- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Wednesday, May 22, 1996
- Date: Wed, 22 May 1996
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
To: All National Park Service Areas and Offices
From: Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office
Day/Date: Wednesday, May 22, 1996
Broadcast: By 1000 ET
INCIDENTS
96-216 - Capitol Reef (Utah) - Trespass; Illegal Road Construction
On May 16th, the Department of Justice, acting on behalf of the National Park
Service and the park, filed suit against Utah's Garfield County in federal
district court in Salt Lake City. The suit was filed in response to
unauthorized, illegal road construction work begun by Garfield County on
February 13th on the Burr Trail, a 66-mile backcountry road that crosses
spectacular national park and BLM wildlands, including Capitol Reef and Glen
Canyon. The county's road crew began work at dawn, employing heavy
equipment, including graders, loaders, dumptrucks, and D7 bulldozers, and
continued working until they were discovered and stopped by park staff late
in the morning. Resource damage includes bulldozed hillsides, road cuts,
road realignments, and road widening, all in an area of the park managed for
its remote wilderness character. Garfield County claims the authority to
perform unapproved road construction projects within the National Park
boundary under Revised Statute 2477, an obscure one-sentence provision in the
1866 Mining Act. Using an R.S. 2477 claim, the county has repeatedly sought
to pave and realign the entire 66 miles of the road, including the 8.4 mile
section within Capitol Reef. A 1995 environmental assessment decision
document issued by the Department of Interior gave Garfield County
considerable latitude for Burr Trail road improvements outside of the park,
while limiting work within the park to minor drainage and safety improvements
necessary to maintain a safe, low-speed, unpaved, all-weather road. The
controversial, decade-long battle over the Burr Trail has generated intense
Congressional interest, statewide and national media attention, and numerous
lawsuits. Conservation groups seeking to preserve the Burr Trail's primitive
character have repeatedly litigated to prevent the proposed road
improvements. Many public lands managers consider the Burr Trail issue a
centerpiece in the far-reaching conflict over R.S. 2477 and the control of
thousands of backcountry roads that traverse millions of acres of Federal
lands. [Bob Van Belle, Acting CR, CARE]
96-217 - Rocky Mountain (Colorado) - Death of Employee
Seasonal ranger Bob Drury, who had worked in fee collection and as the Aspen
campground ranger since 1992, died of a heart attack while hiking near the
Rock Cut area of the park on May 15th. A memorial service for him was held
at Forest Canyon overlook on Trail Ridge Road on May 18th. No additional
details are presently available. [Kris Holien, ROMO]
96-218 - Yellowstone (Wyoming) - Antler Poaching Convictions
On May 13th, park visitors reported two individuals hunting for antlers near
the Lamar River in the northeast portion of the park. Rangers investigated
and subsequently stopped a vehicle occupied by S.B., 24, and C.G.,
21, both of Livingston, Montana. Sixty-seven pounds of elk antlers
were found within the vehicle. The pair pled guilty to conspiring to
illegally remove elk antlers from the park in magistrate's court the
following day. They were each sentenced to three years' probation, barred
from entering the park during that time, and ordered to pay just over $1,000
in restitution. [Mike Murray, ACR, YELL]
96-219 - Glacier Bay (Alaska) - Bear Poaching
Rangers received a report on May 18th of a bear poaching incident in progress
at Excursion Inlet on the park's southeast boundary. A similar report had
been received from the same area a week previously, but the suspect had left
the scene with the bear before the report came in. Rangers responded
immediately by plane and boat to this report. While the park plane
maintained surveillance of the hunting party from the air, rangers from the
patrol boat contacted the party on the beach as they were completing field
dressing the recently shot adult male black bear. J.D.S., 47, of
Juneau, Alaska, admitted to shooting the bear, but said he was unaware he was
in a national park. A co-worker had told him about the abundant bears in the
inlet area, but apparently neglected to advise him that the inlet was in a
national park. That co-worker is now a suspect in the previous week's bear
poaching incident. Smith was cited and will appear in federal magistrate's
court on June 19th on charges of illegal taking of wildlife and possessing a
pet in a closed area. [Chuck Young, DR, GLBA]
96-220 - Jefferson National Expansion (Missouri) - Armed Robbery
Two women who were getting out of their car in the Arch parking garage on the
evening of May 12th were approached by a lone male armed with a small handgun
and dressed in a jumpsuit and ball cap. He pointed the weapon at the pair
and demanded their money. After taking a purse, wallet, about $60 in cash
and two credit cards, he walked out of the garage entrance and under the Eads
Bridge. The jumpsuit and cap were later recovered from behind a trash
dumpster, but the purse was not recovered. Neither victim was injured. The
case is still under investigation. [John Weddle, CI, JEFF]
96-221 - Jefferson National Expansion (Missouri) - Larceny
Between 7:40 and 7:55 p.m. on May 13th, a bank deposit bag containing almost
$1,000 in bills and coins was removed from the Arch parking garage office.
Since access to the office is strictly controlled, suspects with motives and
opportunities have been identified. An arrest is expected in the near
future. [John Weddle, CI, JEFF]
96-222 - Lake Meredith (Texas) - Possible Drowning
A.S., 24, and two other males were swimming from their boat in deep
water on May 18th. The lake surface was rough and they had been drinking.
The boat drifted away, and the two young women on board were unable to
operate it. A jet skier helped two of the swimmers return to the boat, but
A.S. disappeared. Rangers are continuing a water search and dive
operations. [Dale Thompson, CR, LAMR]
96-223 - Redwood (California) - Drowning
L.L., 36, of McKinleyville, California, drowned on the afternoon of May
19th while attempting to come to the aid of several friends who had flipped a
raft at the mouth of Redwood Creek. L.L. became caught in roller waves and
was carried an eighth of a mile down the beach before visitors pulled him
ashore. Rangers arrived shortly thereafter and began CPR. A Coast Guard
helicopter transported L.L. to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced
dead. Another member of the party collapsed during the incident, apparently
from shock, but later recovered at a local hospital. Alcohol consumption is
believed to have played a major role in the accidents. [Bob Martin, CR,
REDW]
96-224 - Santa Monica Mountains (California) - Park Event
The park hosted the 36th Topanga Banjo-Fiddler Contest at Paramount Ranch on
Sunday, May 19th. This year's event was in support of "March for Parks."
The event included music, dance, children's programs, cultural and natural
resource exhibits, folk art and crafts. Attendance was estimated at 6,000
people. No incidents occurred, and the event was considered a success. [Jon
Dick, CR, SAMO]
96-225 - Grand Canyon (Arizona) - Search and Rescue
F.T., 68, headed out on a hike down the South Bass trail on May 11th
with plans to cover about 40 miles and to return to the rim via the Boucher
trail on the 15th. When he failed to return by the 16th, his daughter
reported him as overdue. A search was begun, and he was found by pilot Jerry
Bohner and rangers Michael Nash and Patrick Brasington. They learned that
F.T. ran out of water on May 14th, that he suffered several lapses in
consciousness, and that he eventually abandoned most of his gear and set out
in search of water, which he found in Turquoise Canyon. F.T. waited there
for rescue, attempting to signal aircraft with a mirror. Park medic Jerry
Kracht provided advanced life support, and F.T. was evacuated to the South
Rim. [Craig Patterson, IC, GRCA]
96-226 - Santa Monica Mountains (California) - Search and Rescue
Three hikers were reported overdue from a day hike in Zuma Canyon just before
midnight on May 19th. The three were attempting a cross-country hike from
the upper to lower sections of the canyon. A multi-agency search involving
park rangers and many Los Angeles and Ventura county units was begun and
continued through the night. The three were found at 8 a.m. the following
morning by a spotter in a sheriff's office helicopter. Search teams were
directed to them, and they were subsequently airlifted out of the canyon.
[Jon Dick, CR, SAMO]
96-227 - Acadia (Maine) - Search and Rescue
P.A., a 16-year-old French national, fell and dislocated a knee
while hiking on the Dorr Mountain trail on the afternoon of May 18th. Due to
the remoteness of the area and the difficult terrain, the rescue effort
required 26 people - 13 rangers and 13 local SAR volunteers - and entailed an
eight-hour-long evacuation of P.A. to the nearest trailhead, where he was
transported to a hospital in Bar Harbor. He was treated and released the
following day. [CRO, ACAD]
96-228 - Blue Ridge (Virginia/North Carolina) - Possible Suicide
A park maintenance employee discovered a vehicle over the embankment at
Thunder Hill overlook around 11 a.m. on May 21st. The body of a male with a
gunshot wound in his head was found within. Rangers and county deputies
investigated. A wallet which contained a Florida operator's license was
found on the body, but there was no suicide note. The investigation
continues. [CRO, BLRI]
FIRE ACTIVITY
NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level II
LARGE FIRE SUMMARY
% Est
State Unit Fire IMT 5/21 5/22 Con Con
CO Pike/San Isabel NF Buffalo Creek T1 10,000 11,875 80 5/25
AZ Coconino NF Horseshoe T2 7,700 8,100 90 5/23
FL Ocala NF Major #1 -- 3,155 3,155 85 6/1
Heading Notes
Unit -- Agency = BIA area; NF = national forest; RU = CA state resource
or ranger unit; RD = state ranger district; District = BLM
district; NWR = USFWS wildlife refuge
Fire -- * = newly reported fire (on this report); Cx = complex; LSS =
limited suppression strategy; CSS = containment suppression
strategy
IMT -- T1 = Type 1; T2 = Type II; ST = State Team
% Con -- Percent of fire contained
Est Con -- Estimated containment date; NEC = no estimated date of
containment; CND = fully contained; NR = no report
FIRES AND ACRES BURNED
NPS BIA BLM FWS States USFS Total
Number 0 9 3 0 97 10 119
Acres Burned 9 9 1 0 2,764 169 2,952
COMMITTED RESOURCES
Crews Engines Helicopters Airtankers Overhead
Federal 86 70 27 5 422
Non-federal 13 56 7 0 80
CURRENT SITUATION
Firefighters continued to make significant progress on large fires in the
Rockies and Southwest yesterday. High to extreme fire dangers persist in the
Southwest. Resource mobilization through NICC was minimal yesterday.
NATIONAL OUTLOOK
Initial attack should continue in the Southwest due to prevailing hot, dry
and windy conditions.
[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 5/22]
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Shenandoah (Virginia) - Peregrine Update
Central District resource management and protection employees checked on the
peregrine falcon nest on Stony Man Mountain on May 21st and discovered three
recently-hatched chicks. All appeared healthy. A fourth egg had not yet
hatched. The chicks are the progeny of the pair that nested at this site in
1994, and is the pair's first clutch of more than two chicks. This hatching
is only the second documented successful reproductive effort by peregrines in
the central Appalachians since their demise in the 1950s. The adult
peregrines fiercely and vocally defended their nest during the status check,
a good sign for successful fledgling. Recent surveys indicate that the male
falcon is bringing more prey back to the nest, also a good sign. A temporary
area closure will remain in effect around the lower cliffs until fledgling
(probably mid-July). Park staff will continue to protect and monitor the
peregrines, with special emphasis on high visitation days. [Rolf Gubler, RM,
Central District, SHEN]
OPERATIONAL NOTES
Case Incident Reporting System - Version 1.00 of the case incident reporting
system (CIRS) software - the most recent upgrade - has been disseminated from
WASO ITD via cc:Mail to parks. If you have not received this upgrade, please
contact Bob Reid at NP-SERO. [Bob Reid, RAD/WASO @ SEFDO]
NPS Enforcement Ranger/USPP Officer Relationships - A five-part proposal on
this issue, entitled "Strengthening Relationships Between USPP and NPS Ranger
Law Enforcement Functions," was prepared this spring by National Capital
Field Area Director Bob Stanton and Associate Director for Park Operations
and Education Maureen Finnerty and was endorsed by the National Leadership
Council in its meeting on May 16th. The full text of the proposal follows:
1. Develop A Single Memorandum Of Understanding Between The National Park
Service And The Federal Law Enforcement Training Center
There are currently two separate MOUs between the NPS and FLETC. A
single MOU would provide a better focus and point of contact between
the NPS and FLETC and provide increased coordination and cooperation.
This will be accomplished by a small work group.
2. Consolidate NPS/USPP Law Enforcement Training Courses And Curriculum At
FLETC
A work group will review existing USPP and NPS FLETC training curricula
for basic law enforcement training with the intent to strengthen and
consolidate curricula where possible. This work group will also
consider the establishment of an Orientation to NPS Operations segment
of training to be offered at FLETC at the beginning of all basic law
enforcement training classes. Much of the input for this work group
will come from field level law enforcement supervisors and managers.
3. Conduct A Workload Needs Analysis And Staffing Levels For Law
Enforcement Functions Being Performed In Central Offices
This workload needs/staffing level analysis will include law
enforcement work being performed at WASO, in Field Director's Offices
and in system Support Offices. This work group will also consider
centralized law enforcement work being performed by clusters and
advisory groups. This work group will be largely composed of field
users and will analyze the work that needs to be accomplished in
central offices, analyze how many people are necessary to accomplish
that work, and develop alternatives for where that work might best be
accomplished.
4. Conduct A Public Safety Needs And Staffing Analysis At Golden
Gate/Presidio, Gateway And Statue Of Liberty/Ellis Island
A work group will review public safety responsibilities and
organizational structure at GOGA, GATE and STLI. This review will
consider organizational options and areas of authority and
responsibility and will develop alternatives to provide the most
efficient, effective and economic public safety organization for these
parks.
5. Analyze Law Enforcement Budget Needs And Requests Strategies And
Develop A Consolidated USPP/WASO RAD Approach
A work group will analyze existing law enforcement budget needs and
approaches and determine if these can be improved and consolidated.
National Capital Deputy Field Director Terry Carlstrom and Chief of Ranger
Activities Chris Andress will provide direction and oversight to each of
these work groups. They will nominate individuals to serve on them and will
clear their participation with the appropriate field director. To prevent
overload, no individual will be asked to serve on more than one work group;
however, many individuals will be asked for input to the work groups. As
each work group is established, it will be announced in the Morning Report.
Each work group chair will develop his/her procedures for conducting the work
and for communicating with the field. The target date for submission of all
recommendations is September 1st. [Maureen Finnerty, Associate Director,
Park Operations and Education]
MEMORANDA
No submissions.
EXCHANGE
No submissions.
OBSERVATIONS
"The areas administered by the National Park Service have been set aside to
preserve a precious part of our national heritage. It is not always
realized, however, that this heritage requires sympathetic study and
presentation if it is to be of maximum benefit to the public. The
interpretative service is designed to fulfill this need and to contribute to
the national education and to the maintenance of confidence in the American
way of living. This service may well be a potent force in maintaining
national equilibrium in the trying times which appear to lie ahead.
Director Arthur Demaray, 1951, from
"Quotes: Conservation, Parks,
Natural Beauty," DOI, 1966
Distribution of the Morning Report is through a mailing list managed by park,
office and/or field area cc:Mail hub coordinators. Please address requests
for the Morning Report to your servicing hub coordinator.
Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation and
support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.
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