NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

BLACKBERRY EDITION

Wednesday, February 1, 2006

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INCIDENTS

Haleakala NP

Visitor Killed by Falling Boulder

A visitor hiking with three friends in the Lelekea Stream drainage in the Kipahulu area of the park was killed when he dislodged a boulder that rolled on top of him. The 25-year-old man was trapped underwater by a boulder that measured over four feet long by three feet wide. One friend was able to hold his head above water while he remained conscious and alert; the remaining two hikers went for help. When they returned, they were able to lever the boulder off with rock bars before emergency personnel arrived. NPS personnel and bystanders began CPR and transported him to a clear area where a Maui Fire Department helicopter was able to short haul him out. Ambulance personnel continued working on him, but he did not recover from his injury and died. The Lelekea drainage is approximately one mile east of the Alelele area where ranger Suzi Roberts was killed in September, 2004. [Amy Brees, Incident Commander]

Blue Ridge Parkway

Rangers Assist in Apprehension of Shooting Suspect

Around 9 p.m. on Sunday, January 29th, rangers were asked to assist Watauga County Sheriff's Department officers in capturing a man who'd shot a deputy and was still at large and shooting at responding officers. The incident occurred near the town of Boone, close to the park boundary. Responding officers were eventually able to safely extract the injured deputy and transport him to a local hospital, but the remaining officers were pinned down by continuing gunfire. After shooting the deputy, the gunman positioned himself on a wooded hillside with a good view of approaching law enforcement units and began firing on them with a rifle. The gunman later barricaded himself inside a mobile home in a residential trailer park below the hill and continued firing at approaching vehicles and officers. A perimeter was established while officers from several responding law enforcement agencies arrived to assist. Two rangers were assigned to man a roadblock on the incident perimeter, while a third ranger equipped with night vision goggles approached the trailer with a team of other deputies. The ranger was positioned so that he could observe the only entrance to the trailer. Rifles were used to shoot out surrounding street lights to protect officers approaching the trailer and to improve the effectiveness of the night vision goggles. Other teams began evacuating surrounding trailers. The man was taken into custody by deputies and a ranger after about a three-hour standoff when he stepped outside of the trailer unarmed, but eating an apple with one hand and carrying a handful of Twinkies in the other. The deputy who was shot was hit in the arm. He was treated and released later that evening. Another shot from the man's handgun had hit him in the chest, but he was protected by personal body armor. Charges against his assailant are pending. [Brent Pennington, Highlands District Ranger]

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Law Enforcement and Emergency Services

Replacing Night Sights on Sig Arms Weapons

It has been approximately ten years since the Service converted to Sig Arms weapons. At that time, most, if not all, of the weapons were equipped with night sights, either the Siglite or Trintium style. Sig Arms has acknowledged that these night sights have a life cycle of approximately ten years. As a result, many commissioned rangers and agents may be experiencing problems with these sights when conducting night courses of fire. If this should be occurring, it is time to replace the sights. Parks are encouraged to purchase new sights when this occurs for the safety of rangers. The cost to replace both the front and rear sights is approximately $90. (Dennis Burnett, LEES)

JOBS

Canyonlands NP

GS-025-9 Park Ranger (Protection)

Canyonlands National Parkhas one or possibly two openings in the Island in the Sky District. Duties include front and backcountry law enforcement patrol covering vehicle and resource protection enforcement, search and rescue, emergency medical services, and wildland firefighting. Skills needed for these activities include rock climbing, mountain biking, and four-wheel-drive operation over and through rocky and sandy terrain. River boating skill may also be used.

Current NPS career/career-conditional employees with the following qualifications will be considered through reassignment:

currently occupying a 5 USC 8336(c) covered position with a full performance level of GS-09, and

possession of a Level I NPS law enforcement commission, and

possession of, or ability to obtain a Red Card Arduous (Red Card A) certification for wildland firefighting.

Current EMT-Basic certification through a national registry is also greatly desired. Position(s) are required occupancy. Relocation expenses will be paid.

Island in the Sky, located 35 miles from Moab, is a broad mesa wedged between the Green and Colorado rivers. It provides views stretching across canyon after canyon to the horizon 100 miles distant. Sitting 6,000 feet above sea level on the Colorado Plateau, the climate is typical high desert - up to 100 degrees during the summer months down to freezing and below with occasional snow during the winter months. The most visited district of Canyonlands National Park, Island in the Sky receives up to 250,000 visitors annually. Interested employees may contact either Island in the Sky District Ranger Kevin Moore at 435-259-4712 ext. 23, or the Human Resource Office at 435-719-2117. This recruitment through reassignment procedures will remain open only through Friday, February 10th. To apply, mail the following to the park: Your application/resume, recent SF-50 showing current series, grade, and 6c retirement coverage, most recent performance appraisal, and photocopies of current Level 1 NPS law enforcement commission, EMT certificate, and Red Card A.

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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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