednesday, October 19, 2005

INCIDENTS

Gulf Coast Areas

Update on Hurricane Recovery Operations

Jean Lafitte NHP&P/New Orleans Jazz NHP

The Eastern IMT (Gordon Wissinger, IC) is charged with both assisting the employees of the two parks and with overseeing the overall NPS response to the hurricane.

Employee Assistance Branch - Branch members completed preparation of employee assistance toolkits. They also conducted a conference call with points of contact for affected parks concerning the long-term mental health contract. Employees met yesterday evening to get into their trailers.

Resources and Facilities Branch - Developments by area:

Barataria - The crew checked the wood duck trail to determine if it had dried enough for them to continue debris removal, but found that it was too wet. The group continued using boats to clear trees, brush and household debris from the Lower Kenta, Millaudon, Bayou Coquille, and Horseshoe canal canoe trails and began work on the waterways at the North and South Segnette access points. Saw crews are demobilizing tonight.

Chalmette - Ventilation continued at the Malus-Beauregard House and the Superintendent's Lodge. Technical specialists continued evaluations of the Malus-Beauregard House, Carriage House, Superintendent's Lodge, and the brick walls around the cemetery, and continued development of an immediate remedial action plan. They are working to order a historic preservation specialist with expertise in interior wall stabilization and preservation.

Cane River - The NPS saw crew continued with hazard historic tree trimming work to restore the cultural landscape in Oakland Plantation. The historic preservation crew began work on the square crib restoration. They continued work on the mule barn and began epoxy repairs to the mule barn posts.

Law Enforcement Branch - Two LE-operated boats provided access for saw crews to clear canoe trails in Barataria so that researchers can return to their stations. LE continued its presence in day and night shifts at Barataria Preserve. They continued to patrol Chalmette for incident personnel security. They continued night shift activities such as maintaining security at the ICP.

Gulf Islands NS

A Type 3 team (Rich Degnan, IC) is managing the incident.

Crews are framing the windows and doors in the park housing. 80% of the electrical work is complete. The Brick House is ready for painting. The contractor is assembling the modular units of the temporary visitor contact station. Fort Massachusetts debris is cleaned up and work there is 99 % complete. Incident personnel sleeping in the carpenter shop have moved out and returned this area back to park personnel.

Additional Information

A web site has been established as a repository for official documents related to hurricane recovery operations: HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/waso/waso.cfm?prg=15&lv=1" http://inside.nps.gov/waso/waso.cfm?prg=15&lv=1.

[Randy Sutton, IO, IMT, JELA/JAZZ]

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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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