Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Confrontation with Presumed Murder Suspect
Around 4:40 p.m. yesterday, rangers received a BOLO (be on the
lookout message) for J.B.P., 27, who was wanted for first degree murder.
J.B.P. had allegedly shot and killed an ex-girlfriend with a rifle on
the evening of Friday, June 4th. A warrant was on file for the crime.
J.B.P. was reported to be armed and dangerous, and had told friends that
he would not be taken alive. At 11:15 p.m.last night, rangers
encountered a man that they believed to be J.B.P. at Newfound Gap on the
Tennessee-North Carolina state line. He was seen heading south on Route
441, so a roadblock was established by rangers and Cherokee Police
Department officers near Collins Creek picnic area, about seven miles
north of Cherokee. A vehicle matching the BOLO description approached
the roadblock, but turned around and headed north. Gunshots were
reported near the roadblock around 11:34 p.m.The vehicle was found
wrecked a few miles north of the roadblock. Rangers found a male victim
and a weapon in the vehicle. The cause of the man's death has not been
confirmed, nor has he yet been confirmed to be J.B.P.. The area remains
closed in order to secure the crime scene pending collection of
evidence. Route 441 (Newfound Gap Road) is currently closed between
Smokemont campground and Sugarlands Visitor Center. The FBI has been
advised and is heading the investigation. No further details are yet
available. Follow-ups will appear as they become
available.
[Submitted by Bob Miller, Public Affairs, and Jim Northup,
Chief Ranger]
Jefferson National Expansion Memorial (MO)
Two Buses Collide At Park Edge
A school bus and a city bus collided at the northwest corner of the
Old Courthouse on the morning of June 4th, killing one, injuring 28, and
destroying about 35 feet of park fence. The school bus driver was
seriously injured, but his 27 passengers sustained only minor injuries.
A pedestrian walking his dog was killed, as was the dog. Damage to the
buses was significant, and repairs to the Old Courthouse will come to
more than $50,000. St. Louis police handled the accident
investigation. Ranger Liz Bair provided EMS to the pedestrian; all other
victims were treated by city EMS. Rangers Dave Dunaj and Robert Baron
also assisted.
[Submitted by Bruce Cunningham, LES,
MWRO] More
Information...
Washita Battlefield National Historic Site (OK)
Structural Fire Averted in Black Kettle Museum
On Saturday, May 29th, at the onset of the busy Memorial Day weekend,
decisive action by ranger Alden Miller, coupled with rapid response by
firefighters, prevented potential harm to people and property from an
electrical shortage fire at the Black Kettle Museum in Cheyenne,
Oklahoma. Responding firefighters determined that Miller's
decision to immediately disengage electrical circuits in the building,
which currently provides visitor center services for Washita Battlefield
NHS, prevented the old structure from bursting into flame. Although
Miller said that he thought it possible that the smoke he saw and
smelled could have come from a holiday barbecue, he decided to err on
the side of safety — he cut the electrical power, grabbed a fire
extinguisher and cleared the building of all visitors. When he exited
from the museum, Miller found that local firefighters were already on
scene, responding to a silent alarm, and that smoke was emanating from
the roof. The origin of the potential fire was later identified as
a smoldering occupied bird's nest located above an under-eaves exterior
lighting fixture that had shorted out. Firefighters said that the
shutdown of electricity kept the roof from bursting into flame. The
Black Kettle Museum is operated and maintained through a partnership of
the Oklahoma Historical Society and the private, non-profit Washita
Battlefield Historical Society. It's kept open on weekends and holidays
through the loan of NPS staff, thus providing visitor services and a
museum experience to park visitors while park facilities are under
construction. The museum is a great cultural, national and community
asset, housing irreplaceable objects and artifacts, including loan items
from NPS archives and collections.
[Submitted by Wendy
Lauritzen, Superintendent]
Big Bend National Park (TX)
Two Missing Hikers Rescued
A search was begun for two overdue hikers on Monday, May 31st. The
hikers had set out on a day hike through Cattail Canyon on Sunday, but
had also left a note at their campsite asking that help be sent if they
failed to return by 10 a.m.on Monday. Park ranger/pilot Nick Herring,
flying the park's Cessna Turbo 206, quickly located one of the two
hikers, who was seen signaling with a space blanket from atop a 700 foot
pour-off. A Texas DPS helicopter was called in to assist with area
reconnaissance and to establish communications via a radio drop. Both
hikers reported that they were in good condition, but were ledged out
and could not move up or down the canyon. The helicopter
transported two rangers and technical rescue gear to the area. The
rangers and hikers spent the night in the canyon and were met by a
second team of rescuers coming up from Oak Springs the next
morning. The four rescuers and two hikers continued down Cattail
Canyon and safely arrived at the trailhead around 0 a.m. Ranger
Kathi Hambly was IC.
[Submitted by Kathy Hambly, IC]
Mount Rainier National Park (WA)
Fatal Climbing Accident
On June 3rd, four rangers climbed to Liberty Ridge on Mount Rainier
in response to a climbing accident involving two municipal firefighters.
The accident occurred at the site of another fatal climbing accident two
weeks ago. One climber was killed; the second sustained injuries to his
hand. Both were airlifted from the mountain with the assistance of an
Aerostar B-3 contract helicopter and a Blackhawk from the Oregon Army
National Guard. Steve Klump was IC.
[Submitted by Patti Wold,
Information Officer]
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument (AZ)
May Border Incidents
Rangers again had a busy month along the border in May:
May 10 — The park's dog team was summoned to the Lukeville port
of entry to check on a suspicious vehicle. The dog alerted on its gas
tank, which led to the seizure of 56 pounds of marijuana and the
driver's arrest.
May 15 — Rangers got a call from the park visitor center, asking
that they meet a visitor in the parking lot. The visitor — a police
chief from New Hampshire — told them that he'd been
showing his family a place where he'd seen trash left behind by illegal
aliens near a fee station during a previous visit to the park when his
daughter found a backpack containing packages of marijuana hidden under
a tree. Rangers seized the 43 pound load; they searched the area, but
found no other backpacks.
May 21 — Rangers found evidence that a group of smugglers had
passed through the park. A ranger team tracked them for about two miles,
then apprehended 10 smugglers and seized the 574 pounds of marijuana
they had been packing into the country. The Border Patrol and National
Guard assisted. Seven of the ten have been charged with smuggling.
Throughout the same day, rangers arrested 33 undocumented aliens —
most of them within the park's administrative and housing complex.
May 22 — Evidence was found of another group of drug smugglers
in the park. Rangers caught six smugglers and arrested them at gunpoint;
22 backpacks with a total of 1,153 pounds of marijuana were seized. All
six were charged with smuggling.
May 29 — An attempt to stop a vehicle that had illegally crossed
into the U.S. on Highway 85 led to a pursuit as the driver fled towards
Mexico. Speeds at times were over 110 mph. Tire deflation devices were
placed on the road, which succeeded in stopping the vehicle. A foot
pursuit ensued that culminated with the arrest of the driver and eight
illegal aliens. The driver will be charged with felony alien
smuggling.
May 30 — Another vehicle suspected of illegally entering the
county was pursued, but the driver made it back to Mexico before rangers
could catch him. Three hours later, he tried again and this time was
caught. Seven were arrested. The driver will be charged with felony
alien smuggling.
May 29 — 31 — Over the Memorial day weekend, rangers
provided EMS to a number of accident victims from Mexico at the
Lukeville port of entry, including nine victims of a rollover accident,
a 14-year-old boy who succumbed to head injuries from driving his ATV
into a palm tree, and a 14-year-old girl who also had an ATV
accident.
June 1 — Rangers were the first on the scene at a fatal accident
on Highway 85. G.D., 18, of Tucson, was heading back to the
country from a weekend in Puerto Penaso with two companions in a small
sedan. The car ran into the rear end of a five-ton flatbed truck that
was making a legal turn into the park visitor center, hitting it so hard
that it spun the truck around 180 degrees. G.D. was killed in
the impact. His two passengers and the driver of the truck were all
taken to hospitals. G.D. and his companions were celebrating
their recent high school graduation.
[Submitted by Fred Patton,
Chief Ranger]
Gulf Islands National Seashore (FL,MS)
Ranger Investigates Two Sex Offenses
Ranger David Fox dealt with two sex offenses during the last week of
May. On the 24th, Fox received a report of lewd/lascivious conduct. He
found that a man had called a 14-year-old girl over to his car, then
exposed and fondled himself in front of her. The man fled, but was
caught and detained by the sheriff's department in the next county. Fox
obtained a felony warrant on the charge of lewd exhibition to a child
under 16 years old and had the man extradited back to the county where
the offense occurred. Five days later, Fox saw a suspicious vehicle in a
parking lot near Opal Beach. He found that a 17-year-old male —
just two weeks short of his 18th birthday — had enticed a
15-year-old girl into the back seat of his car and offered her marijuana
and whiskey. He was caught in the process of fondling her and was
arrested and taken to the county department of youth service. He's been
charged with felonious lewd molestation of a child under 16 and with
possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
[Submitted by J.D.
Lee, Chief Ranger]
FIRE MANAGEMENT
National Interagency Fire Center
NIFC Situation Report Highlights — Tuesday, June 8, 2004
Preparedness Level 1
NIFC reports 104 new fires yesterday.
Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Kansas, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Wyoming.
Warnings and Watches
FIRE WEATHER WATCHES have been issued today for three areas:
- For strong winds and low humidity for northwestern and northern Arizona.
- For gusty winds, low humidity, high temperatures and dry fuels for northwest and west-central Colorado below 8,000 feet.
- For high winds and low humidity for the Colorado River area.
National Resource Commitments
| Day |
Wed |
Thu |
Fri |
Sat |
Sun |
Mon |
Tue |
|
Date |
6/2 |
6/3 |
6/4 |
6/5 |
6/6 |
6/7 |
6/8 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Crews |
36 |
35 |
35 |
31 |
49 |
50 |
74 |
|
Engines |
85 |
71 |
111 |
103 |
141 |
129 |
151 |
|
Helicopters |
13 |
16 |
15 |
12 |
14 |
25 |
31 |
|
Air Tankers |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Overhead |
364 |
332 |
284 |
347 |
275 |
227 |
337 |
National/State Team Commitments
Newly listed fires (on this report) appear below in boldface. Fires are sorted by type of team; teams are listed in alphabetical order within each type by the IC's last name. Asterisks indicate state teams.
|
State |
Type |
Team IC |
Fire/Location |
Acres |
Acres |
Percent |
Est Full |
|
CA |
T1 * |
Henson |
Gaviota Fire |
7,553 |
7,030 |
40 |
6/10 |
|
| |||||||
|
NM |
T2 |
Bateman |
Peppin Fire |
48,000 |
50,000 |
80 |
UNK |
|
FL |
T2 * |
Jones |
Road 1 Fire |
2,858 |
2,858 |
100 |
CND |
Further Information
This report is meant to present just highlights of the current fire situation. Two other NIFC sites provide much greater detail:
Full NIFC Situation Report (PDF file) — http://www.nifc.gov/news/sitreprt.pdf
National Fire News — http://www.nifc.gov/fireinfo/nfn.html
Information on the NPS Fire Management Program Center (FMPC) and on park fires can be found at:
FMPC — http://www.nps.gov/fire
Park fires — http://www.nps.gov/fire/news
OPERATIONAL NOTES
Servicewide
Parks To Remain Open On Friday
On Monday, the Washington Office issued the following press release:
National Park Service Director Fran Mainella announced today all 388 national park units will remain open on Friday, June 11, 2004.
"As the entire country mourns the loss of President Ronald W. Reagan, the nation's 40th President, who passed away on June 5, the national parks will remain open to the public for those who would like to experience these national treasures that are often sought out as places of solitude, peace and reflection," said Director Mainella.
Administrative offices will be closed on June 11, 2004; however, all visitor facilities and services will be available.
This release was supplemented by the following guidance from the Associate Director, Administration, Business Practices and Workforce Development:
As you make arrangements to operationally implement the guidance in the (above) press release, please be advised that we have been instructed to treat Friday for pay purposes in the same manner as a government holiday. Those employees required to work on Friday will be paid in accordance with holiday pay procedures. Specific guidance can be found at the following website:
www.opm.gov\oca\compmemo\2004\2004-11.asp
Law Enforcement and Emergency Services
Interim Renewal of DO-9
On March 21, 2004, Director Mainella signed an "interim renewal" of Director's Order #9. This ensured that the existing DO-9 remains in effect pending review and approval of the revised document.
Revisions in the new document will reflect recent law enforcement program reforms. There is one issue being finalized with the Solicitor's Office and it should be released soon.
[Submitted by Dennis Burnett, Law Enforcement Program Administrator]
NPS Office at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center
New NPS/FLETC Newsletter Available On-Line
The NPS Law Enforcement Training Center's inaugural newsletter is now available for download from the Center's web site. Click on "More Information" below to obtain it.
This edition features articles on the field training and evaluation program and refresher information for firearms and defensive tactics instructors.
[Submitted by Greg Jackson, Lead Instructor] More Information...
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.