NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
Thursday, January 17, 2013
INCIDENTS
National Capital Region
Over 500 NPS Staff, Volunteers Prepare For Inauguration
The National Capital Region incident management team for the Presidential Inauguration, led by John Stanwich, deputy NPS liaison to the White House, is almost at the finish line after more than a year of planning for the historic event. Numerous National Park employees from across the Service are pitching in. More than 500 staff and volunteers will be on hand on “Game Day” to ensure the best possible visitor experience and the protection of the cultural and natural resources on the National Mall and in President's Park. Making that happen are rangers, maintenance workers, Park Police officers (including their horse mounted patrol), permit monitors, EMTs, communications specialists and contract specialists, among others. The work takes an extraordinary amount of coordination, not only inside the NPS, but in working with a number of agencies, including the Secret Service, the DC Department of Transportation, the DC Metro Police, the US Capitol Police and Health and Human Services. This inauguration is only one of about 3,000 permitted events that take place on the Mall each year, all handled by the Permits Management Division at the National Mall and Memorial Parks. National Capital Region plays host to everything from the national Fourth of July celebration to the National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony to say nothing of numerous First Amendment demonstrations. The National Park Service has been directly involved in all inaugurals since President Franklin Delano Roosevelt took the oath of office in 1933—a total of 20 inaugurations spanning 80 years. The role of the NPS in presidential inaugurations is primarily to provide logistical support, ensure the protection of park resources and provide visitor services. The NPS works directly with the Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC), issuing permits to the PIC for use of areas of the National Mall, Lafayette Square and Pennsylvania Avenue National Historic Site. Under the PIC's direction, military bands, floats and other parade participants assemble on the National Mall before joining the inaugural parade. [Carol Bradley Johnson, Communications Officer]
Great Smoky Mountains NP
Body Of Overdue Hiker Found In Trail Shelter
The body of an overdue hiker, a man about 50 years of age, was found by rangers at Tricorner Knob Shelter early yesterday afternoon. The hiker left Newfound Gap on Saturday morning, intending to hike 30 miles along the Appalachian Trail to Davenport Gap in North Carolina. He was reported overdue by a friend on Monday afternoon when he failed to show up at Davenport Gap. Rangers began an investigation and were searching trails in the area when the discovery was made. Rangers are investigating the incident with the assistance of the Swain County Medical Examiner's Office. The cause of death does not appear to be suspicious. [Dana Soehn, Public Affairs Officer]
OTHER NEWS
The following stories are among those in today's edition of InsideNPS. To see the full text, including images, NPS employees should go to the InsideNPS home page ( HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index). Non-NPS employees can see most of them on the NPS Digest page ( HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/):
Grand Canyon NP - On January 15th, the National Park Service held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new Science and Resource Management Building on the South Rim, the twelfth LEED certified building and sixth LEED platinum certified building in the National Park Service.
Office of Communications - The NPS is taking steps to improve professional development opportunities for employees who have public affairs responsibilities, regardless of job series. Details are provided on how you can participate.
Mammoth Cave NP - A northern long-eared bat from a cave in Mammoth Cave National Park has been confirmed as having white-nose syndrome, a condition deadly to bats.
US Park Police - The Park Police have established a free system whereby participants in next week's inaugural events can receive emergency notifications, alerts and other information via their cell phones.
Natural Resource Stewardship and Science - Dr. Ed Harvey has been selected as the new chief of the Water Resources Division in the Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate in Fort Collins, Colorado.
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The Morning Report is a publication of the Division of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services, Washington Office, produced by the Office of Communications with the support of the Office of the Associate Director for Information Resources. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@nps.gov).
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