NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Friday, April 24, 1998

INCIDENTS

98-28 - Manassas NB (VA) - Follow-up on Sexual Assault

The investigation into the rape which occurred in the park on January 19th is
continuing.  DNA samples were collected from men who frequent the park and
fit the description of the suspect - all with the consent of those providing
the samples.  Laboratory results have not yet been returned from the crime
lab.  The investigation is being conducted jointly by the park and local
county police.  [B.L. Mauller, PR, MANA, 4/22] 

98-56 - Big South Fork NRRA (KY/TN) - Follow-up on Winter Storm Impacts

Approximately 90% of the park's roads and trails were closed by fallen trees
as a result of the major snow storm that struck the park on February 3rd. 
The park's maintenance staff has been working seven days a week since then to
clear the trails, but the workload is still tremendous.  The Friends of the
Big South Fork accordingly organized a volunteer work day to try and get as
many volunteers as possible to the park for a one-day work session. 
Operation Trailbreak was planned for April 18th, with 25 park employees each
heading up six-person crews to help clear the park's trails.  All of the
counties that the park covers sent crews to help with chipping along the main
park roads.  The project was undertaken under dark skies and only two days
after tornadoes passed through the area.  The event drew 158 people, who
collectively donated 1,160 hours of work.  Nearly 60 miles of roads and
trails were either opened or cleaned to Service standards.  Another 12 miles
of trails were raked clear of debris from the storms of the preceding week. 
There were no injuries and the event was deemed a huge success.  This
incident was managed under ICS and was staffed by park employees from all
divisions.  [F. Graham, CR, BISO, 4/23]

98-157 - Indiana Dunes NL (IN) - Drugs; Disturbed Person

Ranger Steve Chorba came upon a vehicle stuck in sand in the West Beach area
of the park on April 20th.  Chorba asked the driver, J.B., 20, and his
female passenger to get out of the vehicle.  The woman complied, but J.B.
locked the doors, refused to get out, and began to rip apart the car's
interior.  The woman told Chorba that J.B. had been injecting drugs and
talking about killing himself; he had also told her that he believed there
were listening devices in the car and that she was wearing one.  She was
unsure if there were any weapons in the vehicle.  Chorba called for backup. 
Rangers and local police responded, then all approached J.B.'s vehicle. 
They could see a syringe needle still in J.B.'s arm, and learned from the
woman that he had talked about injecting air into his veins to cause his
death.  J.B. still refused to open the car doors or get out.  A negotiator
was requested from the local police.  J.B. then began to put various items,
including floor mats, against the windows to block officer's vision of the
car interior.  Fearing that J.B. might harm himself or find a weapon in the
car, Chorba broke a window and a local officer sprayed J.B. with pepper
mace.  After several minutes and a second dose of pepper mace, they were able
to remove J.B. from the car.  He was taken to a hospital, where he tested
positive for heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine.  J.B. was treated and
released later that day.  A small amount of suspected cocaine was found in
the car.  Charges are pending against J.B.  His female companion was
released and not charged.  Rangers are encountering more serious drugs in the
park more frequently.  Earlier this month, individuals were found in
possession of what is believed to be opium and psilocybin.  [Richard
Littlefield, CR, INDU, 4/23]

98-158 - Manassas NB (VA) - Sexual Assault

While on patrol in the park earlier this week, ranger Barbara Mauller was
contacted by the operator of a school bus, who reported that a man had
exposed himself to her and to the children as they drove past him.  She was
able to provide a description of the man.  Mauller checked the area and came
upon a man who matched that description.  He was positively identified and
subsequently charged with one count of indecent exposure and twelve counts of
indecent liberties with minors.  Officers from Prince William county
assisted.  [Henry Berberich, RLES, NCRO, 4/23]

98-159 - Rock Creek Park (DC) - Sexual Assault

Park Police officer Bill Leblanc came upon a vehicle parked in violation of
the park's darkness closure just after midnight on April 18th.  He found that
the juvenile female occupant was being assaulted against her will.  Leblanc
arrested the 23-year-old man and charged him with second degree sexual abuse. 
[Henry Berberich, RLES, NCRO, 4/21] 

98-160 - Indiana Dunes NL (IN) - Fuel Spill
     
Approximately 3,000 gallons of diesel fuel leaked from the engine fuel tank
of a Conrail train as it passed through the park on April 14th.  The leak
resulted from a mechanical failure which the train crew was unaware of until
the train stopped due to damage to the brake system.  The crew was directed
to try to plug the leak and to proceed to a siding in Gary, Indiana, some six
miles away.  Two significant spills occurred, the first one when the train
initially stopped and the second at the siding.  Personnel from the park, the
Gary fire department, and the state environmental agency responded. 
Conrail's environmental contractor began immediate cleanup of the two spills. 
The spill in the park is adjacent to the Long Lake area and associated
wetlands, which are identified habitat for the Karner blue butterfly, a
listed endangered species.  Monitoring of the spill sites and further cleanup
or remediation are under discussion.  [Richard Littlefield, CR, INDU, 4/23]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No entries.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

PHS Update - The Public Health Service (WASO) will be providing the Morning
Report with periodic updates on important health issues which should be of
concern to some or all NPS employees.  Today's is on ticks, as it's again
that time of year when employees need to be aware of ticks and how to avoid
them.  Because of their persistent blood-sucking behavior, ticks transmit
several potentially debilitating and life-threatening diseases.  Lyme
disease, in particular, has attracted national attention and is now the
number one arthropod-borne disease in the United States.  Other tick-
transmitted diseases include Rocky Mountain spotted fever, erlichiosis and
babesiosis.  Ticks prefer to lie in woods, tall grass, weeds and brush.  They
are seldom a problem in well-maintained lawns, although edges of property
supporting tall weeds and brush can be a source of infestation.  It is
important to seek medical attention if you suspect you have been bitten by a
tick and especially if you are experiencing any symptoms of the above noted
diseases.  Timely treatment is essential.  In some areas, ticks saved in a
sealed container can be submitted to the local health department for
identification.  The best way to avoid acquiring ticks and tick-borne
diseases is through prevention:

     Avoid tick-infested areas, especially in spring and summer months.

     Stay on the center of trails and paths - don't brush against vegetation
     if you can avoid it.

     Wear long-legged pants, and tuck in your pants legs. Better still, tape
     the area where pants and socks meet.

     Wear a hat and a long-sleeved shirt for extra protection.

     Wear light colored and tightly woven clothing to more easily see ticks.

     Spray insect repellent containing DEET on clothes and on exposed skin
     other than face or treat clothes (especially pants, socks and shoes),
     bed nets and camping gear with permethrin, which kills ticks on
     contact.  Follow directions on label.  Be careful when using these
     products with children.

     Frequently check yourself, children and pets for ticks.  Ixodid ticks
     are about the size of a pinhead, therefore easily overlooked.  Other
     ticks are larger, about the size of a  pencil eraser or larger.

     Remove ticks from your skin immediately with tweezers by grasping the
     tick's head parts as close to your skin as possible.  If mouth parts
     remain embedded in skin, contact your physician.  Wash the bite area,
     apply antiseptic and cover with a band-aid.  Ticks are slow feeders. 
     Risk of infection is greatly reduced if they are removed within 24
     hours.

     Where possible, keep grass and shrubs in your yard trimmed, and clear
     overgrown areas. 

     Treating lawns is of little benefit since this is not a preferred
     habitat for ticks. 

If you have any questions, please contact your regional public health
consultant or park sanitarian, or call WASO PHS for more information at 202-
565-1120.  [Jerry Johnson, PHS/WASO]

Special Retirement (6c) Update - The Special Retirement Team (FLERT) in Boise
has put together a list of the NPS claims they are working on.  This list was
created so that individuals who have previously filed claims can verify that
their claim was sent to Boise.  This list should be reviewed by those of you
who have submitted claims instead of by calling the FLERT office.  However,
the fact that a name is listed ONLY means that FLERT has some information on
that particular individual.  If a name is listed more than once, that means
that the individual had more than one file in different offices.  To obtain a
copy of the list, please send a cc:Mail message to FIRE Administration. 
Choose one of the following two options for the subject line:

     - if you can read a Microsoft Word document, enter word6c (no
       spaces) in the subject line and the list will be automatically sent to
       you in MS Word format

     - if you can only read WordPerfect, put wp516c (no spaces) in
       the subject line and the list will be automatically sent in WordPerfect
       5.1

If you have moved or changed jobs since you filed a claim, FLERT will need:

     your new address;

     your employing organization;

     a contact name and phone number in your servicing personnel office; and

     a copy of your SF-50(s) documenting your position change(s).

These should be telefaxed to the NPS representative on the FLERT team at
208-387-5043 (please make a note of this fax number, as it was incorrectly
listed in a previous Morning Report).  Also note that the FLERT office now
has a special retirement home page. The address is: http://fire.blm.gov/
retire.  The following documents can be obtained from that site:

     a general information pamphlet which provides a short summary of the
     special retirement program;

     CSRS and FERS deposit information pamphlet;

     "Extra 1/2 Percent," our December newsletter (a new one will be coming
     out shortly); and 

     DOI claim information.
     
FLERT will continually add to its home page, so check it periodically.  This
information should be printed, and shared with all interested individuals
(e.g., personnel offices, supervisors, employees).  [Bill Sanders, RAD/WASO]

MEMORANDA

"Year 2000 Problem in Electronic Equipment with Embedded Microchips," signed
on April 20th by deputy director Denis Galvin and sent to all regional
directors with a reply due date of April 30th.  An informational copy of the
memorandum follows:

"By now, everyone has heard about the potential computer problems associated
with the year 2000.  However, not until congressional testimony before the
Subcommittee on Technology and the Subcommittee on Government Management,
Information and Technology, on March 20, 1997, was it generally known that
the same problem might exist in electronic equipment with embedded
microchips.  Equipment likely to create serious problems if not year 2000
compliant include, but are not limited to, medical equipment, security
devices, fire alarm systems, elevators, global positioning systems, emergency
generators, and HVAC systems.
     
"To ensure the health and safety of our employees and the visiting public,
and that park operations continue without disruption, the National Park
Service needs to act now.  The General Accounting Office (GAO) has developed
a five-phase model process to address this issue:  awareness, assessment,
renovation, validation and implementation.  The Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) target due date for implementing fixes to all affected systems
is March 1999.  This memorandum is intended to increase awareness of the year
2000 problem and initiate the GAO assessment phase for embedded microchip
equipment.
     
"To begin the process of correcting affected systems, each regional director
will designate a regional point of contact (POC) by April 30, 1998.  The
regional POC will coordinate corrective action within the region and be
responsible for compiling and forwarding regional status reports to the WASO
Park Facility Management Division.  We suggest that the POC be a person
familiar with operations and facilities related systems, as this effort does
not include computers and telecommunications equipment.  Correction of
computer and telecommunications equipment is being coordinated through the
Information and Telecommunications Center.

"Please forward a copy of this memorandum to each park superintendent, along
with the name of the regional POC, instructing each park superintendent to
initiate a survey throughout their areas to identify electronic equipment/
systems that may contain a non-year 2000 compliant embedded microchip.  The
Department strongly recommends a 'triage' approach for this process, by
separating equipment and systems into three risk-based categories.  Efforts
to identify embedded microchip systems and equipment, determine year 2000
compliance, and corrective action should then begin with equipment and
systems presenting the greatest risk. 
     
"Category I has the potential to affect life, health and safety.  Category II
has the potential to disrupt critical operations.  Category III has the
potential to inconvenience and/or affect less than critical operations, but
does not impede mission performance or represent a safety and health threat. 

"To fully meet the OMB requirements, park superintendents will need to
develop a corrective action plan, which may include contingency planning
where appropriate, and to document when implementing fixes have been
accomplished.  This process will be ongoing as information becomes available
or is modified, and when lesser risk systems are identified.  In this initial
request, the following information is needed for all known date sensitive
electronic equipment and systems:
     
1. Park Alpha Code
2. Equipment Name and Quantity
3. Manufacturer and Model Number
4. Risk Category (I, II or III)
5. Year 2000 Compliant (yes, no or unknown) 
6. Estimated Repair or Replacement Cost
     
"WASO and the Department will use this information to develop an initial
budget estimate and report completion status to OMB.  This initial response
from parks,through the regional POC, is due by May 29, 1998.
     
"A more comprehensive survey form is attached [attached to the original memo,
but not to this Morning Report].  This form will help parks track corrective
actions for each piece of equipment or system.  Additional reporting is only
required for those fields so designated on the form when they become known or
are modified, and are required by the Department for OMB reporting purposes.
Acceptable electronic reporting formats and additional suggested procedures
will be provided to the regional POC.
     
"A checklist, entitled Applications of Embedded Systems, is also attached
[also not attached to the MR].  It is a listing of types of systems that may
contain date sensitive embedded microchips and is designed to assist field
personnel with embedded microchip system identification.  Please note that it
is not an all-inclusive list, as there is no known comprehensive source of
information. 

"Identifying and correcting year 2000 errors in embedded systems is expensive
and time consuming.  Please be aware that the entire government and private
sector is also affected by these problems.  The Department and WASO will be
providing shared resources, through the regional POC, to assist the field in
this effort.  Any new information or suggestions that may assist other parks
can also be shared through this mechanism.
     
"Thank you in advance for your assistance in this effort.  Through your work
and that of your staffs, the National Park System will experience a safe and
smooth transition to the year 2000.
     
"The embedded microchip coordinator for the National Park Service is Jim 
McCarthy, Park Facility Management Division, WASO.  He may be reached by
cc:Mail or telephone at 202-565-1251.  Please identify the regional POC to
him by April 30, 1998.  The initial survey reports should also be sent to Jim
McCarthy on cc:Mail."

[Additional note: This memorandum with attachments will be posted on the
maintenance bulletin board and at the NPS Year 2000 embedded microchip
intranet site at http://165.83.218.50/y2k.  The Intranet site will also have
additional information and a link to the Departmental database]

EXCHANGE

No entries.

                        *  *  *  *  *

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
pertaining to receipt of 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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