Fort Scott |  |
The following Incident Reports were extracted from the NPS Morning Reports/Coalition Reports from 1989-2025. They are not a complete record of all incidents which occurred in this park during this timeframe. INCIDENTS | |
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Thursday, June 1, 1995 The security alarm system in the officer's quarters was activated at 4:30 a.m. on May 16th. Responding police officers discovered a broken window in the building and noticed movement inside the structure. They entered the building and came upon B.W., a 38-year-old transient. B.W. refused to respond to the commands of the officers and was accordingly sprayed with pepper mace before being taken into custody. Investigators subsequently determined that B.W. may suffer from mental illness; he has therefore been remanded to a state hospital for evaluation. [Kelly Collins, CR, FOSC, 5/24]
The governor of Kansas was scheduled to visit the park at noon on May 8th. About two hours prior to his arrival, the Fort Scott police department received a bomb threat over the telephone in which the caller said he'd placed a bomb in the area of the old fort within the park. The park was notified, and chief law enforcement ranger Kelley Collins coordinated a joint response with town police and state troopers who protect the governor. A bomb dog was brought in, but found no sign of any explosives. The visit by the governor took place without incident. Fort Scott police describe the caller as an older man, and have some leads. The investigation is continuing; state and federal charges are pending. It's not clear whether the park or the governor was the target of the threat. [Bruce Cunningham, LES, MWFDO]
On Wednesday, January 30th and Thursday, January 31st, a severe winter storm struck southeast and central Kansas, the greater Kansas City area, and western Missouri. In southeast Kansas, where the park is located, it was an ice storm. Heavy accumulations of ice caused trees, power lines, poles and even communications towers to topple. The park lost all power from the afternoon of the 30th until noon on the 31st. Employees were released on Wednesday afternoon and the park was closed on Thursday. Essential staff reported to inspect facilities and get security and fire suppression systems back on line once power was restored, and the park reopened on Friday. Inspection revealed that there was no damage to any park building, but that more than 20 trees were damaged, two or three of which will probably have to be removed. Damage to employee residences was limited to downed limbs and trees and some minor flooding and leaks. The park has offered its assistance to the local community. About 800 customers in Fort Scott lost power; nearly a quarter of a million customers in Kansas City were without electricity, a new record. [Superintendent, FOSC, 2/1]
On the afternoon of Friday, March 11th, a fire started in the basement of a bar located in old downtown Fort Scott. The fire spread quickly to other buildings, driven by strong winds. By late afternoon, 150 firefighters from 25 departments had responded to the incident and were able to contain the fire by 9 p.m. The fire destroyed seven buildings, dating from 1863 to 1890, and damaged at least seven additional buildings. Wind-driven embers threatened historic buildings in the park, but did not ignite any fires or cause any damage. Park staff performed fire watch and security at the park and assisted the city of Fort Scott with traffic and crowd control. The Kansas State Fire Marshal's Office, the Wichita office of the ATF and an ATF National Response Team are investigating the cause of the fire. [Submitted by John Daugherty, Superintendent]
A park volunteer reported the theft of a personally-owned firearm stored in his tent during the park's Mexican War encampment on Saturday, June 3rd. The weapon is described as being an original 1857 Belgian-made French Civil War-style pin fire 7mm revolver with a fully engraved blued finish and checkered walnut grips. The gun has a folding trigger and Lege proof marks. There is no serial number. The firearm was taken from a locked trunk. The keys to the trunk had been left in a desk drawer in the tent. The owner valued the weapon at between $600 and $1,000. [Submitted by Kelly Collins, Chief Ranger] | |