- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Friday, June 14, 1996
- Date: Fri, 14 Jun 1996
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
To: All National Park Service Areas and Offices
From: Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office
Day/Date: Friday, June 14, 1996
Broadcast: By 1000 ET
INCIDENTS
96-283 - Indiana Dunes (Indiana) - Resource Violation
On June 4th, a park maintenance employee found two small red biohazard bags
in a parking lot trash can. Information on a patient treated at a local
hospital was found within the bags. The hospital was contacted by a park
investigator and cooperated fully, identifying a home care nurse who
subsequently admitted to the dumping. The hospital imposed a three-day
suspension and placed the employee on probation with the understanding that
another incident would result in termination. They also took the waste and
disposed of it properly. Criminal charges were suspended due to the
cooperation and administrative action taken by the hospital. [Joe Wieszczyk,
Acting CR, INDU]
96-284 - Fredericksburg (Virginia) - MVA with Fatality
E.D. was heading eastbound on Route 3 through Chancellorsville
battlefield just after 1 a.m. on June 4th when she lost control of her car,
which went off the road and struck numerous trees. It took rescue workers
over two hours to extract her from her vehicle. E.D. later died of her
injuries. Alcohol is believed to have been a contributing factor. [Mike
Johnson, CR, FRSP]
96-285 - National Capital Parks East (D.C.) - Homicide
Children playing on park lands in southeast D.C. on the afternoon of June
10th found the body of woman - the third female homicide victim found in that
general area in the past two months. Evidence indicates similarities among
all three homicides. A task force of federal and city officers has been
formed to investigate the murders. [Bill Lynch, LES, NCFDO]
96-286 - Golden Gate (California) - Possible Suicide
Park Police officer Bryan Feeney stopped to investigate a truck in a closed
area in Marin Headlands just before 3 a.m. on June 11th. As he approached
the truck, he heard a gunshot and took cover. Feeney was able to see that
the vehicle's driver was slumped over the wheel; upon approaching, he
observed a handgun in the man's hand and a profusely bleeding head wound.
Feeney had to break out a window with his expandable baton to get into the
locked vehicle and administer first aid. Emergency units responded, but the
driver succumbed to his wound and was pronounced dead at the scene. The
county coroner and Park Police are investigating. [Lt. Kevin Hay, SFFO,
USPP]
96-287 - Golden Gate (California) - Special Event
Protection rangers and Park Police officers provided security for President
Clinton when he visited the park and gave a speech at Crissy Field on Sunday,
June 9th. The mayor of San Francisco had advised President Clinton not to
come to the city due to potential demonstrations. No problems were
encountered. [Lt. Kevin Hay, SFFO, USPP]
FIRE ACTIVITY
NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level III
LARGE FIRE SUMMARY
% Est
State Unit Fire IMT 6/13 6/14 Con Con
AK State 100 Mile Creek T2 66,560 66,560 15 NEC
Crooked Creek T2 23,000 23,000 100 CND
Tetlin T2 5,000 6,710 10 6/16
CO Southern Ute Agency Dipping Vat Cx T1 7,000 13,000 24 6/21
NM State Rojo T2 900 1,300 100 CND
* Hasperos -- - 1,200 100 CND
Gila NF LL Cx T1 8,000 4,600 0 NEC
Carson NF Trampas -- 270 250 50 6/15
NV Ely District Rainbow Cx T2 22,675 22,675 100 CND
Battle Mtn. District Railroad T2 1,400 1,400 100 CND
UT Manti-Lasal NF Nelson -- 150 150 100 CND
Richfield NF * Long Ridge T2 - 2,000 0 NEC
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 1 7 35 0 65 34 142
Acres Burned 6 6,004 3,602 0 2,326 11 11,949
COMMITTED RESOURCES
Crews Engines Helicopters Airtankers Overhead
Federal 188 159 45 2 876
Non-federal 42 50 16 0 398
CURRENT SITUATION
Fire activity moderated in most areas yesterday, and initial attack forces
were able to catch most new starts. Very high to extreme indices continue to
be reported in the Southwest, Rockies, Great Basin and southern California.
Fire activity increased yesterday in much of Canada.
NATIONAL OUTLOOK
Dry thunderstorms are forecast for several areas in the West today,
increasing the likelihood of initial attack and large fires.
[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 6/14]
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Nez Perce (Idaho/Oregon/Washington/Montana) - Follow-up on Collection
The Nez Perce tribe, with the assistance of the park, has successfully
completed a six-month international fundraising effort to raise the $608,100
required to procure 20 tribal items from the Spalding-Allen collection, the
centerpiece of the park's museum exhibits since 1983. The collection, which
has been on loan from the Ohio Historical Society (OHS), contains objects
obtained on the site from Nez Perce tribal members by Presbyterian missionary
Henry Spalding more than 150 years ago. OHS recalled the items in 1992,
precipitating a four-year effort by the Nez Perce people to retain what they
felt was an important part of their heritage. The park agreed with the tribe
that they, rather than the NPS, should acquire the items, and also agreed to
assist with the acquisition in exchange for permission to exhibit and curate
them. An agreement was reached with OHS last December in which the items in
the collection would be sold to the tribe for the appraised value of
$608,100, but with a proviso that the transaction would have to be completed
by June 1, 1996. During this short six-month period, the funds were raised
through contributions from over 2,000 donors worldwide, including
individuals, school children, the Disney Corporation, MTV, and local
residents, and through an Internet art auction (http://www.uidaho.
edu/nezperce). An informal reception will be held at the park today in which
those who were involved in the collection's acquisition will be honored and
provided an opportunity to view the items up close. Among the attendees will
be Idaho governor Phil Batt. A traditional honor dance will be held on
Saturday in conjunction with the Chief Joseph and Warriors Celebration to
represent the transfer of ownership to the Nez Perce. Nez Perce tribal
executive committee chairman Sam Penney spoke had this to say about the
acquisition: "This historic event should not be seen as an acquisition of
museum artifacts. It is a restoration of an important part of the Nez Perce
culture. Each piece in the collection has its own story, its own artistry,
craftsmanship and function in the lives of our ancestors. These are not
curiosities. They are a dynamic reflection of who we, as the Nez Perce, are
as a people." The superintendent extends his thanks and appreciation to all
the park employees who have helped in this effort and who continue to protect
and interpret these items, citing in particular past and present park
curators Sue Buchelas and Bob Chenoweth. [Frank Walker, Superintendent,
NEPE]
OPERATIONAL NOTES
Incident Management Teams - The Midwest and Intermountain Field Areas are
currently recruiting members for a combined field area all risk incident
management team. They intend to organize a Midwest team, with members
stationed in both field areas and available for assignments Servicewide,
which will be comprised of three qualified members for each team position.
Application forms were recently sent to all employees within both field areas
through appropriate channels. If you're in either field area, have not seen
the form, and would like to obtain one, please contact either Terry Penttila
at 303-969-2662, J.T. Townsend at 402-221-3475, or Jim Reilly at 303-969-
2217. Completed applications need to be sent PRIOR TO JUNE 28 to NPS,
Intermountain Field Area, Colorado Plateau SSO, Education and Visitor
Services, IMFA-CP-E, 12795 West Alameda, PO Box 25287, Denver, CO 80225-0287,
Attention: Terry Penttila, Ranger Activities Specialist. [Terry Penttila,
CPSSO]
Critical Incident Stress Management - The heads of the two national CISD
teams (Jan Kirwan, eastern team, and Mark Maciha, western team) need to hear
from employees who are trained in critical incident stress debriefing/
management - both those who have been trained by local teams and those who
have gone through the national program taught by Gilmartin Harris and
Associates. They need your names, parks (or offices), positions and contact
phone numbers. Please contact either team leader as soon as possible. Jan
Kirwan is on cc:Mail at NP-EVER and can be reached by phone at 305-242-7730;
Mark Maciha can be contacted through cc:Mail via Carol Skubiszewski at NP-
CACA or by phone at 505-785-2232 ext. 372. [Jan Kirwan, EVER]
MEMORANDA
"National Biological Service Merger", sent by Director Kennedy to all
employees on June 13th. The full text follows:
"Attached is a letter from the Directors of the National Biological Service
(NBS) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) about their upcoming merger. NBS
will become the Biological Resources Division (BRD) of the USGS. Both
Directors express optimism that the merger will result in more service to
client bureaus.
"We continue to work closely with the NBS, as well as USGS, to improve the
processes and relationships that are important to assuring that parks have
access to the scientific studies and advice that they need. Toward that end,
we are working on a proposal to establish joint cooperative units at
universities for each cluster. These units would have a representative of
NPS and BRD, as well as other technical land management agencies that might
be interested, who would work together and with the university to facilitate
meeting research and technical assistance needs of parks and other protected
areas.
"Additionally, Denny Fenn, our previous acting Associate Director, Natural
Resources, is now Deputy Director of NBS and is expected to be retained as
deputy chief of the BRD. Mike Soukup has been asked to serve on the panel to
select the new chief of the BRD (Director Pulliam is leaving that position
when the merger takes place). These are hopeful signs.
"I urge you to continue to work with NBS/BRD units in your areas and to
continue to expect from them a similar level of service as you received prior
to the establishment of NBS.
"Text of the letter:
"'As you know, the Congressionally mandated consolidation of the National
Biological Service (NBS) with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) will occur by
October 1, 1996. The NBS will join the Geologic, National Mapping, and Water
Resources Divisions as the fourth scientific division of the USGS - the
Biological Resources Division (BRD). We would like to take this occasion to
share our thoughts on the opportunities and challenges that this merger
offers.
'The goal of the merger is to combine the strengths of the physical and
biological sciences in the Department of the Interior (DOI) into a single
science bureau that conducts comprehensive studies of the Earth and its
living and non-living components. The complex issues that face DOI land- and
resource-management agencies in today's society require coordinated
scientific knowledge from many disciplines.
'We are looking forward to the expanded opportunities of a consolidated
science bureau but also appreciate the concerns the prospect of this merger
raises. Continuity of relationships, access to scientists on both formal and
informal levels, responsiveness to your needs for solutions to real problems,
and limiting the costs of doing business are a few of the concerns we have
heard. While a period of some adjustment is inevitable, we are committed to
working with you to alleviate these concerns so that we may continue to serve
the needs of Interior bureaus.
'Your access to former NBS, staff at all levels remains unchanged; you will
have direct access to consult or develop collaborative projects with BRD
scientists. In fact, BRD will retain its process for soliciting your needs
for biological information and responding to those needs as resources permit.
The BRD staff will continue to ask for your input as we develop our annual
and longer range plans.
'We are committed to meeting the needs of DOI bureaus. One of the key
conditions we set forth for the merger is that it must not negatively affect
the science budget of either NBS or USGS. Administrative and organizational
changes are measured against their potential budget impact, and those that
would reduce our scientific resources are ruled out. To this end, the FY
1997 budget request for the BRD proposes an increase of nearly $6 million
explicitly to address the needs of Interior managers. Projects developed to
address the needs of Interior managers will be jointly developed by BRD and
Interior bureau staff, using approaches based on past successful models such
as the NPS-oriented Natural Resource Preservation Program and FWS-oriented
Quick Response programs, and the Information Needs process. This process
reflects our hope that NBS' ability to serve the needs of resource management
agencies will be enhanced after the merger.
'As the merger progresses, we will continue to have discussions, both formal
and informal, with DOI bureau directors and other senior staff. We have also
instructed our Regional Directors and Center Directors to have similar
discussions with their counterparts in the field. Bureau concerns about the
merger are also addressed at our regular briefings of the DOI Science Board.
Any problems you perceive should be raised within your organization so that
they can be discussed at these and related meetings.
'This merger is an opportunity to develop a more integrated comprehensive
science organization committed to serving the needs of the Department of the
Interior. We look forward to working with you to ensure that the new USGS
will be broader and more comprehensive, and better able to provide the
Department of the Interior and the Nation with reliable, objective, and
relevant scientific information.'"
EXCHANGE
No submissions.
OBSERVATIONS
The following was sent along by Corky Mayo in WASO Interpretation:
"Research is a continual need and the life blood of good preservations. Both
historical authenticity and proper interpretation demand facts. Research is
the way to obtain facts. There is no substitute for it, and no historic
preservation should be attempted without research."
Edward P. Alexander
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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