Point Reyes National Seashore (CA)
Stolen Vehicle and Warrants Arrest
Ranger Roger Mayo stopped a vehicle with plates that were registered
to another vehicle on April 4th. As he approached it, he saw the driver
attempting to hide what appeared to be contraband. The driver admitted
to Mayo that it was methamphetamine. The driver had no identification on
him, but was eventually identified and found to have several arrest
warrants out against him. The car had been stolen in Napa on March 12th.
Search of the vehicle led to evidence of other crimes, including stolen
license plates, personal property and identification belong to several
different people, drug paraphernalia, and a large canister and several
baggies of a white crystalline powder. The driver had been selling it as
methamphetamine, but tests revealed that it was actually a sulfur-based
dietary supplement for horses. The investigation
continues.
[Submitted by Dan Habig, Operations Supervisor]
Big Thicket National Preserve (TX)
Drowning in Village Creek
On the afternoon of April 8th, Hardin County dispatched a deputy to a
report of a drowning on Village Creek within the park. Ranger Michael
Smith overheard the call and also responded. When he arrived on scene,
he found several officers and firefighters already present. A
16-year-old boy had attempted to swim across the creek. As his cousins
watched him, he went under the water and did not resurface. His cousins
then drove to a convenience store and called 911. Ranger Johnny Stafford
brought a boat to the scene, and he, Smith and a state warden employed a
body drag to find the victim. The death has been ruled an accidental
drowning.
[Submitted by Michael Smith, Park Ranger]
Biscayne National Park (FL)
Apparent Suicide
Ranger Jason Marsh was on patrol on Monday, April 5tyh, when he saw
helicopters hovering over Black Point Jetty. A visitor had called 911
after finding a man hanging from a tree on the jetty. Local EMS
personnel were on scene administering CPR, but were unable to revive the
man. Miami Dade PD is investigating.
[Submitted by Holly Rife, Chief
Ranger]
FIRE MANAGEMENT
National Interagency Fire Center
NIFC Situation Report — Sunday, April 11, 2004
Preparedness Level 1
Initial attack was light nationally on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. A total of 300 new fires were reported over the period. Along with the large fire burning in Florida (see below), NIFC reported a 250-acre fire in the Shasta-Trinity NF in California and a 100-acre fire in the Payette NF in Idaho.
No states reported high or extreme fire indices.
National Resource Commitments
| Day |
Thu |
Fri |
Sat |
Sun |
|
Date |
4/8 |
4/9 |
4/10 |
4/11 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Crews |
15 |
9 |
15 |
22 |
|
Engines |
142 |
61 |
70 |
89 |
|
Helicopters |
13 |
9 |
7 |
13 |
|
Air Tankers |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Overhead |
216 |
192 |
224 |
269 |
National Team Commitments
|
State |
Type Team |
Team IC |
Fire/Location |
Acres 4/8 |
Acres |
Percent Contain |
Est. Full Contain |
|
FL |
T1 |
Ferguson |
East Fork Fire, Florida NF's |
8,400 |
14,600 |
50% |
4/20 |
Mammoth Cave National Park (KY)
Jim Lee Ridge (Wildland-Urban Interface Fire,Prescribed Fire Treatment)
The Jim Lee Ridge Prescribed Fire was conducted on April 6, 2004, in Mammoth Cave National Park. It was the park's sixth prescribed fire in three years; Mammoth Cave NP burned 1,940 acres in FY04, for a total of 2,458 acres since the park's FMP was implemented in 2001.
Hand and aerial ignitions were employed. The fire area was bounded by roads, trails, and the park's main campground. Approximately 2,000 visitors passed the fire on their way to park headquarters. Park law enforcement officers assisted with vehicle escorts through smoke-covered roads. The helispot was adjacent to the visitor center, allowing the crew easy interaction with curious visitors.
WKYU-TV, the local PBS affiliate from Bowling Green, Ky., filmed the operation to be aired on its public affairs program, Outlook, in late May. Burn Boss Kevin Walsh facilitated WKYU filming the helicopter crew as they refilled the ping pong ball equipment and demonstrated its use. Walsh also allowed the camera crew on the final fly-over of the fire. (full report)
Status: One road and one river ferry were closed during ignition. One cave tour was rerouted to avoid exiting into the fire.
Acreage: 1,768 acres
Estimated containment date: April 8, 2004[Submitted by Rich Caldwell, rich_caldwell@nps.gov, 270/758-2119]
OPERATIONAL NOTES
Health and Fitness
Receiving Medical Exam Results
Additional funding and stipulations are being added to the medical contract authorizing CHS to mail copies of completed medical exams, including labs, to officers. This will allow employees to have the most current information to provide their personal physicians.
As a reminder, the NPS medical examinations are occupational exams to qualify employees for arduous duty law enforcement or wildland fire duties. The NPS exam is not meant to supplant more extensive physicals conducted by personal physicians.
[Submitted by pat buccello, pat_buccello@nps.gov, 202/513-7131]
PARKS AND PEOPLE
Natchez Trace Parkway (AL,MS,TN)
GS-025-7/9 Protection Ranger Positions
Natchez Trace Parkway is recruiting for multiple merit promotion vacancies in the park. All have promotional potential to GS-9. These positions offer the opportunity to perform a variety of visitor and resource protection activities, including traffic enforcement, investigation of cultural and natural resource violations, and collateral wildland fire and National Scenic Trail responsibilities. The parkway is an active participant in FLETC's field training ranger program, and opportunities may exist for employees to be designated as field training rangers. The areas of Natchez and Ridgeland, Mississippi, and Leipers Fork, Tennessee, provide excellent communities for raising families, with a wide range of housing opportunities. The announcements are posted on the USAJOBS website announcement number NATR-04-05. For additional information, contact chief ranger Charles Cuvelier at 662-680-4014.
[Submitted by Charles Cuvelier, Chief Ranger ]
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (AZ,UT)
GS-9 Permanent Full-Time Ranger
Glen Canyon NRA is seeking qualified candidates with a Level I commissioned ranger for lateral transfer to a GS-9, permanent full-time position in the Halls Crossing Subdistrict. This is a required occupancy position with a designated three bedroom house. She/he will be directly supervised by a subdistrict ranger and work with two subject-to-furlough and one to two seasonal rangers. Duties include:
- A wide variety of resource protection duties, including law enforcement, emergency medical services, structural fire, and search and rescue.
- Frontcountry and backcountry patrols via a variety of multi engine boats, 4X4 vehicles, oar-powered rafts and foot patrols.
- A full range of investigative functions and work closely with and maintain relations with state, county and federal agencies.
Halls Crossing is a small, remote park community with limited services. It consists of 42 NPS and concession housing units, a concession-operated 63-site campground, a small trailer park with 35 RV sites, 18 rental housing units, and a small convenience store and gas station. Halls Crossing Marina operations includes an NPS boaters contact station, fuel docks, boat rentals, boat repair facilities, marina store, covered slips and buoys for approximately 250 boats. Halls Crossing has an elementary school, and a high school is available across the lake at Bullfrog (via school bus and ferry). The town of Blanding is approximately 90 miles away and has a variety of amenities and services. The climate is typical of the Colorado Plateau desert, with hot dry summers, and mild winters. Interested parties should respond by April 16th by either calling subdistrict rangers Kerry Haut (435-684-2456) or Laurie Axelsen (435-684-7411) or contacting them via email at Kerry_Haut@NPS.Gov or Laurie_Axelsen@NPS.Gov. Send application materials to Glen Canyon NRA, Attn: Laurie Axelsen, PO Box 4304, Bullfrog, UT 84533. Enclose your most current SF-50 and supervisory evaluation. This person selected for this position is slated to EOD on June 27th.
[Submitted by Steve Luckesen, Uplake District Ranger]
Denali National Park & Preserve (AK)
GS-9 Permanent STF Commissioned Ranger
Denali National Park and Preserve is seeking qualified candidates for lateral transfer to a GS-9, permanent subject-to-furlough commissioned ranger position. The person in this position serves as the Wonder Lake area ranger in the Corridor District and will be responsible for providing a full range of law enforcement and emergency service duties in both frontcountry (May-September) and backcountry (September-May) settings. Wonder Lake, a premier destination for park visitors and professional photographers with stunning views of the Alaska Range and 20,320-foot Mount McKinley, is located near the end of the 90-mile park road and is surrounded by the two-million-acre Denali wilderness. The developed area is small, consisting of a 30-site campground, picnic area, and bus shelter. Adjacent to the area lie significant ANILCA park additions, which include private inholdings, three backcountry lodges, a commercial air taxi operation, subsistence hunting activities, mining claims, an airstrip, and an NPS work camp. The Ranger Division is currently implementing a reorganization which will provide an opportunity for diverse, resource-based ranger activities and patrols and significant autonomy and independent work. Salary includes a 25% tax-free cost-of-living-allowance (COLA). Housing is required at Wonder Lake during the core visitor season and may be available at Headquarters during other times of year. Applicants must currently be employed at the GS-9 level or have been a permanent GS-9 employee and be qualified for a law enforcement position. For more information contact: Pat Navaille, acting supervisory park ranger, at 907-683-9648, or chief ranger Pete Armington at 907-683-9521. Send application materials (consisting of SF171 or equivalent, most current SF50, and most current performance appraisal) to Bill Allen, Human Resources, Denali National Park and Preserve, PO Box 9, Denali Park, AK 99755. Applications must be postmarked by April 26th. This is a mandatory drug testing, 6(c) covered position. Relocation expenses will be paid.[Submitted by Pete Armington, Chief Ranger]
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.