Director/Deputy Directors
Flags to Be Flown at Half-Staff on Thursday
By order of President Bush, all flags are to be flown at half-staff on Thursday, May 15, 2003, for Peace Officers Memorial Day. They are to be returned to full staff on Friday. The proclamation can be found at the following link:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/05/20030509-15.html
INCIDENTS
Saguaro National Park (AZ)
Follow-up On Shooting Of BLM Ranger
On the afternoon of May 9th, BLM ranger Kevin Andrews stopped an 80's
vintage GMC pickup in BLM's Ironwood Forest NM. Sometime during the
contact, the driver jumped out of his truck and fired a handgun at
Andrews. Andrews returned fire with his BLM issued .40 caliber Sig
handgun. During the exchange of gunfire, the driver fell to the ground
and crawled under his pickup so that most of his upper torso was
directly beneath the truck's cab. At the time, the seriousness of the
man's wound was unknown to Andrews, who had been also been hit in the
exchange. Andrews immediately returned to his vehicle and backed it up
about 40 yards, removed his shotgun from its locking rack, and covered
the suspect. Andrews then notified dispatch that he was hit and that the
driver of the pickup was down. BLM officers, NPS rangers and Pima County
SO deputies and EMS personnel responded immediately. While waiting for
backup to arrive, Andrews administered first aid to his wounds, directed
responding personnel to the incident scene via his radio, and continued
to cover the suspect. Andrews was hit twice. One bullet passed through
his left leg and another passed through the skin on the left side of his
body just above his duty belt. No organs or bones where hit. Andrews was
medevaced to a Tucson hospital via an Arizona Department of Public
Safety helicopter; his assailant was medevaced to a Tucson hospital via
a Flight for Life helicopter. Andrews was treated for his wounds and
released from the hospital that evening. Andrews' assailant, who was hit
in the left side of his forehead just above the left eye, underwent an
operation Friday night and is currently in critical condition. The
investigation of the incident is being conducted jointly by the FBI and
the Pima County Sheriff's Office. Andrews is currently at home with his
wife and four children, recovering from his wounds. Cards can be sent to
him via BLM's Tucson Field Office at the following address: Tucson Field
Office, 12661 E. Broadway, Tucson, AZ 85748. Andrews has expressed a
desire to communicate with fellow officers, but would like communication
to occur via email. Email can be sent to him at Kevin_Andrews@BLM.gov.
[Submitted by Victor Brown, Staff Law Enforcement Supervisor, Tucson
Field Office, BLM]
Big Bend National Park (TX)
Indictment for First Degree Murder
During a search for a fleeing drug smuggler on March 31st, rangers
and officers discovered the partially-exposed remains of a body in a
remote area of the park. The body, wrapped in chicken wire and buried in
a shallow grave, was subsequently identified as that of S.S.R.,
42, a third year medical student at the University of Texas
Medical School in San Antonio. FBI agents processed the crime scene for
evidence, but little information was obtained from the site to identify
the victim or direct investigators toward his killer. Park backcountry
use permits led investigators towards a tentative identification of
S.S.R. as the victim, subsequently confirmed by forensic evidence.
District ranger Cary Brown, FBI agents, and the Texas rangers embarked
upon a three-and-a-half year investigation to identify the killer.
Brown, FBI agent Steve French and Texas ranger David Duncan conducted
dozens of interviews and pursued leads obtained from the victim's
apartment, email, credit card use and information from friends and
family. During the investigation, rangers from San Antonio Missions NHP
and Lake Roosevelt NRA and special agents from Olympic NP and the IMR
Regional Office were asked to follow leads, interview witnesses and
collect information that was critical to the investigation. Once a
suspect was identified, the lead investigators drove to San Antonio and
conducted an interview that resulted in a verbal confession. The case
was initially viewed as an assisted suicide, but continued examination
of the evidence convinced the investigators and the U.S. Attorney's
Office that the crime was a murder for profit. The investigators then
returned to the suspect and obtain a written confession. On May 1st, a
federal grand jury in Pecos, Texas, indicted J.M.B., 25, of
San Antonio, for first degree murder. J.M.B. was arrested by the FBI on
May 8th and is currently in custody. It is doubtful that this crime
would have been solved but for the outstanding partnerships, cooperation
and assistance rendered by all the agencies involved and the dogged
determination of the three lead investigator.
[Submitted by Mark
Spier, Chief Ranger]
Saint Croix National Scenic River (WI)
Protest Against Power Line Over Namekagon River
On the morning of May 10th, approximately 300 people attended a
special event in the Namekagon District of the St. Croix NSR to protest
against a proposed power line crossing of the Namekagon River.The event
was a First Amendment gathering sponsored by S.O.U.L. (Save Our Unique
Landscapes) and was monitored by the NPS for compliance with their
special use permit. Noted speakers at the gathering included George
Meyers, former director of Wisconsin's Department of Natural Resources,
and Gaylord Nelson, former senator responsible for the 1968 Wild and
Scenic Rivers Act which designated the Namekagon and St. Croix Rivers as
a unit of the NPS. The event included a canoe trip of approximately
seven miles which passed through the proposed area of the power line
crossing. Approximately 75 people participated in the canoe trip.
Rangers made several whitewater rescues, assisting a total of five
people in the frigid, Class II sections of the river. There were no
injuries, although one canoe remains pinned in the rapids at this time.
[Submitted by Dan Watson, Namekagon District Ranger]
Natchez Trace Parkway (AL,MS,TN)
Drug Seizure
On May 4th, ranger John Hearne observed a vehicle that was exceeding
the speed limit and whose driver was not wearing a seatbelt. Hearne
stopped it and noted that the driver was unusually nervous. When Hearne
contacted the passenger, he smelled the odor of marijuana, which the
passenger admitted to having just smoked. Rangers searched the vehicle
and found approximately a pound and a quarter of marijuana. Five ounces
were packaged for distribution in five separate bags. The Madison County
Sheriff's Office will be assisting with the case, the follow-up
investigation, and possible asset forfeiture. The case will be
prosecuted through the state court system.
[Submitted by Jackie
Henman, Assistant Chief Ranger]
FIRE MANAGEMENT
National Interagency Fire Center
NIFC Situation Report - Wednesday, May 14, 2003
Preparedness Level 2
Fifty-four new fires were reported on Tuesday. The Walker Fire (Lincoln NF, New Mexico) and Bernard Fire (Big Branch Marsh NWR, Louisiana) were contained.
Fire Danger
| State |
5/9 |
5/10 |
5/11 |
5/12 |
5/13 |
5/14 |
| Arizona |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
| Colorado |
VX |
VX |
-- |
-- |
VX |
VX |
| Kansas |
VX |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
VX |
| Massachusetts |
VX |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| Minnesota |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
| New Mexico |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
| Oklahoma |
VX |
-- |
-- |
VX |
VX |
VX |
| Texas |
VX |
-- |
-- |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VH — Very high
EX — Extreme
VX — Very high to extreme
Fire Weather Watches and Warnings
No warnings or watches have been posted for today.
National Resource Commitments
| Day |
5/9 |
5/10 |
5/11 |
5/12 |
5/13 |
5/14 |
| Crews |
3 |
11 |
17 |
19 |
35 |
33 |
| Engines |
13 |
19 |
36 |
25 |
47 |
54 |
| Helicopters |
2 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
6 |
5 |
| Air Tankers |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Overhead |
397 |
434 |
429 |
433 |
483 |
489 |
National Team Commitments
| State |
Type Team |
Team IC |
Incident/Fire |
Acres |
Percent Contain |
Est Full Contain |
| NM |
T2 |
Raley |
Walker Fire, Lincoln NF |
3,434 |
100% |
5/13 |
| AZ |
T2 |
Kvale |
A Bar Fire, Coronado NF |
457 |
85% |
5/14 |
Park Fire Situation
No reports today.
PARKS AND PEOPLE
NPS Office at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center
Graduation of Ranger Class
National Park Ranger Integrated Training Program Class 303 graduated from FLETC on May 3rd. Immediately prior to the graduation ceremonies, the graduating class placed a wreath at the FLETC's Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. As the eighth class to receive training under the six day work-week program, the rangers established some very high standards for subsequent classes, with superior individual and group achievements. Ranger Anthony T. Troxel (INDE) was the top driver with a perfect 300 score, while five other rangers also received a perfect 300 score. Ranger Garnet G Goodrich (BICY) received the distinguished fitness award, and rangers Robert M. Hipp (INDE), Justin Ivary (YELL), Jennifer S. Jackson (REDW), and Ralph L. Jones (NABR) earned the fitness award (equivalent to scoring above 95%) on the PEB. Rangers Troxel, Carmelo Ortiz (NATR), and Brett F. Painter (OZAR) tied as the high firearms expert, with each scoring a 293 out of a possible 300 points; they were joined by six other rangers who qualified as expert shooters. Ranger Mark C. LaShell (SLBE) was the class scholar with an outstanding 98.41 FLETC academic average. He was joined by five other rangers who scored above 95% in the FLETC academic portion. Ranger Ivary received the class nomination for the FLETC Director's Award as the outstanding ranger of the class. Ranger LaShell received the NPS Director's Award, which recognizes the graduating student who achieved the highest overall average in all integrated training phases without remediating any practical exercises. LaShell's final overall average was a near-perfect 99.438. A total of ten rangers scored above the 95% level in the overall scoring, while 21 out of 22 students finished with overall averages above 90%. The overall class average was an outstanding 94.84097, which moves NPRI-303 past NPRI-201 as the class with the highest overall class average among all NPRI classes (with NPRI-303 added in, the overall average of all NPRI classes combined is an outstanding 93.914%). Congratulations to NPRI-303 on a job well done. NPRI-304 is now at the Center and NPRI-305 begins on May 15th.
[Submitted by Don Usher, FLETC]
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.