Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park (HI)
Follow-up on Murder of Ranger
On February 5, F.E.B. III was found competent to
stand trail for the murder of ranger Steve Makuakane-Jarrell in
December, 1999. A July 15 trial date has been set in the District of
Hawaii. F.E.B. is charged with first degree murder, murder of a U.S.
government employee, use of a firearm to commit an act of violence, and
being a prohibited possessor of a firearm.
[Submitted by Scott
Hinson, Supervisory Special Agent, Lake Mead; Neil Akana, Park Ranger,
Hawaii Volcanoes]
Yellowstone National Park (ID,MT,WY)
ARPA Conviction
R.B. of Belgrade, Montana, pled guilty to two counts of
misdemeanor violations of ARPA in magistrate's court on November 13,
2002. Ranger David Barland-Liles had seen R.B. collecting artifacts
in the vicinity of the Gallatin River near the park's west boundary last
August. He contacted her and found that she had some chert flakes in her
possession. Park archeologist Ann Johnson prepared a damage assessment
which showed the archeological value of the flakes to be around $1,200
and the cost of emergency restoration and repair to be around $1,500.
R.B. was ordered to pay $600 in restitution and placed on a year's
unsupervised probation.
[Submitted by Dan Kirschner, Special
Agent]
Amistad National Recreation Area (TX)
Drug Seizures
Rangers and agents interdicted the shipment of 175 pounds of
processed marijuana across the Rio Grande on February 25. The load was
backpacked to an area near Highway 90, where it was placed in a vehicle.
That vehicle was stopped by Customs agents; two people were arrested and
the vehicle was seized. A second load of marijuana was smuggled across
Lake Amistad by boat that same day and stashed on a ranch just outside
the park's boundary. A pickup truck picked up the load the next day. It
was stopped by Border Patrol agents on Highway 163 and found to have 330
pounds of processed marijuana on board. The two occupants were arrested
and the vehicle was seized. This was a multi-agency operation;
participating were the NPS, Border Patrol, Customs, Texas DPS Narcotics
and the Val Verde County SO.
[Submitted by Bruce Malloy, Chief
Ranger]
Everglades National Park (FL)
Apparent Suicide
Ranger Mike Mischener came upon a white Ddoge van parked along a road
scheduled for abandonment in the East Everglades District on the morning
of Thursday, February 27. Michener found a 53-year-old woman lying in
front of the van, covered in blood. She had lacerations on her wrists
and arms and appeared to be in an altered mental state. Although she'd
lost a great deal of blood, she was still conscious. When Michener
attempted to provide first aid for her wounds, she became combative.
Ranger Kenny Clarke arrived on scene and assisted with basic life
support as she lost consciousness, then began CPR. Miami-Dade Fire
Rescue and Air Rescue were dispatched. Paramedics declared her dead at
the scene. The woman had called her ex-husband earlier that morning and
told him she intended to commit suicide. A sharp-edged razor was found
at the scene. An investigation is underway.
[Submitted by Bill
Wright, Chief Ranger]
FIRE MANAGEMENT
Canaveral National Seashore (FL)
Park Begins Prescribed Fire Program
Following five years of preparation, the park conducted its first prescribed burn on February 21. A 399-acre area of oak scrub was ignited to improve habitat for the Florida scrub jay and the eastern indigo snake, two of the park's 14 federally-protected species. The prescribed fire crew consisted of firefighters from three federal agencies - the NPS, Fish and Wildlife, and BLM.
[Submitted by John Stiner]
OPERATIONAL NOTES
NPS Office at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center
Additional Information on New NPS Honor Guard
NPS/FLETC superintendent Paul Henry has prepared the following in response to the queries he's received regarding the recently created NPS Honor Guard:
"The concept of having a formal NPS Honor Guard to represent the National Park Service (NPS) at ceremonial and funeral services has been around for quite a while. Placing and funding it within the dispersed organizational structure of the Service has always been problematic. As was recently announced, the Director has authorized the establishment of a permanent formal Honor Guard and assigned responsibility for managing the Guard to the Superintendent of NPS Law Enforcement Training at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. Our intent is to develop a superb honors drill team capable of following the traditions and formalities of rendering honors long-established in military, fire, and police organizations.
"In order to move quickly with the initial establishment of the Guard, nominations were sought from within the law enforcement discipline of the Service, where we anticipated there would be the highest interest and most experience in uniform military drill. Non- law enforcement commissioned employees also applied and were considered equally. In the future, applications will be welcome from any NPS employee who can demonstrate the requisite skills and has a history of prideful compliance with the NPS uniform appearance standards and appropriate grooming standards.
"As the Honor Guard program evolves and matures, we anticipate there may eventually be a need to have more than one team, with a number of highly trained members located around the country who can be called together quickly, reliably, and cost-effectively. The initial team will form the core of the program and will be available to share their skills and experience with future team members.
"We are in the early stages of considering the creation of a special uniform for the Honor Guard to wear during ceremonial occasions. The initial concept being considered involves a uniform drawing on some of the traditional NPS uniforms worn in the past. In addition to presenting a unique image for the Honor Guard, having a special uniform would enable employees from all divisions and disciplines, uniformed or not, to participate in the Honor Guard program.
"Membership in the Honor Guard entails a commitment to excellence involving practice, drill, readiness to travel on short notice, personal grooming and hygiene and maintenance of physical fitness. In addition to learning and becoming proficient in the various drills and maneuvers required, Guard members must be able to stand at attention for long time periods in high heat, control wind-blown flags, endure all types of adverse weather conditions, and maintain composure under extremely emotional and stressful conditions.
"Future calls for applicants will be widely distributed and include selection criteria. Although the application form will be self-nominating/self-rating, applicants will be screened through a multi-step process. Selection criteria will involve a demonstrated history of excellent uniform appearance (for uniformed employees), a rating of physical fitness, and a 360 degree rating and ranking process involving peers, supervisors, subject matter experts, and managers. After initial screening, applicants will be asked to demonstrate their actual ability and aptitude to achieve the rigorous performance and appearance standards necessary.
"The Honor Guard of the NPS will represent the pride of the Service in its employees and its mission. It will become our image in the media and to those we honor. Membership in the Guard will be a privilege earned through dedication and hard work. It will be open to all willing and able to meet the challenges and obligations of service."
Servicewide Training
Weekly Listing of Operations Training Opportunities
This calendar appears every Monday as an addendum to the Morning Report and a separate entry for InsideNPS. It is not meant to be replace the Learning Place; rather it is a quick summary of available training with links (as available) to relevant Learning Place pages. Please note:
- New entries are in bold face.
- Submissions for other training courses should conform to the style used here.
- Please include the URL to the web sites where readers can obtain the requisite forms and/or find out additional information about the training course. If a URL is not specifically listed, the announcement can likely be found on the Learning Place, the NPS training page found at http://www.nps.gov/training/announcements/index.doc.
- Closing dates for applications are underscored.
- Contact names are listed at the end of each entry with parentheses and are given as email addresses.
**********************************************************************************************
March
March 11 - 14: NREMT-B Level Refresher, Redding, CA. The 32-hour course meets the requirements for NREMT re-registration and for NORCAL-EMS re-registration. Class is limited to 25. Tuition is $25. Contact Kelly Roche at 530-595-4444 ext. 5183 to register and obtain more information. [Randy_Coffman@nps.gov]
March 17: Search and Rescue Awareness, Mather Training Center, Harpers Ferry, WV. This course will provide a basic overview of SAR. Designed for employees who may participate in SAR operations, but do not have SAR as a primary function of their jobs. Closes on March 7. Fore more information, contact Randy Coffman at 202-513-7093. [Randy_Coffman@nps.gov]
March 18 - March 20: Basic Search and Rescue, Mather Training Center, Harpers Ferry, WV. This is a basic course that provides an introduction to SAR and provides the basic skills for working in a SAR operation, including tactics, communications, personal preparedness, and basic rescue skills. Designed for employees who will participate in SAR operations as a primary or secondary function of their jobs. Closes on March 7. Fore more information, contact Randy Coffman at 202-513-7093. [Randy_Coffman@nps.gov]
March 31 - April 4: Fundamentals of Special Park Uses, Atlanta, GA. This course provides comprehensive guidance on all aspects of special park uses, including the permitting process, compliance issues, filming and photography and First Amendment activities. One page nomination form should be emailed to SER Employee Development by close of business on February 28. For more information, contact Lee Dickinson at 202-513-7092 or Sandy Taylor at 404-562-3158. [Lee Dickinson, WASO]
April
April 7 - April 9: Archeological Resource Crimes Investigation, Manassas NBP, Manassas, VA. This three-day course, instructed by Martin McAllister and ARI, Inc., is comparable to the new basic ARPA course offered at FLETC. The course is designed for law enforcement personnel, archeologists and managers. Tuition is $125. Closes on March 10. For more information, contact Will Reynolds at 202-329-1311. [Will_Reynolds@nps.gov]
April 7 - April 18: Firearms Instructor Training Program, FLETC, Glynco, GA. Closes on March 14. [Wiley_Golden@nps.gov]
April 8 - June 7: Criminal Investigator Training Program, FLETC, Glynco, GA. Closes on March 13. [Wiley_Golden@nps.gov]
April 21 - 25: National Wildfire Investigation Training (XP-NWITP-302), Grand Junction, CO. Topics include determining fire causes and origins, processing crime scenes, arson laws, and investigative techniques. Closes on March 14. [Wiley_Golden@nps.gov]
April 21 - April 25: Servicewide Basic Technical Rescue Training, Island in the Sky District, Canyonlands NP, UT. The training course is designed for personnel who routinely evacuate injured or stranded persons from heights and difficult terrain. The course will provide participants with the skills to perform difficult technical rescues. Students will be required to bring climbing gear, including seat harness, climbing helmet, carabiners, rappel rack and ascenders. This is a very physically demanding course, conducted outdoors with frequent exposure to severe heights. All participants must be in good physical condition. Closes on March 3. For more information, contact Ken Phillips at 928-638-7792. [Ken_Phillips@nps.gov]
April 22 - May 1: Police Bicycle Training Program, FLETC, Glynco, GA. Closes on March 20. [Wiley_Golden@nps.gov]
April 28 - May 9: Technical Investigative Equipment Training Program, FLETC, Glynco, GA. Closes on March 24. [Wiley_Golden@nps.gov]
April 29 - May 1: Basic EMT Refresher, Zion NP, UT. Taught by Tod Levesh, a former parkmedic and current paramedic and FEMA urban SAR team member. Tuition: $75. Lodging is at the Driftwood Lodge, 435-772-3262. For more information, contact Cody Cole, EMS coordinator, Zion NP, at 435-772-0163. [Randy-Coffman@nps.gov]
May
May 5 - May 9: High Angle Rope Rescue Training, New River Gorge, WV. The course will focus on basic to advanced high angle rope rescue techniques. All participants must be in good physical condition and be able to spend extended periods of time on fixed ropes. Climbing ability is not necessary. For more information, contact ranger Rob Turan at 304-763-3145 ext. 14. [Rob_Turan@nps.gov]
May 5 - May 16: Physical Fitness Instructor, FLETC, Glynco, GA. Training for physical fitness and wellness coordinators. Graduates will be able to give the PEB and additional assessments. Closes April 1. [Wiley_Golden@nps.gov]
May 12: Park Medic Refresher, University Medical Center, Fresno, CA. Twelve hours of advanced life support continuing education. The course will cover a large portion of the NREMT mandatory core refresher requirements for EMT intermediates. To register, contact Donna Armijo at UMC (559-459-5105); for general information, call Debbie Brenchely at Sequoia-Kings Canyon NP (559-565-4334). [Randy-Coffman@nps.gov]
May 12 - May 16: National Wildfire Investigation Training (XP-NWITP-303), Prescott, AZ. Topics include determining fire causes and origins, processing crime scenes, arson laws, and investigative techniques. Closes on April 3. [Wiley_Golden@nps.gov]
May 12 - May 23: Physical Security, FLETC, Glynco, GA. Physical security systems and procedures, physical security surveys. Closes on April 10. [Wiley_Golden@nps.gov]
May 12 - May 23: Firearms Instructor Training Program, FLETC, Glynco, GA. Closes on April 2. [Wiley_Golden@nps.gov]
May 15 - August 25: Basic Law Enforcement Training Program, FLETC, Glynco, GA. Closes on April 2. [Wiley_Golden@nps.gov]
May 27 - May 30: Instructor Training for Non-Lethal Training Ammunition, FLETC, Glynco, GA. Closes on April 22. [Wiley_Golden@nps.gov]
June
June 2 - June 13: Technical Investigative Equipment Training Program, FLETC, Glynco, GA. Closes on April 29. [Wiley_Golden@nps.gov]
June 9 - June 20: Firearms Instructor Training Program, FLETC, Glynco, GA. Closes on April 29. [Wiley_Golden@nps.gov]
PARKS AND PEOPLE
Gates Of The Arctic National Park & Preserve (AK)
GS-12 Supervisory Park Ranger
The park has announced a lateral reassignment opportunity for a GS-12 supervisory park ranger, who will be duty-stationed in Bettles, Alaska. The person in this position serves as the chief of operations/unit manager, and as such supervises the visitor and resource protection, interpretation, and facility management programs. A Type 1 law enforcement commission is required. Gates of the Arctic is widely recognized as one of the premier wilderness parks in the National Park Service. For more information, contact superintendent David Mills (907-455-0615).
[Submitted by Jane Tranel, ARO]
Yukon - Charley Rivers National Preserve (AK)
GS-12 Supervisory Park Ranger
The park has an opportunity for a lateral reassignment for a GS-12 supervisory park ranger, who will be duty stationed in Eagle, Alaska. The person in this position also serves as the chief of operations/unit manager, and as such supervises the visitor and resource protection, interpretation, and facility management programs. A Type 1 law enforcement commission is preferred. Yukon-Charley is widely recognized as one of the premier river areas in the National Park Service.
[Submitted by Jane Tranel, ARO]
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.