Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks (CA)
Death of Concessions Manager P.W.
Concessions manager P.W. passed away on Sunday, June 1st,
after a lengthy battle with cancer. P.W. was first hired at the park in
1989 as a concessions specialist. Prior to that, she worked at Lincoln
Home NHS and in Northeast Regional Office in Boston. She'd also served
in the Air Force. P.W. was a resident of Visalia and was at Kaweah
Delta Hospital when she succumbed.
[Submitted by Gregg Fauth, Acting
Chief Ranger]
Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River (NY,PA)
High School Student Missing and Presumed Drowned
A 17-year-old boy rafting on the Delaware River with other members of
a New Jersey high school group disappeared after the raft capsized in
the Butler's Rift rapids on the afternoon of Monday, June 2nd. The river
is running high and fast at present because of recent heavy rains, and
the water temperature is in the mid-50s. A search for the boy was begun
by rangers and emergency rescue personnel from the towns of Lumberland
and Sparrowbush, but was suspended around 5 p.m. The search resumed on
Tuesday and was being organized and coordinated by the park and by New
York State Police.
[Submitted by Cliff Daniels, Law Enforcement
Specialist]
Blue Ridge Parkway
Drug Arrests and Seizures
Ranger Ted Morlock contacted two people in a parked vehicle at an
overlook at MP 277 near Boone, North Carolina, on May 23rd. A knife and
ammunition were in plain view. Morlock obtained their permission to
conduct a consent search of the vehicle, which led to the discovery of
significant drug paraphernalia, drugs, a handgun, apparatus, chemicals,
and containers with active methamphetamine production in progress.
J.M. and K.T. were arrested and charged with possession
of a controlled substance. The car was seized and secured until a
certified team could process it. On May 29th, a search warrant was
executed on the vehicle by rangers and agents from the North Carolina
State Bureau of Investigation. Evidence was found and seized for lab
analysis. The investigation continues.
[Submitted by John Garrison,
Staff Ranger]
FIRE MANAGEMENT
National Interagency Fire Center
NIFC Situation Report - Wednesday, June 4, 2003
Preparedness Level 2
There were 130 newly-reported fires yesterday. Two became large fires, both in New Mexico — the Apache Fire on the Santa Fe NF and the Dry Lakes Complex on the Gila NF.
Fire Danger
| State |
5/30 |
5/31 |
6/1 |
6/2 |
6/3 |
6/4 |
| Alaska |
VX |
VX |
-- |
VX |
-- |
VX |
| Arizona |
VX |
VX |
VX |
-- |
VX |
VX |
| California |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
| Colorado |
VX |
-- |
-- |
-- |
VX |
VX |
| Minnesota |
VX |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| Nevada |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
-- |
| New Mexico |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
| Oklahoma |
VX |
VX |
-- |
-- |
-- |
VX |
| Texas |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
| Utah |
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 |
5/30 |
5/31 |
6/1 |
6/2 |
6/3 |
6/4 |
| Crews |
68 |
64 |
39 |
46 |
49 |
43 |
| Engines |
76 |
77 |
35 |
30 |
49 |
34 |
| Helicopters |
12 |
13 |
8 |
9 |
8 |
9 |
| Air Tankers |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
| Overhead |
579 |
483 |
473 |
491 |
522 |
190 |
National Team Commitments
| State |
Type Team |
Team IC |
Fire |
Acres |
Percent Contain |
Est Full Contain |
| AK |
T2 |
Reed |
Tok River/State lands |
6,143 |
45% |
6/10 |
Lava Beds National Monument (CA)
South Boundary Prescribed Fire (Prescribed Fire Treatment)
The NPS is using fire to restore ecosystem processes to these fire-adapted ponderosa pine and shrub-steppe plant communities located in northern California. The benefits of this burn include reducing the risk of unwanted wildfire which may threaten human life and property near the Visitor Center, improving mule deer winter range, and protecting migratory bald eagle roost sites. (full report)
Status
No impacts to park status.
Acreage: 1409 acres
Resources Committed: 116 personnel, 7 engines, and 2 helicopters during single shift used for aerial ignition.
Estimated containment date: 6/1/2003[Submitted by Mary Rasmussen, Mary_Rasmussen@nps.gov, 541-594-3073]
OPERATIONAL NOTES
NPS Office at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center
Court Ruling on Miranda Warnings
On Tuesday, May 27th, a sharply divided Supreme Court held that an officer's failure to read Miranda warnings to a prisoner who was questioned while awaiting treatment at a hospital did not violate that prisoner's Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination. In this case, the prisoner's statements were never used against him, nor was he charged with any criminal offense.The prisoner, who was shot by officers and critically wounded during an altercation, then filed suit against the officers. The Court reversed the Ninth Circuit's earlier denial of qualified immunity to the supervisor who conducted the interrogation at the hospital. The question of whether such conduct was a violation of substantive due process was remanded back to the Ninth Circuit. Chavez v. Martinez, No. 01-1444, 2003 U.S. LEXIS 4274.
[Submitted by Don Usher, WASO-FLETC]
Lessons Learned Center
Spring Issue of "The Scratchline" Posted
The Scratchline is a quarterly newsletter published by the Lessons Learned Center.
The spring 2003 feature article highlights hotshot crew superintendents' lessons learned from their recent fire seasons. The superintendents discuss successes, challenges, training recommendations, and unresolved issues in wildland fire. A second article examines two means to institute safety improvements in wildland fire vehicle operations.
The spring edition of The Scratchline is now available on the Lessons Learned Center Web site at: http://www.wildfirelessons.net/Scratchline.htm.
Recent Lessons Learned After Incident Reports (AIR) are also posted on the Web site. Review lessons learned come from:
- the recent Type 4 Michigan fires,
- the Columbia Shuttle Recovery in Texas,
- the Exotic Newcastle Disease (END) incident,
- USA support to Australia during their fires, and
- the national incident commander/area commander AIR for the 2002 fire season.
Of special interest are what lessons we can learn from how the Australians fight fire, from a hotshot superintendent's perspective. These AIRs can be viewed at: http://www.wildfirelessons.net/AftrIncdntRpt.htm .
A reminder to please submit an AIR for any Type 1 — 5 incident. Crews and individual resources are also encouraged to submit an AIR. The Lessons Learned Center collects and analyzes lessons learned and best practices for all types of wildland fire and non-fire assignments. The AIR can be completed on line, as a Microsoft Word document, faxed, or mailed to the center. Information on completing an AIR is found at: http://www.wildfirelessons.net/AftrIncdntRpt.htm .
The Lessons Learned Center is continually sharing this new knowledge with the wildland fire community in a variety of formats. The knowledge is shared on the Web site and via the Learning Curve and Scratchline publications. We request your comments and feedback on how we can improve.
[Submitted by Paula Nasiatka, Center Manager]
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.