Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Two Hikers Found in Separate Searches
Park employees located two lost hikers in separate but simultaneous
incidents beginning late in the afternoon on New Year's Day. At about 4
p.m., 16-year-old A.A., of Cedar Grove, Indiana, started the
mile-plus hike to Laurel Falls, but he forged ahead of his family and
was last seen at about 5:30. Rangers were especially concerned because
A.A. has mild cerebral palsy and functions mentally on about an
eight-year-old level. Incident commander Rick Brown assigned eight
rangers to establish containment points around the search area and to
conduct a hasty search of the Laurel Falls trail and two intersecting
trails. By daylight, searchers had covered all of the 16 total trail
miles without contacting A.A. At daylight, another dozen searchers
were deployed as trackers to cover the trails and some high probability
creek drainages. The area was totally fogged in, preventing any aerial
search. At 11:40 a.m. on January 2, ranger Scott Kalna found the boy
about six miles from the Laurel Falls trailhead and five miles beyond
the falls. He was wet, cold and hungry but unharmed. A.A. reported
that he stayed on trails and hiked until dark, then slept on the trail
until daylight. Dense fog throughout the night limited visibility to
three feet or less at times, so rangers believe that it is possible that
searchers could have walked past A.A. in the fog without seeing him.
At about the same time the park was mobilizing for the A.A. search,
rangers in the Cades Cove District received a report of a lost
ten-year-old girl on the Abrams Falls trail. Through a series of
miscommunications among family members, B.T. of Evanston,
Illinois, became separated from her parents and sister and ended up
hiking over three miles down the trail by herself. Based upon the
parents' report of a suspicious-looking man at Abrams Falls, coupled
with witness reports from other hikers, rangers were concerned for a
time that B.T. may have been abducted. The witness reports proved to
be inconsistent, however, so a contemplated "Amber Alert" was never
issued. Ranger Ken Davis found B.T., still on the trail and uninjured,
just after 10 p.m. on New Year's Day.
[Submitted by Bob Miller,
PAO]
Natchez Trace Parkway (AL,MS,TN)
Poaching Violation
On January 1, Leipers Fork ranger Bruce Gagnon stopped a Mercury
Tracer station wagon for a minor traffic violation. As he approached the
vehicle, Gagnon noticed fresh blood on the rear bumper. When he
contacted the occupants, R.E. and J.Z. both of Killen,
Alabama, Gagnon discovered a doe with a bullet hole to the head in the
rear of the vehicle. The investigation revealed that J.Z. had phoned
R.E. the night before, and that they'd made plans to drive up the parkway
to poach a deer. J.Z. spotted a deer about 40 yards off the road near
milepost 426 and shot it with a .22 rifle. As he exited the vehicle, he
threw the .22 on the front seat with a round chambered, causing the
rifle to discharge. The round nearly hit R.E., who was seated in the
driver's seat, and passed completely through the driver's door side
post. Both men were arrested and taken to Nashville for an initial
appearance. They were then released on $5,000 bonds.
[Submitted by
Jackie Henman, Assistant Chief Ranger]
OPERATIONAL NOTES
NPS Office at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center
Applications Being Accepted for New NPS Honor Guard Program
The National Park Service has established a new honor guard program, and is now recruiting for members. The directive on the program and an application form follow.
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NATIONAL PARK SERVICE HONOR GUARD PROGRAM
MISSION: The National Park Service Honor Guard represents the National Park Service and its employees and families at employee funerals where the loss is suffered in the line of duty, at ceremonial and other parades, dedications, and occasions; or at any function when requested by the Director.
PURPOSE: Its purpose is to represent the ceremonial duties of the National Park Service.
- It assures that an appropriate ceremonial and customary funeral or other service may be provided to a family or survivors that demonstrates the honorable service of the decedent to the United States and its citizens. It assists all employees and their families during their time of deep emotional duress from the sudden and catastrophic loss of their loved one.
- It demonstrates it's love, respect and care for the Services fallen through impeccable uniform dress and demeanor and grooming as well as ceremonial procession. Actions in Marching and Close Order Drill in moving a casket containing the fallen comrade, Folding the Colors and Retreat.
- It represents the National Park Service in other ceremonial duties where a highly trained precision color guard is warranted for any ceremony of occasion or event to represent the Service in an extraordinarily dignified manner.
OVERSIGHT: Program oversight will be the responsibility of the Superintendent of the NPS Law Enforcement Training Center/FLETC. The Superintendent LETC/FLETC would coordinate the training and deployment of the team.
DEPLOYMENT: The deployment of the team will be upon the approval of the Associate Director for Resource and Visitor Protection.
COST OF THE DEPLOYMENT: The cost of the deployment will be borne by the region requesting the services of the team. This is based on the Special Event Team Model.
COST OF STARTUP AND TRAINING: This cost will be borne by the NPSLETC/FLETC.
TRAINING OF TEAM MEMBERS: Training will be conducted at the FLETC and at the Law Enforcement Memorial Association Honor Guard Camp, Camp Ripley, Minnesota.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE: Each applicant will apply for a position on the team. This process will be similar to the current Special Event Team Member Application. Applicants are required to be nominated by their Park Superintendent with a resume listing their experience and reason for consideration of this team.
EVALUATION AND SELECTION OF TEAM MEMBERS: Applicant's resume, performance evaluations, Superintendent's recommendation and Supervisor's comments will be used to determine those who will be interviewed for these positions. A panel of NPS personnel will be appointed by the Superintendent NPSLETC/FLETC, with the concurrence and approval of the Associate Director Resource and Visitor Protection, will make the selection of the Team Leader, Team Members and Alternates. This panel will assure that the selection of the team members represents the diversity of the National Park Service.
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APPLICATION FORM
NAME:
PARK:
DATE of BIRTH:
SSN#:
HEIGHT:
WEIGHT:
CURRENT LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMISSION BADGE #:
CURRENT POSITION AND GRADE:
PRIOR MILITARY SERVICE:
LIST ALL NPS ASSIGNMENTS AND DUTY STATIONS:
IS THERE ANY MENTAL OR PHYSICAL CONDITION THAT WOULD AFFECT YOUR ACTIONS OR ABILITIES TO PERFORM THE DUTIES OF AN HONOR GUARD MEMBER? (yes or no)
WHY DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU ARE A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR THE NPS HONOR GUARD TEAM? (attach statement to application)
REFERENCES: (Include supervisors, peers, subordinates - provide names, office telephone numbers, and park areas for each)
1.
2.
3.
APPLICATION SUBMITTED BY (enter name, signature and date):
APPLICATION REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY (enter name, signature and date):
CONCURRANCE OF PARK SUPERINTENDENT:
I HEREBY AGREE TO MAKE AVAILABLE, IF SELECTED, FOR ALL HONOR GUARD ASSIGNMENTS. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE APPLICANT WILL SERVE AS AN HONOR GUARD MEMBER FOR A MINIMUM OF TWO YEARS FROM THE DATE OF SELECTION. Enter name, signature and date:
ATTACH CURRENT PEB SCORE SHEET AND MAIL APPLICATIONS TO:
SUPERINTENDENT, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE LETC, BUILDING #64 ROOM 222, GLYNCO, GA. 31524
[Submitted by Paul Henry, Superintendent, NPS/FLETC]
PARKS AND PEOPLE
United States Park Police
Park Police Lateral Recruit Class 203 Graduates
Park Police federal lateral recruit training program Class 203 graduated from the Washington (D.C.) Training Academy on Friday, December 6 - the first class to go through the academy in over 20 years. Keynote speakers included Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish and Wildlife and Parks Craig Manson, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Law Enforcement and Security Larry Parkinson and NPS Deputy Director Donald Murphy. The officers demonstrated high marks on their academic and technical courses. Officers Chad Gordon, Brian Phillips, Michael Abate, James Murphy, Monique Pettit-Casper, Evan McKinney, Daniel Gilliam and Robert Chatmon scored over 450 out of a possible 500 on their physical efficiency battery test. In firearms training, officers Chad Gordon, David Pachomski, Timothy Stauner , Richard Firrito , Robert Chatmon , Hector Villaneuva , Keith Brennan, Wayne Bridgeforth , Brian Phillips, Scott Wagner and Shabeer Nowroozi qualified as expert shooters with scores over 285 out of a possible 300. Officer Chad Gordon, with an overall average score of 97.27, was the Raymond L. Hawkins Award winner. The recruit with the highest overall scores on all tested academic and technical skill areas is presented with a trophy named in honor of Hawkins, who paid the ultimate sacrifice with his life in February, 1972. The overall class average was 91.13. Congratulations to FLRTP-203 on a job well done. [Scott Fear, PIO, USPP]
Bryce Canyon National Park (UT)
Supervisory Park Ranger (Protection Branch Manager)
Vacancy Announcement # Zion-Merit-BRCA-03-03P
Supervisory Park Ranger (Protection Branch Manager)
Bryce Canyon National Park
Open: 12/24/2002
Close: 01/10/2003
Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah is seeking applicants for its GS-025-11 Protection Branch Manager position. This is a great job in a great area. The park emphasizes balanced and traditional protection programs, including: law enforcement, complex structural fire and EMS programs, backcountry, campgrounds, high angle SAR, winter operations, concessions issues, prescribed fire activities,etc. Program is supported with excellent infrastructure, equipment and operational planning/procedures. Park is located in a semi-remote area with moderate travel distances to shopping and other support facilities. Required occupancy consisting of excellent three-bedroom mission 66 style home available. Area schools are good and recreational activities outstanding. Contact Rob Danno, Chief of Visitor Services (435) 834-4800 for more information.
Full announcement can be found on http://www.usajobs.opm.gov
[Submitted by Rob Danno, rob_danno@nps.gov, (435) 834-4800]
Yosemite National Park (CA)
Two Permanent Supervisory GS-11 Rangers
The park is seeking candidates for two permanent supervisory GS-11 ranger positions. The rangers selected to fill these positions will perform a full range of administrative and operational supervisory duties including:
- leading, managing, and directing complex LE, SAR, EMS, and resource protection programs;
- planning, scheduling, and coordinating patrol operations;
- recruiting, developing, motivating, and retaining employees; and
- leading by example and working as a team with other work units, divisions, and agencies.
The first position is as the Tuolumne subdistrict ranger; the second is as the assistant district ranger and operations supervisor for the Wawona District. The Tuolumne SDR operates out of the Mather District. Tuolumne Meadows is second only to the Yosemite Valley in terms of park visitation and general activity. It is situated in the largest sub-alpine meadow environment in the Sierra Nevadas. The SDR manages and supervises all visitor protection activities within the subdistrict, including an intensive SAR and EMS program. She/he directly supervises three permanent full-time GS-9 protection rangers and one office assistant, and indirectly supervises several GS-5/7 seasonals and volunteers. The second position is in the Wawona District, which encompasses the entire southern portion of the park and includes the world famous Mariposa Grove, Glacier Point, historic Wawona Hotel, and Badger Pass Ski Area. Wawona rangers handle a variety of law enforcement, emergency medical service, and search and rescue incidents each year. The ranger in this position will be responsible for supervising and managing daily operations throughout the southern portion of the park. He/she directly supervises up to seven full performance GS-9 rangers, one office assistant, and several seasonals and volunteers. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply through vacancy announcement YOSE-03-33-IK-MPP (merit promotion), which is currently on USA JOBS (it closes on January 16). For more information, contact Cameron Sholly, deputy chief ranger for operations.
[Submitted by Dan Horner]
Submission standards for the Morning Report can be found on the left side of the front page of InsideNPS. All reports should be submitted via email to Bill Halainen at Delaware Water Gap NRA, with a copy to your regional office and a copy to Dennis Burnett in Division of Law Enforcement and Emergency Services, WASO.
Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement and Emergency Services, WASO, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.