NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Thursday, March 27, 1997

Broadcast: By 1000 ET

INCIDENTS

97-103 - G. Washington Birthplace (Virginia) - Follow-up on Employee Injury

Ranger Andrew Packett, who was seriously injured in an automobile accident on
March 17th, has been moved out of the intensive care unit at Fairfax
Hospital, but still faces additional surgery and a lengthly period of
recovery and rehabilitation.  Hearing from NPS friends across the country has
meant a lot to him.  Cards to him should be addressed as follows: Fairfax
Hospital, c/o Andrew Packett - Orthopedics Floor, 3300 Gallows Road, Falls
Church, VA 22042.  [Larry Trombello, CR, GEWA, 3/25]

97-117 - Death Valley NP (California) - Search in Progress

On the afternoon of March 24th, a 30-year-old man who suffers from
schizophrenia walked away from his camp at the Eureka Dunes.  A search was
begun and is being managed by the Inyo County Sheriff's Department.  The park
has supported the search effort with the park airplane, three horses and four
rangers.  At the time of the report, no clues had been found or leads
developed.  [Eric Inman, Acting CR, DEVA, 3/26]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No submissions.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Green Alert Bulletin Board - The "Green Alert" bulletin board, which has been
dormant for some time, has now been reactivated and broadened in scope.  It
will focus on and promote environmentally preferable products and practices
and is intended to serve as a tool for exchanging information, highlighting
environmental achievements, and sharing technology.  Topics may include but
are not limited to the following: Recycling, reuse, pollution prevention
techniques, "green" procurement, sustainable/environmental practices,
educational opportunities, and waste reduction.  The bulletin board may be
accessed through cc:Mail; messages should be sent to #BB Inbox: Nat'l Green
Alert.  [John Gingles, FMD/WASO]

MEMORANDA

"1997 Summer Seasonal Registers," signed on March 18th by acting Deputy
Director Denis Galvin and transmitted to all field area (regional) directors. 
The text follows:

"We have received your reports on the 1997 summer seasonal applicant pools
and appreciate your quick response to this request.  Our review of these
reports revealed that there is very little diversity in these applicant pools
(local recruiting, centralized recruiting, and rehires).  We, as well as the
Department, were quite disappointed with the composition of these pools. 
Although the Department has lifted the hiring restrictions on seasonal
employment to allow us to proceed with hiring this season, I believe that we
must take some aggressive actions to increase the diversity of our applicant
pools and seasonal workforce.  We need some immediate and significant changes
in the way that we are recruiting and hiring candidates for our seasonal
programs.  

"Therefore, the following policies and procedures have been established and
must be put in place immediately:

"First, each Field Area Equal Opportunity Manager will be provided with a
listing of all candidates from the centralized seasonal employment program
who submitted the applicant background survey. It will be sent the week of
March 17 - 22, 1997.  To ensure that we take advantage of opportunities to
increase diversity, each superintendent must contact the Field Area Equal
Opportunity Manager before hiring from the centralized registers.

"Second, we have committed to develop a plan to make significant improvements
in our recruiting strategies for all employment.  You will receive more
information on the development of this plan by separate memorandum.  

"Third, we will be monitoring the seasonal employment workforce composition
on a Servicewide basis.  Therefore, each Field Area is required to report
their summer 1997 seasonal hiring selections by race/national origin and
gender for each park with a regional summary.  Your offices of Equal
Opportunity and Human Resources should work closely with you to develop these
reports.  An initial report on the first round of summer hiring is due to the
Office of Equal Opportunity in Washington, DC, by Friday, April 25, 1997.  A
cumulative report on all summer hiring is due to the same office by Friday,
June 20, 1997. A copy of the reporting format is attached for your use [only
on the original memo - not attached to the Morning Report].  If there are any
questions regarding the format and requested information, please contact
Charles E. Riggins on 202-208-3091.

"Fourth, we will be tracking seasonal hiring accomplished specifically
through the centralized seasonal employment program.  These data will measure
the utilization and effectiveness of a centralized recruiting system. 
Therefore, parks are required to report their summer 1997 seasonal hiring
selections from centralized registers to the Human Resources Office, WASO. 
They may simply return a copy of their centrally recruited register with the
hiring selections indicated.  The first report on the initial round of hiring
is due on Friday, April 25, 1997.  As parks close centrally recruited
registers, they should submit any results of their hiring selections made
after the April 25 reporting date.  If there are any questions regarding the
reporting of hiring selections from the centrally recruited registers, please
contact Maureen Foster on 202-208-5074.

"Finally, diversity has been part of our performance management criteria for
many years.  However, our progress toward achieving diversity in the
permanent, as well as the temporary/seasonal, workforce has been very slow. 
It is the responsibility of each manager, at every level of the organization,
to ensure that the National Park Service reflects the nation's diversity. 
Therefore, each Field Area Director will be required to show an improvement
in diversity recruiting and hiring for seasonal jobs; each will be held
accountable in his/her performance accomplishments.  Similarly, this
objective to improve our diversity recruitment and hiring must be reflected
in each Superintendent's performance plan and accomplishments as well. 
Superintendents will also be held accountable for hiring decisions.

"We must make the most of every opportunity to ensure diversity throughout
the National Park Service, in every series, in every grade, in every duty
station, in every type of employment situation.  As I am very concerned about
this program, I will be consulting with the Human Resources Office and Equal
Opportunity Office regarding our progress on a regular basis."

EXCHANGE

No submissions.

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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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