Biscayne National Park (FL)
Illegal Encroachment Removed from Park
In December, 2002, park staff discovered an encroachment along the
northwest boundary of the park. The extensive development consisted of a
rock island (39 feet by 47 feet by 5 feet) rising out of Biscayne Bay,
350 feet of boardwalk cut through the mangroves, an aviary (15 feet by
50 feet by 10 feet) and 2,500 square feet of decking surrounding three
recreational vehicles. Rangers obtained a search warrant and searched
the property in January, 2003. The owner of the adjacent upland
property, C.D., was responsible for the encroachment and
appears to have fled the country. A damage assessment was completed,
indicating that damage came to about $1 million. The Park System
Resources Protection Act, a federal law passed in 1990and often referred
to as 19jj, makes the perpetrator of such violations liable for response
costs and restoration of damaged resources, even if such damage was
unintentional. The park worked with Miami Dade County to seize the
C.D. property under a county criminal forfeiture law. The county was
involved because it was able to expedite the process. The
property, which was originally valued at $850,000, was sold to the city
of Palmetto Bay Village for $300,000 to use as a city park. Heightened
attention to the area led the park to assemble a team of 25 park
employees to remove the illegally constructed boardwalk and decking. On
March 25th, the boardwalk was removed at the rate of 60 feet per
hour. The remainder of the decking was removed the next day, and
800 red mangrove seedlings were planted to aid in recovery of the
affected area. The removal of salvaged lumber and demolition of the
aviary and rock island are expected to be completed within six weeks.
The investigation is ongoing.
[Submitted by Holly Rife, Chief
Ranger]
Castillo De San Marcos National Monument (FL)
Armed Robbery
Two visitors from Tennessee were robbed at gunpoint near the park's
entrance station in St. Augustine around
11 p.m. on March 30th. A man with a handgun approached the
couple and demanded their money and jewelry. He told them not to make
him kill them, then made them lie face down on the ground, stuck the
weapon in the woman's neck, and told the pair not to move for five
minutes. About $6,500 in cash and jewelry was reportedly stolen. A joint
NPS — St. Augustine PD investigation is underway. Ranger Andrew
Rich is representing the park.
[Submitted by Gordie Wilson,
Superintendent]
National Capital Parks
Drowning in Tidal Basin
A George Washington University student who was walking along the
Tidal Basin with two friends around 10
p.m. on March 27th when he reportedly said something to them, then ran
and jumped into the water. Park Police officers and rangers responded,
but were unable to get him out of the water. Divers recovered his body
about an hour later. The incident took place on the opening day of the
Cherry Blossom Festival, which brought thousands of people to see the
blooming trees around the Tidal Basin. This is the first death in the
basin in recent memory. Metro PD is investigating.
[Submitted by
Sergeant Scott R. Fear, Public Affairs Officer]
FIRE MANAGEMENT
Fire and Aviation Management
Assistance Needed in Revision of NWCG Course Materials
The National Park Service, Fire Management Program Center, is soliciting Subject Matter Experts (SME) and Field Reviewers to assist in the revision of National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) course material.
OPEN SEASON: March 15 - June 15, 2004
We are currently soliciting for subject matter experts and field reviewers for courses that will begin development/revision in October of 2004. The following courses are scheduled for development/revision:
- S-203, Incident Information Officer
- S-234, Ignition Operations
- S-261, Applied Interagency Incident Business Management
- S-300, Incident Commander — Extended Attack
- S-346, Situation Unit Leader
- S-354, Facilities Unit Leader
- S-372, Helicopter Management
- D-110, Dispatch Recorder
- FI-310, Wildland Fire Investigation: Case Development
- RX-310, Introduction to Fire Effects
A Subject Matter Expert is a person who has a thorough technical knowledge and recent field experience in performing and/or supervising the task in question. A SME is a person generally recognized among his/her working associates as being very competent at performing the task(s). SME's will participate in up to three workshops and a test course within a two year period. Travel and per diem will be provided by the Fire Management Program Center. Salary will be provided by the home unit. A Field Reviewer has the same qualifications as a SME. When the proposed course materials are nearing completion, review copies of the draft course will be mailed to the Field Reviewers with a time line to evaluate the materials and return input to the NWCG Development Unit. There is no travel required as a Field Reviewer.
Interagency representation during the revision process is critical to ensure the most up to date, accurate, and diverse training is provided to all personnel involved in fire management activities.
Nomination forms need to be filled out and emailed back to Deb Epps at Deb_Epps@nifc.blm.gov by June 15, 2004. I will work with Deb in the selection process. Nominees will be notified as to their status in the fall. We are heavily reliant on our experts in the field to keep our training curriculum current. See the attached nomination form for additional information.
[Submitted by Chad Fisher, chad_fisher@nps.gov, 208-387-5221] More Information...
Fire and Aviation Management
NIFC Summer 2004 Information Officer Details
National Interagency Fire Center
National Incident Information Center - Boise, Idaho
General Information:
The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) External Affairs group, which consists of representatives from all the land management agencies, is now beginning to plan for the 2004 summer fire season. As we have done in the past, when fire activity merits significant regional, national and international media attention, the National Incident Information Center at NIFC is opened to facilitate these requests. Throughout the year, NIFC serves as the national center for wildland fire information. For more information about NIFC, go to: http://www.nifc.gov
Position(s) Available: Information Officer:
NIFC is now seeking detailers to staff the National Incident Information Center in the event the summer fire season merits its opening. Individuals who are qualified as Incident Information Officers and Public Affairs Specialists with experience and background in fire information are encouraged to consider this opportunity. Individuals with backgrounds in legislative and public affairs, crisis information management, and general public contact work who are seeking to gain wildland fire information officer experience are also encouraged to apply. To learn more about necessary skills and qualifications for Incident Information Officer's, go to: http://data2.itc.nps.gov/fire/utility/uti_abo_informationofficer.cfm
Funding:
Travel and per diem will be paid for by NIFC.
Dates:
Assignments to the National Incident Information Center at NIFC are tentatively scheduled from the first week of June and extend through September 2004. Again, an exact date of the center's opening is dependent upon wildland fire activity and it is often difficult to predict. Once selected, nominees will receive a confirmation letter and should keep their assigned dates open in the event that they are needed to staff the Center (Please keep in mind, your assistance may not be needed depending upon fire conditions and media interest). Applicants are then listed as "on-call" Information Officers for their assigned time period. Applicants do receive advance notice, and this can range from 24 hours to a week's time.
Nomination Process:
Nomination forms should be submitted no later than April 23, 2004, electronically to Roberta D'Amico, Fire Management Program Center, at Roberta_D'Amico@nps.gov
Be sure to indicate the dates you are available, and correlate these dates with the FY04 payperiods.
See attached nomination form (the pdf is editable).
[Submitted by Roberta D'Amico, roberta_d'amico@nps.gov, 208-387-5239] More Information...
OPERATIONAL NOTES
United States Park Police
Supreme Court Ruling on Release of Photos
On Tuesday, March 30th, the United States Supreme Court ruled that the government does not have to release the death scene photos from the 1993 Park Police investigation into the death of White House counsel Vince Foster (National Archives and Records Administration v. Favish). The court held unanimously that it would be painful for the family and intrude on their privacy. The photographs had been sought through the Freedom of Information Act. However, the court stated that the FOIA allows an exemption from disclosure if the release would invade personal privacy (Section 7c). Local papers, including the Washington Post and the Washington Times, reported that the court ruled that the government can withhold information to protect a grieving family unless the requestor has good evidence that disclosure might help uncover official wrongdoing. The court noted that five separate investigations had upheld the Park Police's finding that his death was a suicide.
[Submitted by Commander, Planning and Development Unit]
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.