Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (AZ,UT)
Nine Arrested Following Brawl At Lone Rock Beach
In the early hours of June 6th, dispatch received a phone call from
Lone Rock beach reporting a fight in progress involving up to ten young
adults. Rangers Eric Scott, Jared St. Clair, Erik Larons and Fernando
Jones and field training ranger Naomi Shibata responded. When they
arrived at Lone Rock, the brawlers had already fled and were hiding
in several camps along the beach. Rangers obtained witness descriptions
of the participants and subsequently located seven adults and two
juveniles who'd been involved in the melee. All were highly intoxicated.
The seven adults were booked into the Coconino County jail in Page and
charged with disorderly conduct and public intoxication; the two
juveniles were cited for disorderly conduct and released to relatives.
The fight evidently started between a man and a woman, then escalated
into a brawl between two groups.
[Submitted by Eric Scott,
Supervisory Park Ranger]
Blue Ridge Parkway
Intoxicated Driver Chooses Wrong Place To Make Accident Report
Ranger Mike Fuller checked out a report of an accident at milepost
296.8 around 2 a.m.on June 4th. He found
that there had been a roll-over accident involving a 1995 Land Rover.
Drug paraphernalia were discovered inside the Land Rover, but the driver
was nowhere to be found. Fuller was subsequently contacted by an officer
at the Wautauga County Sheriff's Office, who advised that they had the
driver in their custody. It turned out that the driver had walked to the
city administration building to report the accident, and had chosen to
knock on the door of the on-duty magistrate. When the magistrate
answered the door, he detected a strong odor of alcohol on the driver
and called the sheriff's office. The driver admitted to drinking and
driving and submitted to an intoxilyzer test. Fuller issued citations
for DUI and drug possession.
[Submitted by Chief Rangers Office, Blue
Ridge Parkway]
Shenandoah National Park (VA)
Shooting Investigation; Possible Suicide
On the evening of June 14th, a visitor reported that he'd been
contacted by a physically handicapped man on the South River Falls trail
who'd asked him to go get help because his friend had shot himself ner
the falls and was still breathing. Ranger Dixon Freeland became IC and
coordinated a law enforcement/EMS/SAR response. The first rangers on
scene found the body of R.A., 52, of Huntingtown, Maryland.
Rangers and the Green County medical examiner subsequently conducted a
crime scene investigation. It appears that R.A. died from a gunshot
wound. A firearm was found nearby. Several suspicious circumstances led
to the launching of a particularly detailed death investigation, but
evidence at present suggests that the wound was self-inflicted. An
autopsy was to be conducted on June 16th. SA Skip Wissinger is leading
the investigation.
[Submitted by Clay Jordan, Deputy Chief
Ranger]
Gulf Islands National Seashore (FL,MS)
Apparent Suicide
On the afternoon of June 4th, rangers were dispatched to the Naval
Live Oaks area of the park to investigate the report of a body found
along the seashore. A visitor had found the remains of a 39-year-old
Pensacola man while collecting seashells. He evidently died from a
self-inflicted gunshot wound. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement
assisted in the investigation. Ranger Gavin Chappel was the case
agent.
[Submitted by John Bandurski]
FIRE MANAGEMENT
National Interagency Fire Center
NIFC Situation Report Highlights — Friday, June 18, 2004
Preparedness Level 2
The preparedness level has gone up one step. Preparedness Level 2 goes into effect when the following conditions are met: One geographic area experiencing high fire danger. Wildland fire activity is occurring and a potential exists for escapes to larger (project) fires. Minimal mobilization of resources from other geographic areas is occurring. The potential exists for mobilizing additional resources from other geographic areas.
NIFC reports that 162 new fires were reported on Thursday, only one of which escaped initial attack.
Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Kansas, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah.
Warnings and Watches
A RED FLAG WARNING has been posted today for winds and low relative humidity for southwest Utah.
National Resource Commitments
| Day |
Sat |
Sun |
Mon |
Tue |
Wed |
Thu |
Fri |
|
Date |
6/12 |
6/13 |
6/14 |
6/15 |
6/16 |
6/17 |
6/18 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Crews |
--- |
41 |
44 |
53 |
66 |
53 |
99 |
|
Engines |
--- |
77 |
86 |
115 |
175 |
129 |
177 |
|
Helicopters |
--- |
18 |
12 |
17 |
20 |
22 |
37 |
|
Air Tankers |
--- |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Overhead |
--- |
247 |
249 |
333 |
361 |
115 |
345 |
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 |
|
UT |
T1 |
Sexton |
Dammeron Complex |
1,000 |
4,300 |
30 |
6/19 |
|
CA |
T2 |
Rios |
Source Fire |
---- |
335 |
60 |
6/18 |
|
NM |
T2 |
Winchester |
Sedgwick Fire |
6,000 |
8,600 |
60 |
6/21 |
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
National Interagency Fire Center
Storm King Ten-Year Remembrance
The community of Glenwood Springs and the firefighting community share a very emotional tie as a result of the tragic South Canyon fire of 1994. The Storm King Memorial Committee, in an effort to never forget the 14 lives lost on July 6, 1994, is planning a remembrance event for the ten-year anniversary.
The Storm King Memorial Committee was formed to coordinate the events of the first anniversary in 1995, and has come together again to help organize a ten-year remembrance. The committee is planning to keep this event relatively low key. Years have passed and family members, in particular, are not comfortable with a large political or media event, or an overly emotional and somber occasion.
It is clear however that the firefighter community has a very strong connection to this event. In an attempt to respect the families wish for a modest gathering, invitations are not being extended to firefighters across the country; however, firefighters are welcome to come and share in the remembrance ceremony and trail events if they feel that it is important to them.
Some of the events being planned are strictly for the families while others are open to the public. The trail will be open for everyone and there will be a public remembrance ceremony at Two Rivers Park on July 6, at 7 p.m.
If you have any questions or are planning on being in Glenwood Springs on July 6, please contact Kristi Ponozzo at 970-945-3206, or kponozzo@fs.fed.us .
PARKS AND PEOPLE
Petrified Forest National Park (AZ)
GS-9 Field Protection Ranger
Petrified Forest National Park is seeking interested applicants for a lateral reassignment opportunity as a GS-9 field protection ranger. The emphasis will be on patrol of visitor use and park backcountry areas. The protection operation encompasses law enforcement, EMS, structural and wildland fire, and limited SAR. The park has two type 1 structural engines. There is an opportunity to receive structural fire training and experience. There are a moderate number of EMS and LE incidents. The park has three horses for patrol purposes, and will conduct horsemanship training, although experience with stock is a plus. If you are interested in pursuing such a reassignment, contact chief ranger Greg Caffey at 928-524-6228, ext 226 for more information on the job, or Ferral Knight in personnel at 928-524-6228, ext 243.
[Submitted by Greg Caffey, 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.