NPS Visitor and Resource Protection
The Morning Report
Wednesday, January 28, 2004


INCIDENTS

Shenandoah National Park (VA)
Rescue with Life Saved

On the evening of January 24th, a motorist stopped in at the Sperryville Fire Department and reported that he'd seen a man walking along the road in the dark on State Highway 211 where it passes through the park. Despite the fact that the temperature was 18 degrees and dropping, the man was naked. Though he was gone when a responding Rappahannock County deputy arrived, the deputy was able to identify two unoccupied vehicles parked at the Pass Mountain trailhead, one of which turned out to belong to the mother of the person in question. When contacted at her home in Richmond, she told the deputy that the vehicle was being operated by her 27-year-old son, recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Though inexperienced in the outdoors, she said that her son had a strong affinity for the wilderness and an interest in books on tracking and survival. The park was notified. With a winter storm approaching the next day, the park began an all-out effort to find him, utilizing park staff and personnel from state search and rescue organizations. One of them was the Shenandoah Mountain Rescue Group, which was training nearby in the park at the time. A hasty search team found the naked man huddled 30 to 40 yards off the trail about a mile-and-a-half from the trailhead around 11 p.m. Although still responsive, his body temperature had dropped below the point at which shivering ceases. Ranger/medic Bill Archard stabilized him, after which he was extricated by a litter team and transported to Culpepper Hospital by the Sperryville Rescue Squad. Acting supervisory park ranger Bobby Fleming and Central District DR Lora Peppers were the initial action incident commanders.
[Submitted by Clay Jordan, Deputy Chief Ranger]



Gates Of The Arctic National Park & Preserve (AK)
Bettles Ranger Station Burns Down

The ranger station at Bettles burned to the ground yesterday morning around 2 or 3 a.m. No one was injured. The structures is owned by the Fish and Wildlife Service but shared by both agencies. Winds were strong at the time. Additional details will appear when available.
[Submitted by Jay Liggett, Regional Chief Ranger]



Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument (AZ)
Border Incidents

Rangers dealt with a series of border-related incidents during a four-day period in mid-January:

  • January 16th — Rangers received a Border Patrol report that human remains had been found within the park near Armenta Ranch. They responded along with a Pima County deputy and found partial skeletal remains scattered over a quarter-mile area. They were adjacent to a trail created and heavily used by illegal immigrants. Investigators found evidence of two bodies along with personal effects. A single skull was found in the same area in December.
  • January 16th — Rangers and members of the Pacific West SET team tracked a group of drug backpackers two miles into the park's backcountry. One smuggler was arrested at gunpoint while another dozen or so fled on foot. A Customs helicopter landed two agents to assist with tracking, but no additional arrests were made. Nine backpacks with 314 pounds of marijuana were seized.
  • January 18th — Rangers and SET team members tracked a group of suspected backpackers eleven miles into a remote section of the park's backcountry. The operation was suspended just prior to sunset for safety reasons, then resumed the following day. The tracks were followed for another five miles until the rangers caught up with the smugglers. Another four rangers were flown in to assist in a Customs Blackhawk helicopter. Six smugglers were arrested at gunpoint, and seven backpacks with 339 pounds of marijuana were seized.

With the assistance of the Intermountain and Pacific West SET teams, rangers have seized over 3,000 pounds of marijuana and made more than 130 arrests for illegal immigration or smuggling over the past two months. Since the White House announcement was issued regarding the possibility of a guest worker program, rangers have noted a dramatic increase in illegal alien traffic.
[Submitted by Fred Patton, Chief Ranger]




PARKS AND PEOPLE

Fire and Aviation Management
GS-0401-12/13 Wildland Fire Management Specialist

Dates: 01/27/2004 - 02/17/2004

Vacancy Announcement Number: IMDE-04-08

Opening Date: 01/27/2004

Closing Date: 02/17/2004

Position: Wildland Fire Management Specialist, GS-0401-12/13

Promotion Potential: If position is filled below the full performance level, incumbent may be non-competitively promoted after meeting performance and time-in-grade requirements. However, identification of promotion potential in this position does not constitute a commitment or an obligation on the part of management to promote the employee selected at some future date. Promotion will depend upon administrative approval and the continuing need for an actual assignment and performance of higher level duties.

Duty Location: 1 vacancy — duty station will be either Lakewood , CO , or Santa Fe , NM , depending upon person selected and management's discretion.

Position is organizationally under: National Park Service, Intermountain Region, Intermountain Support Office, Lakewood, CO.

This position is being advertised under the provisions of the National Park Service Merit Promotion Plan.

Area Information: Lakewood , Colorado is a suburb west of Denver ; population approximately 113,000; located in Jefferson County at an altitude ranging from 5,400 to 6,000 feet. Climate is dry with an average of 15.14 inches of precipitation. Public transportation is available through RTD (regional Transportation District). Housing is available on a rental or purchase basis in the area. Denver Metropolitan area has excellent medical facilities, churches, shopping, cultural arts, and recreational facilities. Education is received from nationally recognized Jefferson County Schools.

Santa Fe , NM (population approximately 65,000) is located 60 miles north of Albuquerque , at an elevation of 7,000 feet. Rentals for 1 to 3 bedroom homes and apartments are available with rental rates ranging from $490 - $700+ and $1,500 for 3 bedroom homes. The median purchase price for homes in Santa Fe is $189,000. Public, private, and parochial schools are available. There are three colleges, St. John's College , the College of Santa Fe , and Santa Fe Community College . All medical services and complete shopping facilities are available.

Area of Consideration: Government-wide. Applications will be accepted from any current or former federal employee with competitive career status (career/career-conditional, reinstatement eligibility); from persons eligible for appointment under special noncompetitive hiring authorities such as 30% Disabled Veterans, recent Peace Corps service, disability hiring authorities, etc.; and from veterans who are preference eligible or who have been separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions after substantially completing 3 or more years of continuous active service. Documentation verifying eligibility must be submitted with the application.

Veterans who are preference eligibles or who have been separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions after 3 years or more of continuous active service may apply under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA). If applying under this provision, a copy of your DD-214, SF-15, or proof of preference must be submitted. Additional information on veterans' preference is available in the Vet's Guide that can be found at: http://www.opm.gov/veterans/html/vetguide.htm

Applications will be accepted from current USDI employees certified as affected in the local commuting area of this vacancy under the USDI Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), and the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP). CTAP and ICTAP applicants must be well qualified as defined under basis of rating.

Tour of Duty: Permanent, full time.

Bargaining Unit Status: Exempt

Major Duties: This position serves as a specialized authority in the activities of the Regional Fire Management program. Incumbent provides specialized and professional guidance and advice to the Regional Director and staff, and to park fire management personnel and superintendents in a multi-state, multi-cluster region. Responsibilities include program review, inter-park and inter-agency coordination, and leadership for the region's fire management program. The regional fire management program is significantly larger in acreage, risk potential, human resources, and complexity than most other regional programs. The fire management program of the region has Service-wide implications because of its resource needs and policy implications. Incumbent will assure consistency of application of national and regional policy at the park level through review of park fire management and operational fire plans. Decisions and commitments made will have wide influence on the fire management programs in the region. Incumbent assures that funding continuity and balance is considered among parks, and carries out long-term regional mobilization planning and coordinates inter-park prescribed fire support activities. As the Regional Director's representative, incumbent will coordinate and confer with a variety of other fire management agencies' upper level professionals and regulatory agencies from eight states. Also coordinates with other regions, parks and related agencies to assure continuity and coordination, and to assure that local fire management plans, agreements and decision criteria between agencies are compatible with agency policy. Serves as an inter-agency liaison expert. Evaluates the needs of the regional fire management program in terms of policy implementation, and technology transfer needs and designs programs of action to address gaps of proficiency. Keeps informed and aware of fire program initiatives, developments, and practices of wildland fire science. Evaluates and maintains the regional fire training program, assuring that all qualifications for the profession are met by fire specialty personnel. Serves as the regional technical specialist on wildland fire incident management, including team training, selection and operations, fire logistics, fire business management and fire personnel administration.

Retirement Coverage: This is a secondary firefighter position under 5 USC 8336(c) (CSRS) and 8412(d) (FERS) when it is filled by an incumbent who previously held a primary position and transfers directly from a primary position or another secondary position, with no break in service or intervening service not as a firefighter, to this position. This position requires firefighting experience. Previous firefighter experience is defined as experience gained through a combination of classroom and on the ground experiences. Classroom training requires S-130 and S-190 as basic courses. On the ground fire suppression experience is normally acquired as a firefighter on wild land fires. Firefighter retirement coverage of the incumbent depends upon his/her individual work history.

Firefighter retirement covering in this secondary position depends upon the past coverage of the employee. Employees covered by the Federal Employees Retirement System must have three years of service in a primary position to be covered upon transfer to a secondary position. Applicants are responsible for providing documentation of their past service in approved positions for this purpose.

Prior firefighting experience as gained by substantial service in a primary firefighter position in the Federal government or equivalent experience outside the Federal government is a MANDATORY PREREQUISITE for incumbents of this position.

Qualifications: The OPM Qualifications Handbook will be used. The qualifications may be seen in any federal government Human Resource office, or on the internet at: http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/index.htm

Basic Requirements:

  1. Degree: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

    OR
  2. Combination of education and experience — Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

Specialized Experience Requirement: In addition to the basic educational requirements, applicants must have at least one year of progressively responsible experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-11 level experience to qualify for the GS-12; and GS-12 level experience to qualify for the GS-13), that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled.

Example of specialized experience for this position: preparing, reviewing and/or evaluating wildland fire management plans for technical adequacy.

Applicants must fully meet all qualifications and time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required:

The following knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) will be used to rateand rank applicants who are basically qualified. Candidates should submit a narrative statement on separate page(s) with specific responses to the KSA's. Failure to submit your narrative responses to the KSA's for this job may negatively affect your eligibility and/or rating for this position.

  1. Knowledge in fire science and management concepts, fie ecology, fire behavior, hazard fuel assessment, smoke management, fire meteorology principles, laws, programs and precedents sufficient to develop, propose, and recommend substantial regional program innovations, significant program changes or alternate courses of critical fire management action.
  2. Knowledge of other agency practices and procedures in fire science to interface regional fire plans with neighboring programs, i.e. U.S. Forest Service, State Forestry, BLM, BIA, Fish & Wildlife Service, etc.
  3. Ability to communicate orally and in writing about wildland fire management business and issues that may involve the Federal Fire Policy, National Fire Plan or similar fire policies. Ability to develop media programs for training and public meetings. Use e-mail, Internet web sites, and spreadsheets to support a fire management program.
  4. Knowledge and skill in designing, advising, reviewing and examining plans and ability to design variable and alternative plans and approaches to fire planning in widely diversified park fire management programs.

When addressing criteria, applicant should explain how experience, training, or education meets the criteria. Response to each criterion should be no more than one page in length.

Basis of Rating:

Applicants meeting basic eligibility requirements will be rated and ranked on the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) required to perform the duties of the position. Please review the KSAs carefully. Include in the write-ups such things as experience in and out of Federal service that gave you the specific knowledge, skill or ability; objectives of your work; and evidence of your success (such as accomplishments, awards received, etc.)

Definition of well qualified for CTAP/ICTAP. Well qualified is defined as "An eligible CTAP applicant who meets the following: OPM qualification standards for the position; all selective factors, where applicable; special qualifying conditions that OPM has approved for the position; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and is rated by the organization at least at the level 3 on all quality ranking factors."

Pay, Benefits, and Work Schedule:

This is a permanent, full-time position, and includes all benefits of permanent employment.

Conditions of Employment:

In accordance with Executive Order 12564, applicants selected for this position are required to submit to a drug test and receive a negative drug test result prior to appointment. In addition, this position is a drug-testing designated position subject to random testing for illegal drug use.

Work is primarily performed in an office setting. There will be some physical exertion as incumbent is inspecting and evaluating conditions of fire sites and overall ground program, which will include walking over rough, uneven terrain in any type of weather. There will be exposure to moderate discomforts such as extremes of heat, cold, and inclement weather when performing on-the-ground inspections.

Under Executive Order 11935, only United States citizens and nationals (residents of American Samoa and Swains Island ) may compete for civil service jobs. Agencies are permitted to hire non-citizens only in very limited circumstances where there are no qualified citizens available for the position.

As a condition of employment, male applicants born after December 31, 1959 , must certify that they have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law.

A background security investigation will be required for all new hires. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.

This position requires completion of a one-year probationary period for new hires.

Other Information:

Time-in-grade restrictions must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

First consideration will be given to CTAP and ICTAP eligibles.

If claiming 5 point veterans' preference, a DD-214 must be submitted. If claiming 10 point veterans' preference, both a DD-214 and SF-15 must be submitted.

Your Social Security Number (SSN) is requested under the authority of Executive Order 9397 to uniquely identify your records from those of other applicants' who may have the same name. As allowed by law or Presidential directive, your SSN is used to seek information about you from employers, schools, banks and others who may know you. Failure to provide your SSN on your application materials will result in your application not being processed.

Before being hired, you will be required to sign and certify the accuracy of the information in your application, if you have not done this using an application form such as the OF-612.

If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be fired after you begin work; or you may be subject to fine, imprisonment, or other disciplinary action.

Employees who received a buyout and subsequently return to positions in the Federal government, whether by re-employment or contracts for personal services, are generally obligated to repay the full amount of the buyout to the agency from which separated.

This agency provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application hiring process, please notify the agency. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis.

Privacy Act Notice (PL 93-579): The Office of Personnel Management and other Federal agencies rate applicants for Federal jobs under authority of sections 1104, 1302, 3301, 3304, 3361, 3393, and 3394 of title 5 of the United States Code. We need the information requested to evaluate your qualifications. Other laws require us to ask about citizenship, military service, etc.

How to Apply:

If application is submitted by mail, it must be postmarked by the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. Hand delivered applications must be received by closing date.

All status candidates and reinstatement eligibles (current and former government employees) must submit a copy of their SF-50 showing career, career-conditional, or reinstatement eligibility.

Individuals who are eligible for consideration under a special hiring authority (e.g., 30% compensable veterans, VRA eligibles, severely handicapped individuals, former Peace Corps and VISTA Volunteers, etc.) will be accepted and considered non-competitively for this vacancy. Special hiring authority eligibles must indicate on their application if they are applying under a special program and submit proof of eligibility with their application. The VRA hiring authority is limited to positions at the GS-11 level and below.

Applications mailed using government postage and/or internal federal government mail systems are in violation of agency and postal regulations and will not be accepted.

Items to include:

Submit a resume, Optional Application for Federal Employment (OF-612) or other written application format of your choice. Be sure you provide all of the information requested below:

Job Information:

  • Announcement Number, title and grade(s) for which you are applying.

Personal Information:

  • Full name, mailing address (with zip code) and day/evening telephone numbers (with area code).
  • Social Security Number. Providing your Social Security Number is voluntary. However, we cannot process your application without it.
  • Country of Citizenship.
  • If ever employed by the Federal Government, please indicate the highest Federal civilian grade held, job series, and dates of employment in grade.

Education:

  • High School name, city, state and zip code, date of diploma or GED.
  • Colleges and/or Universities attended, city, state and zip code.
  • Major field(s) of study.
  • Type and year of degree(s) received. If no degree received, show total credit hours received in semester or quarter hours.

Work Experience - for each paid and non-paid position held related to the job for which you are applying (do not provide copies of job descriptions):

  • Job Title
  • Duties and accomplishments
  • Number of hours per week
  • Employers name and address
  • Supervisor's name and phone number
  • Indicate if your current supervisor may be contacted
  • Starting and ending dates of employment (month and year)
  • Salary

Other qualifications:

  • Job-related training courses (title and year)
  • Job-related skills (e.g., other languages, computer software/hardware, tools, machinery, typing speed, etc.)
  • Job-related certificates and licenses
  • Job-related honors, awards, and special accomplishments (e.g., publications, memberships in professional or honor societies, leadership activities, public speaking, performance awards, etc.) Do not send copies of documents unless specifically requested.
  • If you are applying for Veterans' Preference, submit evidence of eligibility, such as DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, or Standard Form 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and the proof requested on the form.
  • If you are or have been a Federal employee, please submit a copy of your last Notification of Personnel Action, SF-52, and your most recent or last performance appraisal.

Materials submitted as part of your application will not be returned.

All current Federal employees must provide a copy of their current Performance Appraisal (must be within 15 months from the closing date of the announcement).

We encourage all applicants to complete the attached form DI-1935 (Applicant Background Survey) and submit it with your application materials.

Failure to submit all required documents and information requested by the closing date of this announcement may result in your not receiving full consideration. Applicant's qualifications will be evaluated solely on the information submitted in their application.

Individuals who have special priority selection eligibility under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) must be will qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection. See Basis for Rating for definition of "well qualified."

Federal employees seeking CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit proof that they meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330.605 (a) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP. This includes proof of eligibility, a copy of their most recent Performance Rating and a copy of their most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP or ICTAP eligible.

For additional information about this position, please contact:

Bryan Swift at (303) 969-2449

For information regarding how to apply to this position, please contact:

Valerie Marquez at (303) 969-2601

Submit your application package to:

National Park Service
IMSO-DE-AS
P.O. Box 25287
Denver , CO 80225-0287

Handcarried or Overnight mail:

12795 W. Alameda Parkway
Lakewood , CO 80228

Complete application packages may be faxed to:

303-969-2593

Human Resources will not be responsible for the condition of faxes received, and it is the applicant's responsibility to ensure faxed materials are legible.

Inquiries pertaining to the status of this announcement are to be made no sooner than 20 days after the closing date of the announcement.

The National Park Service is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

It is the policy of the Government of the United States to provide equal opportunity in Federal employment for all persons and to prohibit discrimination in employment because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, handicap, age, or sexual orientation through a continuing affirmative program in each executive department and agency.
[Submitted by Bryan Swift, bryan_swift@nps.gov, (303) 969-2449 ] More Information...




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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.