Yellowstone National Park (ID,MT,WY)
Illegal Snowmobiling Arrests
Over the three-day period from February 18th to the 20th, NPS and Forest
Service rangers on routine border patrol arrested 17 people for
illegally entering Yellowstone National Park's backcountry on
snowmobiles. During these patrols, dozens of other snowmobilers
were stopped at Yellowstone's boundary and prevented from illegally
entering the park. The snowmobilers entered Yellowstone off-road in a
remote section of the park along the western boundary, some entering
past florescent orange boundary markers and placards clearly identifying
the park boundary. One of the offenders entered the park illegally on a
snowmobile again on February 19th after being cited the previous day for
the same offense. All offenders were issued citations that require
mandatory appearances in front of the federal magistrate. In recent
years, park rangers have noticed an increase in illegal snowmobile use
along the park's western boundary. In an effort to curtail this
illegal and damaging activity, they have increased boundary patrols in
the park's backcountry. Winter visitors to the park are reminded that
the use of oversnow vehicles off designated routes is prohibited.
Recreational oversnow vehicle travel in Yellowstone National Park is
allowed only by guided snowmobile tours or by commercial snowcoaches
between the hours of 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. [Submitted by Public Affairs]
Cabrillo National Monument (CA)
Downpours Cause Damaging Slides
Heavy downpours, hail, and wind that hit the southern California area
over the past week led to rushing water, flooding and mudslides that
caused resource damage in the park. The most severe slide occurred on
the 1.2 mile Bayside Trail, where a 20 foot by 100 foot portion of
hillside gave way, undercutting the trail by approximately four feet and
destroying a drainpipe and vegetation. Further down the trail, a 60 foot
parallel crack in the trail bed may cause another slide, which would
likely destroy an area at least three times larger than the first slide.
Access to and monitoring of historic structures beyond these areas has
been impacted. Only the upper portion of the Bayside Trail remains open;
the remainder of the trail will need reconstruction and may need to be
reconfigured prior to reopening. In another area of the park, a smaller
trail was severely undercut due to a slide, forcing its closure. With
this latest storm, San Diego has experienced its third wettest year
since 1883, with rainfall totaling 19.21 inches as of February 22nd; the
average annual rainfall for San Diego is usually only about ten inches.
[Submitted by Terry Scherkenbach, Administrative Assistant]
Grand Teton National Park (WY)
Backcountry Skier
Rescued from Avalanche
Rangers assisted Jackson Hole Mountain Resort ski patrollers in rescuing a seriously injured backcountry skier from Granite Canyon just north of the ski resort on the afternoon of Monday, February 21st. E.R., of Jackson, Wyoming, sustained leg and other injuries when he triggered an avalanche that carried him 2,000 vertical feet down a steep slope and over a rocky outcrop while attempting to ski the Mile Long Couloir in Granite Canyon. E.R. and four companions accessed the backcountry of Grand Teton from the Teton Village ski area midday on Monday. E.R., the first skier to enter Mile Long Couloir, set off a soft slab avalanche after making a couple of turns into the chute about 12:20 p.m. The avalanche left a 15- to 20-inch crown and ran the full length of the couloir on a layer of old sun crusted snow before coming to rest just 400 feet above Granite Creek in the bottom of the canyon. Another skier in the area at the time witnessed the snow slide carrying E.R. and used his cell phone to notify Jackson Hole Mountain Resort ski patrol staff, who in turn notified Teton Interagency Dispatch in the park at 12:22 p.m. E.R.'s companions quickly reached him at the bottom of the couloir and began to dig him out. Fortunately, he was not fully buried by the snow slide. Two ski patrollers immediately responded from the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and provided initial medical care to the injured E.R., while three other ski patrollers brought additional medical and rescue equipment to the scene. At 2:20 p.m., two park rangers were flown by a Teton County contract helicopter to a landing zone within the canyon to supply rescue gear necessary for transporting the injured skier out of the mountains. After receiving emergency medical care and being place into the helicopter on a rescue platform, E.R. was flown to the base of the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort where he was then transported by a Teton County ambulance to St. John's Medical Center in Jackson for treatment of his injuries. According to the Bridger-Teton National Forest Avalanche Center, the avalanche advisory for Monday afternoon was listed as "moderate" for mid to low elevations and "considerable" at high elevations (9,000 — 10,500 feet); the top of Mile Long Couloir lies at an elevation of approximately 9,200 feet. A "considerable" rating advises that dangerous unstable slabs exist on steep terrain and that human triggered avalanches are probable, with natural avalanches possible. [Submitted by Jackie Skaggs, Public Affairs Specialist]
Craters Of The Moon National Monument & Preserve (ID)
Assist in Arrests for Vehicle Theft
Just before 1 a.m. on Monday, February 14th, Butte County dispatch
called the park to advise that their deputies were pursuing a stolen
vehicle and were near the park's entrance. The vehicle had been stolen
in California and had Idaho tags. During the pursuit, the vehicle slid
off the road due to icy conditions and the three occupants bailed out
onto park lands adjacent to the highway. Shortly after protection
rangers came on duty to check the surrounding area, county dispatch
radioed a request to them to assist the deputies in finding the trio.
Deputies and rangers were in the process of setting up a perimeter when
the three came out of hiding and turned themselves in. They were
arrested without incident, more then likely due to the fact that
temperatures were below freezing and they were probably in the first
stages of hypothermia after a half-hour outdoors. All three are
juveniles. The case is being handled by the county sheriff's office.
[Submitted by Tammie Henderson, Supervisory Park Ranger]
Lake Meredith National Recreation Area (TX)
Illegal Immigrant Smuggling Arrests
On February 14th, rangers Brandon Dunham and Walter Duran stopped a
vehicle for speeding in the park. The operator was a Mexican national
with neither a valid driver's license nor any proof that he owned the
Chrysler mini-van that he was driving. Two other Mexican nationals were
in the van; both were subsequently identified as undocumented aliens.
The follow-up investigation revealed that the driver was transporting
the two illegal immigrants through the United States for money. There
was also reason to suspect he was carrying narcotics. A search conducted
by the local city canine unit revealed that there were drugs in the
van's left rear quarter panel. With probable cause and the consent of
the operator, the dog searched inside the van and again alerted on the
left rear quarter. The vehicle was searched, but no contraband was
found. The driver was arrested by Texas Department of Public Safety
officers for a class A misdemeanor due to being a flight risk. He was
later transferred to the United States Border Patrol for further
charges.
[Submitted by Paul Jones, Park Ranger]
OPERATIONAL NOTES
Servicewide
Upcoming Training Calendar
UPCOMING TRAINING
This listing is updated every Friday. It is not meant to replace any of the various training center calendars — just to augment them and provide a heads-up on new training courses. Please submit information to Bill Halainen. New listings and revisions are in bold face.
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March 3 — March 9
NFPA 25 Inspection, Testing and Maintenance of Water Based Fire Sprinkler Systems, Aiken, SC. Instruction includes both a lecture and skills training on inspecting, testing and maintenance of sprinkler systems. For more information, contact Donna Baumgaertner at 215-597-3044; for nomination forms, go to http://inside.nps.gov/waso/custompages.cfm?prg=284&id=2725&lv=4&pgid=921
March 7 — March 18
Structural Fire Driver/Operator, Golden Gate NRA, CA. The class is designed to provide structural firefighters with information and skills essential for safe operation and proper maintenance of fire apparatus. For an announcement and additional information, go to http://inside.nps.gov/waso/custompages.cfm?prg=284&id=2647&lv=4&pgid=897 or contact Jim Traub at 928-608-6535.
March 8 — May 11
EMT Refresher, Lassen Volcanic NP, CA. Meets NREMT refresher standards. For more information, call Kelly Roche or Ron Martin at 530-595-4444.
March 10 — March 11
NFPA 72 Inspection, Testing and Maintenance of Fire Alarms Systems, Aiken, SC. Instruction includes both a lecture and skills training on inspecting, testing and maintenance of fire alarm systems. For more information, contact Donna Baumgaertner at 215-597-3044; for nomination forms, go to http://inside.nps.gov/waso/custompages.cfm?prg=284&id=2729&lv=4&pgid=922
March 14 — March 18
Managing Museum Property, San Diego Museum of Man, San Diego, CA. This five-day course provides training in the fundamentals of managing museum property. The course is oriented to collateral-duty staff. There is no tuition. Benefiting accounts cover travel and per diem. Additional information and an application can be found at the Interior Museum Program website address: http://museums.doi.gov/training/managing.html , or contact Donald Cumberland at 202-208-4698.
March 15 — March 17
Interagency Serious Accident Investigation Course, NTC-BLM National Training Center, Phoenix, AZ. For full details on the training session, go to http://classicinside.nps.gov/headline.cfm?type=Conferences&id=837 or contact Al King at 208-387-5967.
March 15 — March 17
Stepping into Supervision — Adventures in Leadership, Mammoth Cave NP, Mammoth Cave, KY. A three-day seminar for first-time supervisors, focusing on the roles and responsibilities of a supervisor, human resources management, the new five-tier performance management system, leadership style, and strategies for team-building and managing and appreciating differences. The catalogue code is SML-6650. The deadline for nominations is March 2nd; applications should apply via My Learning Manager. For more information, contact Mary Conner at 270-758-2171.
March 15 — March 18
Law Enforcement Refresher, Sugarlands Training Room, Great Smoky Mountains NP, Gatlinburg, TN. The agenda will include death investigations and field interviewing, a legal update, defensive tactics and an update on gang activity in the Appalachian states. Email nominations to rick_brown@nps.gov by close of business on March 1st or fax them to 865-436-1267. For forms and agendas, contact Rick at 865-436-1268.
March, 2005 — March 2007
Preservation and Skills Training, various NPS sites. The Preservation and Skills Training (PAST) program is a two-year, competency-based, trade and preservation skills development training program. Slots are available for both trainees (WG 3-7 maintenance employees who maintain or repair historic structures) and for mentors (GS-9 or WG/WL/WS-9 or above). There are 16 slots for the former, eight for the latter. Register at http://mylearning.nps.gov — "Search Catalog" for 'preservation,' click on the "Catalog Item Title" to see details, then "View Events" to "Apply." For more detailed information, contact dorothy_printup@nps.gov.
April 4 — April 8
Tactical Tracking Operations Level I: Basic Tactical Tracking, Pinnacles NM, CA. The course covers basic tracking techniques, assessing tracks, collecting foot sign evidence, team tracking, tactical tracking, tactical formations, encounter action drills, cover shoot and a few other firearms activities. This is a challenging week of tracking, hiking, shooting and hiking some more, and participants should be prepared for both wet or dry and hot weather. Class size limited to 15; tuition is $400 for NPS, $450 for non-NPS. Ammunition is not provided. The closing date is March 28th. For more info, contact Wendy Artz at 831-389-4485 x 236.
April 4 — April 8
Preservation and Treatment of Park Cultural Resources - Module #2, Tumacacori NHP, Tumacacori, AZ. A 40-hour competency-based course, sponsored by the Horace M. Albright Training Center, for facility managers and chiefs of maintenance. The course addresses the foundation knowledge and skills crucial for facility managers/chiefs of maintenance, as frontline stewards, to provide essential direction and oversight relating to the preservation, treatment, and maintenance of park cultural resources. There are 24 slots. There is no tuition; benefiting accounts pay travel and per diem. Register online in the NPS My Learning Manager system at: http://mylearning.nps.gov . Click on "Learning Categories," then "Maintenance,", then "Catalog Item Title" to see details, then "View Events to Apply." For more detailed information, contact Tony Knapp, 928-638-7986 or Steve Hastings, 301-663-8206, ext. 134.
April 5 — April 7
Stepping into Supervision — Adventures in Leadership, Midwest Regional Office, Omaha, NE. A three-day seminar for first-time supervisors, focusing on the roles and responsibilities of a supervisor, human resources management, the new five-tier performance management system, leadership style, and strategies for team-building and managing and appreciating differences. The catalogue code is SML-6650. The deadline for nominations is March 18th; applications should apply via My Learning Manager. For more information, contact Floy Westermeier at 402-661-1652.
April 10 — April 16
Advanced Resource Protection Training, San Luis Obispo, CA. A 50-hour course that includes classroom, outdoor and evening classes. Sessions will include a legal update, resource crimes, tactical shooting, building clearing, defensive tactics and two days of scenarios. Closes on March 25th. For a copy of the announcement, go to http://www.nps.gov/training/announcements/advancedresprot.doc
April 11 — April 14
Introduction to Accessibility Management in Parks and Recreation for Accessibility Coordinators, National Center on Accessibility at Indiana University, Bloomington, IN. Training designed specifically for newly-appointed accessibility coordinators. Tuition $495. Closes on April 1st. Course registration forms can be found at http://www.ncaonline.org/training/accessibility_management.shtml. For more information, contact Nan A. Smith at 812-856-4421, or see the course summary at http://classicinside.nps.gov/headline.cfm?type=Conferences&id=841.
April 11 — April 14
First Annual OLES Security Conference, Ellis Island Conference Room, Statue of Liberty NM, NY. The conference has been designed to provide senior security personnel with a collaborative forum in which to examine current DOI security efforts. A primary focus will be on the introduction of the recently developed national monument and icon assessment methodology, using a combination of lecture and practical exercise. Other conference topics include Departmental policy updates, introduction to new security technologies, operational security considerations, employee security awareness training initiatives, blast assessments, DOI Watch Office operations, and current threat intelligence overview (unclassified). The conference is directed toward those permanent Departmental security personnel having significant responsibility for the development, implementation or monitoring of bureau/office security programs. Closes on February 25th. For a copy of the announcement, go to http://www.nps.gov/training/announcements/OLES-Security-Conference.doc
April 25 — April 29
NPS Servicewide Basic Technical Rescue Training, Island in the Sky District, Canyonlands NP, Moab, UT. This training course is designed for personnel who routinely evacuate injured or stranded persons from heights and difficult terrain. Students will be required to bring technical gear, including seat harnesses, climbing helmets, carabiners, rappel racks, ascenders, etc. This is a very physically demanding course, conducted outdoors with frequent exposure to severe heights. All participants must be in good condition. Applications are due by March 7th. A direc email from your supervisor is sufficient for a nomination. Contact Ken Phillips at 928-638-7792 or Ken_Phillips@nps.gov.
May 10 — May 12
Colt M-16/AR-15 Armorer's School, Barataria Preserve, Jean Lafitte NHP&P, LA. The course will focus on the theory, nomenclature, dynamics, compatibility, interchangeability, detailed disassembly, assembly, maintenance, and trouble-shooting of the M-16/AR-15 family of weapons. Students must demonstrate proficiency as well as attain a score of 70% or higher on the written test in order to pass. The certification lasts for three years and costs $375. For more information, contact ranger Erin Mackin at 504-589-2330 ext. 27.
May 23 — May 27
Fundamentals of Special Park Uses, National Conservation Training Center, Shepherdstown, WV. The 36-hour course, listed as VRPSPU3003 on My Learning Manager, covers all aspects of special park uses, from First Amendment to filming and photography to wireless telecommunication sites. Temporary food services and other health and safety issues related to special park uses will also be discussed. DO-53/RM-53, 36 CFR and NPS Management Policies (2001) will be covered in depth. A draft agenda is posted on the special park uses page. For more information, contact Lee Dickinson, WASO special park uses program manager, at 202-513-7092. For an agenda, go to http://inside.nps.gov/waso/custommenu.cfm?lv=3&prg=185&id=3225
May 24 — May 26
Midwest Cemetery Monument Conservation Workshop, Omaha, NE. The National Center for Preservation Technology and Training has scheduled its third workshop on the conservation of cemetery monuments. The program will include a three-day, hands-on learning experience in cemetery and materials conservation. Partners include the Gerald R. Ford Conservation Center and the Midwest Regional Office of the National Park Service. A lecture and a hands-on session on metal conservation will also be added to this year's training. For more information, contact Mary F. Striegel at 318-356-7444 or mary_striegel@nps.gov.
June 14 — June 24
National Center for Preservation Technology and Training Summer Institute, Natchitoches, LA. Includes courses in preservation engineering that offer participants fieldwork using nationally significant structures in the Cane River region of Louisiana where NCPTT is headquartered. For more information, contact Andy Ferrell at 318-356-7444 or Andrew_ferrell@nps.gov .
PARKS AND PEOPLE
Capitol Reef National Park (UT)
GS-025-9 Protection Ranger
The park is soliciting applications from qualified permanent NPS employees interested in lateral reassignment into a GS-025-9 park ranger position in the Visitor and Resource Protection Division. The PFT position requires a commission and has 6(c) primary designation; EMT certification is also required. Duties include both frontcountry and backcountry LE patrol, EMS, SAR, and wildland fire. This is a required occupancy position. Capitol Reef, a 378-square-mile park, is known for its extensive backcountry and the spectacular slot canyons of the Waterpocket Fold. If interested and eligible for a lateral reassignment, mail your application to Donita Pace, Personnel Assistant, Capitol Reef NP, HC 70 Box 15, Torrey, UT, 84775. Please indicate "GS-9 Lateral" on the application. Applications must be received by March 4th. Applicants must also send an e-mail to Donita_Pace@nps.gov to indicate an application has been mailed. Rangers who applied to a similar lateral announcement at CARE in November will be considered for this position without reapplying and may submit update information if they like. For additional information, contact supervisory park ranger Tom Cox at 701-623-4730, ext. 3410.
[Submitted by Tom Cox, Supervisory Park Ranger]
Death Valley National Park
Scotty's Castle Reunion in March
Come see old friends and meet others who have made Scotty's Castle such a unique place to work at a reunion that will be held on March 12th and 13th.
Events include a barbecue on Saturday evening, a breakfast on Sunday morning, discussion groups and tours. Discussion group topics will include such topics as the merits of uniformed tours vs. living history tours and the experience of living in Castle areas used only for storage now. You'll be able to see the castle through your memories by leading a mock tour, or by going on an alumni tour. Oral histories will be collected from people who are interested in preserving their experiences at the Castle. Anyone with pictures to share should bring them along; they will be scanned and used on the alumni memory board.
Saturday evenings' barbecue includes chicken and drinks and setup, with participants bringing side dishes and desserts in true "Scotty's Castle Potluck" style. It is not too late to be included in the cookbook of favorite potluck recipes enjoyed by all over the years. To contribute to the cookbook, go online to www.morriscookbook.com by March 20th. The login is: scottyspotluck , the password is: c85f6 . If you do not have access to the internet, send your recipe to Lesley Gaunt at P.O. Box 569, Death Valley, CA 92328. The cookbooks will be sold as a reunion souvenir for a nominal fee to recover the cost of producing them. To get more information about ordering a Scotty's Castle Potluck Cookbook contact Lesley Gaunt.
Accommodations for the reunion include camping at Mesquite Springs or the Burro Inn in Beatty. The inn has a block of rooms reserved at a very reasonable rate. For more information call 1-800-843-2078 by March 4th.
Please contact Lesley Gaunt at Lesley_Gaunt@nps.gov or at 760-786-2392 ext. 228 or Colleen Bathe at Colleen_Bathe@nps.gov for more information or to make your reservation. When making a reservation, please include the following information: Name, address, email, number of people in your party, the years you worked at the castle and if you want to purchase a cookbook. The cost of the reunion will be $20 per person.
[Submitted by Alexandra Picavet, Alexandra Guier-Picavet, Alexandra_Picavet@nps.gov, Alexandra Guier-Picavet]
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 Visitor and Resource Protection, WASO, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.