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NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MORNING REPORT BLACKBERRY EDITION Friday, January 13, 2006 =============================================================================================================== INCIDENTS Alaska Region Preparations Underway for Volcanic Eruption The U.S. Geological Survey is currently monitoring the eruption of Augustine Volcano in Alaska that began on Wednesday with two explosions at the summit of the volcano. The alert level is classified at red, the highest level of concern. The volcano is located in Cook Inlet, about 180 miles southwest of Anchorage. Because of the volcano's location, the ash fall from a full scale eruption will likely have significant impacts on the regional office in Anchorage and on Lake Clark NP&P, Kenai Fjords NP and Katmai NP&P. Other areas may also be affected. The high alert level has prompted the regional office to issue a memorandum to all employees in Alaska with the following guidance: “In the event of ash fall in Anchorage the regional office will not be open for business until the event is over and it is considered safe to return to work. Affected parks may have to close as well - that discretion is up to the park superintendent. The health and safety of our employees is our main concern and ash fall can pose significant threats. Please read the tips below to insure your safety.” On Wednesday, the eruption produced an ash plume that reached about 30,000 feet above sea level. The ash plume then detached from the volcanic vent, and winds blew the ash away from populated areas. USGS advises, however, that the volcano's status could change at any time. USGS expects this eruption may be similar to Augustine's eruptions in 1976 and 1986 when the volcanic ash was spread throughout and perhaps beyond Cook Inlet. Since spring 2005, the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) has been recording increasing unrest at Augustine Volcano. Rates of earthquake occurrence increased slowly from an average rate of one to two per day in early May, to three to four per day in October, and up to 15 per day in mid-December. Concurrent with this increase, USGS detected a small uplift of the volcano using Global Positioning Systems (GPS) instruments permanently installed on the mountain. In early and mid December, a number of small steam explosions were recorded by seismic instruments on the volcano. Views of the summit following these explosions revealed new steaming cracks and localized deposits of debris. In addition, airborne gas measurements and thermal imaging measurements showed an increase in the output of volcanic gas and heat at the summit of the volcano. The highest temperature recorded, on January 4, was 390 C (750 F). AVO interpreted these changes as a sign that new magma was accumulating beneath the volcano's summit. In response to this activity, AVO deployed additional seismometers, GPS receivers, an infrasound sensor, and time lapse cameras on the flanks of the volcano, and established a web-based camera system. Further deployment of additional monitoring equipment is ongoing and USGS will continue to monitor the activity closely. Further information on Augustine Volcano and related hazards and response plans can be found at the following web sites: HYPERLINK "http://www.avo.alaska.edu" www.avo.alaska.edu; ash-related information at HYPERLINK "http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/ash/" http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/ash/; NOAA and National Weather Service ash cloud trajectories and aviation warnings at HYPERLINK "http://pafc.arh.noaa.gov/augustine.php" http://pafc.arh.noaa.gov/augustine.php, tsunami issues related to Augustine at HYPERLINK "http://wcatwc.arh.noaa.gov/Augustine/AugustineWeb.htm" http://wcatwc.arh.noaa.gov/Augustine/AugustineWeb.htm; and community preparedness at HYPERLINK "http://www.ak-prepared.com/plans/mitigation/volcano.htm" http://www.ak-prepared.com/plans/mitigation/volcano.htm. Organ Pipe Cactus NM Border Incidents and Operations In the interest of operational security, the park no longer routinely submits incident reports for high profile incidents. The following is a summary of border related incidents for 2005: Rangers conducted over 5,800 man hours of interdiction operations, resulting in the seizure of just under 17,000 pounds of marijuana being smuggled through the park by vehicle and on foot. One hundred and four Mexican nationals and four United States Citizens were arrested for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. These arrests also netted pistols, knives, ammunition, radios and cellular phones. An additional 908 undocumented aliens and their guides were apprehended. Five stolen vehicles were recovered. Many of these operations were conducted as Interagency Border Anti-Narcotic Network Task Force operations under the direction of the ranger staff. Over 25 of these felony level cases are still awaiting trial, with numerous suspects associated with each case.
Organ Pipe rangers have been able to maintain their high intensity drug interdiction patrols despite two vacancies and one ranger deployed overseas. Throughout the year, Organ Pipe detailed rangers in for special operations who provided invaluable assistance in these cases. Participating parks were Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Mount Rainier, North Cascades, Great Smokies, Shenandoah, Point Reyes, Padre Island, glen Canyon, Sequoia-Kings Canyon, Little River, Saguaro, Western Alaska Areas, Amistad, Arches and Canyonlands. The effects of these illegal activities continue to threaten park visitors and resources, with over 200 miles of illegal roads and 1,000 miles of illegal trails having been created. The final phase of construction of the vehicle barrier continues. Two thirds of the park boundary is completed, with final project completion projected for this coming October. [Fred Patton, Chief Ranger] JOBS Law Enforcement and Emergency Services, WASO GS-0301-13 Functional Administrator for IMARS The Service has issued an announcement (NPSWASO-05-097) for a GS-0301-13 functional administrator to oversee the Incident Management Analysis and Reporting System (IMARS) now being developed. It is being advertised government-wide. Duties include: Serving as IMARS liaison between the associate director, division chiefs, regional IMARS coordinators and the field Working closely with the NPS IMARS system administrator and the IMARS core team Helping get the NPS pilot program up and running Rolling out IMARS for the rest of the NPS Training IMARS users Working toward setting up the IMARS multi-bureau help desk As IMARS evolves, the functional administrator will become the "go to" person for functional questions that need answers and clarification. The administrator will also develop a working relationship with other bureau functional administrators and contribute toward forwarding recommendations to the IMARS governance board for additions/changes. [Ginny Rousseau, IMARS Project Coordinator] PARKS AND PEOPLE NPS/FLETC Two Retirements and a Transfer Ranger Bruce Hasson, the Service's national armorer, and special agent Beverly Perry, a detailed firearms instructor, both retired from the National Park Service during the first week of January. Staff and friends attended a dinner party for Bruce and a luncheon for Bev before they departed from the Center. Bruce, who spent a total of 26 years with the NPS, has relocated to the New Castle, Pennsylvania, area to be nearer to family. Bev, with 27 years of law enforcement time with the NPS, intends to remain in the Brunswick area and plans to ease gently into the retired lifestyle. Supervisory ranger Steve Stinnett also departed the Center this week, accepting the assistant chief ranger position on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The parkway's gain is certainly the NPS/FLETC's loss. [Don Usher, Superintendent] * * * * * Prepared by Visitor and Resource Protection, WASO, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA. --- ### --- |