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NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MORNING REPORT BLACKBERRY EDITION Wednesday, March 8, 2006 =============================================================================================================== INCIDENTS US Park Police Protestors Arrested on White House Sidewalk On Monday, February 27th, Park Police officers arrested seven demonstrators on the White House sidewalk for demonstrating without a permit. They then made another 15 arrests on Wednesday, March 1st, for the same violation. In both cases, demonstrators were given three warnings to cease and desist their protests. After the warnings, those remaining on the sidewalk were arrested and charged with demonstrating without a permit. In each case, all of the demonstrators were processed and released later on the same day. [Sergeant Scott R. Fear, United States Park Police] JOBS Crater Lake NP GS-025-9 Resource and Visitor Protection Ranger Crater Lake National Park is seeking highly motivated, team-oriented employees to fill two permanent, full-time resource and visitor protection ranger positions. The rangers in these positions will work in the Branch of Ranger Operations, with parkwide duties involving the full spectrum of protection duties in frontcountry and backcountry areas. Occupancy of park housing is required. The vacancy announcement can be found on USA Jobs, and will close on March 13th. For more information, contact Pete Reinhardt, ranger operations supervisor, at 541-594-3056 or HYPERLINK "mailto:Peter_Reinhardt@nps.gov" Peter_Reinhardt@nps.gov Sequoia/Kings Canyon NPs GS-025-9 Park Ranger (Protection) Are you looking for a lateral reassignment to one of the best jobs in the National Park Service? How about excitement and adventure? This is not a quiet position and there's lots of action going on year round. Sequoia and Kings Canyon NP is recruiting for a highly motivated GS-025-9 park ranger for its Lodgepole Subdistrict. This position is STF and currently funded for 11 months per year. The employee will work in the Sequoia District and live in the Lodgepole area, which is located in the middle of the park at approximately 6,700 feet. The ranger selected for this position will serve as a resource protection and visitor management ranger and be responsible for patrolling both backcountry and frontcountry areas in Lodgepole, responding to EMS, SAR, LE, and structural fire suppression calls. We presently have an outstanding ranger staff in the Lodgepole area and looking for someone to mix together with their emergency response skills. For those interested and qualified, Sequoia/Kings Canyon has the following active special programs: helicopter short-haul evacuations, marijuana special operations, cross-country ski patrol/snow surveys, FLETC field training officer, and park medic. This is a required occupancy position; government housing is limited but available and located within the park at Lodgepole. There is significant snowfall from November into April, and winter temperatures range from - 10 to 30 degrees F. There is no school available in the immediate area. Fresno is a one hour drive away and has an airport, cultural events, a large regional hospital, and all other needed services. This is the last of four LE ranger positions that the park will be filling from recently received WASO special drug money funding. If you are interested in this position, please contact Sequoia District DR Greg Moss at 559-565-3710 or by email at HYPERLINK "mailto:greg_moss@nps.gov" greg_moss@nps.gov. PARKS AND PEOPLE Visitor and Resource Protection Todd Swain Receives 2006 Harry Yount Award Park ranger and special agent Todd Swain, this year's recipient of the Harry Yount Award, has become recognized among professionals in resource protection, search and rescue, and ranger skills, not only within the NPS and the Department of Interior but among resource protection professionals internationally. To quote Assistant United States Attorney, Joseph Johns, head of the Environmental Crimes Section of the Central District of California, “…I have had an extensive opportunity to observe and assess his character, abilities, creativity, intelligence, relevant subject-matter knowledge, and dedication to the mission of the Service. I believe he is exceptional in every regard…I have prosecuted every type of wildlife and resource crime imaginable under every federal statute available…There is no doubt in my mind that…Todd…is the finest law enforcement officer that I have had the honor to work with…It is my firm belief that Harry Yount himself would consider it an honor to be held in the same regard as (Todd).” Though Todd has specialized skills in resource protection, he is not a narrowly focused specialist. He epitomizes the generalist park ranger from which his career roots are firmly grounded. A review of his personnel file is a delight for any manager to read. With a start as a rock and ice climbing guide in state parks in New Hampshire, Todd began his NPS career as an interpreter at Wind Cave where at season's end, his first NPS supervisor glowingly writes on the creativity, infectious energy, and passion for the resource that he brought to the job. It was only a start. As Todd's park ranger career progressed from the national parks of Wind Cave to Grand Teton and on to Joshua Tree, the letters of praise, admiration, and appreciation kept coming. As a climbing ranger, Todd's rescue skills are legendary. Todd is the author of climbing guides to state parks in New Hampshire, New York, and the BLM area of Red Rocks, Nevada, where Todd's climbing guides are in the gear bag of most every climber to enter that area. Beyond honing his personal expertise, Todd has always sought forums to teach other rangers and volunteer rescue teams, establishing the first rock rescue seminars held annually for many years at Joshua Tree. These seminars undoubtedly led to future life saving heroics by rangers, but would not have happened without Todd's creativity in seeking funding, equipment, and instructors. A true “Renaissance ranger,” Todd put his teaching skills to further use through his invaluable contributions to mountaineering journals. His contributions in the realm of search and rescue have been profound. The ability of a ranger to hone a skill, and in Todd's case, many skills, is exemplary. The ability to teach a skill competently, consistently, and successfully is a rarity. As with his rescue skills, Todd saw a need to improve the skills of other park rangers in the area of resource protection and made it happen. The impact Todd has had on resource protection should not be underestimated. For well over a decade, Todd has been the highest rated instructor of resource protection courses for archeologists, paleontologists, tactical teams, superintendents, US attorneys, and park rangers in basic and advanced courses. Todd created an advanced resource protection course which brings together professional disciplines within land management agencies that need to partner to protect natural and cultural resources. He was recognized by the NPS Training Division with the “Crystal Owl Award” in 2002. It is during his instruction, casework, court testimony, media interviews, or day to day interactions with the public that Todd constantly presents the highest standards of professionalism that reflect so proudly on the park ranger profession. Todd leads by example in his outreach to foreign countries struggling with their own resource protection issues. A further example of dedication to the park ranger profession and representation of the mission and ideals of the Service has been his involvement with the Republic of South Africa's National Park Service and his liaison and training of their rangers. During a recent ranger exchange, Todd recognized the existence of an international endangered plant smuggling ring, quickly acted upon information, formed a multi-agency investigative team, and successfully targeted the criminals. As one letter in his personnel file stated, “Todd sets a new standard of excellence…” for park rangers. Long known as the finest ARPA investigator in any agency, Todd recently led an interagency task force in the successful multi-year investigation of high profile looters “Operation Indian Rocks.” This operation set precedence for protection of archeological resources. “Operation Indian Rocks” was cited as one of the 100 most significant events in science in 2005 by Discovery Magazine and has received major media interest in the plight of archeological protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Johns eloquently captures Todd Swain's contributions and worthiness for consideration of this award with this observation: “…I can say with full conviction and candor that special agent Todd Swain is not only a ‘cornerstone of the National Park Service's rangering profession and community' but rather that he is a cornerstone of the nation's law enforcement efforts to protect natural, wildlife, and archeological resources.” We strongly suspect that good ‘ole Harry Yount would have felt the same as those who have had the honor to know and work with Todd Swain. * * * * * Prepared by Visitor and Resource Protection, WASO, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA. --- ### --- |