Golden Gate National Recreation Area (CA)
Suicide Victim Found on Park Beach
On the morning of Sunday, March 6th, park dispatch received a call from
a fisherman at Mussel Rock Beach in Pacifica, reporting the discovery of
a body on the beach at the base of a cliff. Rangers, USPP officers and
Daly City police and firefighters responded. The man was declared
deceased at the scene by emergency medical personnel. Investigation
revealed that he'd recently jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge. USPP
detective Larry Morales led the investigation. [Submitted by Kim Coast,
Supervisory Park Ranger]
FIRE MANAGEMENT
Fire and Aviation Management
Winner Announced in NPS Fire Photo Contest
The FY 2004 NPS Fire Photo Contest winning entry, titled Mallard's Oasis, was taken by John Moeykens, Chief of Law Enforcement and Resource Management at Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site in North Dakota. The photo was taken during Knife River's May 12, 2004 prescribed burn, which included five separate plots totaling 116 acres in the central portion of the park. The mallard's nest was in the largest plot, about 40 acres in size.
The goals of the prescribed fire was to increase native grass and forb cover, reduce dead and downed fuels in deciduous under story, and to restore the historic role and replenishing effects of fire to the ecosystem. Overall, the May 12 prescribed fire was part of a native plant reseeding effort. Working with the Northern Great Plains Exotic Plant Management Team, the park and team determined that fire would be the first tool to use to assist in achieving some of the park's Desired Future Conditions. The area was infested with an exotic Smooth Brome and needed to be stressed and the decadent thatch layers needed to be removed. After initial green up, herbicides were applied twice to remove the existing seed bed. One more treatment is anticipated for Spring 2005, after which the reseeding can occur.
The mallard duck's nest was first noticed by the Wind Cave Fire Effects Monitoring Crews and firefighters igniting the fire. They made a protective circle around the nest using their drip torches and flappers. The mother hen returned to the nest, however the final fate of the nest is unknown.
Thank you to all who submitted entries in the 2004 NPS Fire Photo Contest. We hope to see some great photos in the 2005 contest. Look for the announcement in January 2006!
[Submitted by Tina Boehle, tina_boehle@nps.gov, 208-387-5875] More Information...
PARKS AND PEOPLE
National Capital Region
NCR Ranger Services Awards
National Capital Region is pleased to announce the following recipients of its Ranger Services awards for 2005. Presentation of these awards will take place in the coming months at various times and places.
Harry Yount Award
Ed Wenschhof, Chief Ranger, Antietam National Battlefield — Ranger Wenschhof is being recognized for his outstanding contributions in developing the visitor and resource protection and natural resource management programs at the park, promoting the use of partnerships in managing special events, and serving as a mentor to young rangers and resource management staff.
Resource Protection Excellence Award
Sean McCabe, Park Ranger, George Washington Memorial Parkway, and Jon Crichfield, Detective, U.S. Park Police — Ranger McCabe and Detective Crichfield are being recognized for their successful four-year investigation of a major tree cutting incident on a scenic easement held by the NPS in the Potomac River Gorge, a unique environment that provides habitat for many globally rare species of plants.. The purpose of the tree cutting was to obtain a better view of the Gorge. While terms of the settlement are confidential, it is by far the largest in the history in the National Capital Region.
Protection Program Support Award
John McCutcheon, Park Ranger, Chesapeake and Ohio Canal NHP — Ranger McCutcheon is being recognized for his outstanding work as Team Leader of the NCR Resource Protection Unit. He has worked diligently to obtain specialized training for the unit and has also coordinated an outreach effort to educate relic hunters on the application of ARPA to NPS lands.
Timothy Alley, Special Agent, WASO/Shenandoah NP — Special Agent Alley is being recognized for providing outstanding technical equipment support to NCR in support of investigative activities. Alley has provided equipment and training to NCR rangers and USPP on a number of cases. His support of a marijuana investigation led to a successful indictment of an individual growing marijuana on NPS lands and other locations.
Protection Volunteer Award
Fairfax County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department — The department is being recognized for their outstanding volunteer support to Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts. During the past two years, volunteer EMTs and paramedics have provided 1,066 hours of service during performances at the park. For about 50 performances each summer, 4 to 10 volunteers and an ambulance are present. Their services have saved the park funds that are being directed to other purposes.
Lifesaving Award
Duane Stroup, Shane Lanout, and Laura Wilkinson, Park Visitors from Millersburg, PA — These visitors are being recognized for successfully resuscitating a 82-year-old visitor who suffered cadiac arrest at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, NACC. The visitors used CPR and the park provided AED to save this patient, who regained consciousness while waiting for a city ambulance. This save in a highly visible location led to several media stories that reflected well on the NPS emergency medical services program. In NCR, every time an AED has been utilized, the patient has been saved.
John Klepp, Tree Worker, Rock Creek Park — Mr. Klepp is being recognized for saving the lives of two boys. While off duty at his home, he heard an auto crash. Klepp and his neighbors responded to the scene and pulled the boys from the burning auto before the passenger compartment was engulfed.
Robert Gydus, Park Ranger, Chesapeake and Ohio Canal NHP; Whit Holden, Park Visitor, Poolesville, MD; Walter Emory, Park Visitor, Camp Hill, PA — Ranger Gydus and Mr. Holden and Emory are being recognized for saving the life of an 86 year old man who became disoriented and drove his car into the Potomac River. The man had been in his mostly submerged vehicle overnight before being dicovered by Gydus on an early morning patrol. Gydus and the visitors quickly and creatively developed a plan to rescue the man who was suffering from advanced hypothermia. Gydus treated the patient while waiting for county EMS assistance.
[Submitted by Einar Olsen, Regional Chief Ranger, and Cynthia Salter-Stith, Park Ranger, NCRO]
Glacier National Park
Stephanie Dubois Selected As Deputy Superintendent
Stephanie Dubois has been named the new deputy superintendent for Glacier National Park. Dubois, who has served as superintendent of Chaco Culture National Historical Park since July, 2002, will take over her new duties at Glacier in early April. Prior to her current role as superintendent of Chaco Culture, Dubois worked as superintendent of Aztec Ruins National Monument, also in New Mexico.
Dubois has worked for the NPS off and on since she graduated from high school in Rockville, Maryland in 1974. Her first position with the NPS was a summer job for the Youth Conservation Corps in Catoctin Mountain Park. During her summers in college, she worked on the staff of a Youth Conservation Corps camp in Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County Battlefields Memorial National Military Park.
After graduation from Duke University in 1979 with a bachelor of arts degree in botany, Dubois worked as a seasonal ranger at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, and Lowell National Historical Park. Later, she worked as a permanent ranger at Roger Williams National Memorial, Gateway National Recreational Area, Rocky Mountain National Park, and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area before moving on to superintendent assignments.
Dubois has been recognized with numerous awards, including the George Wright Society Communications Award in 2001 and the Department of the Interior's Superior Service Award in 2002. She considers herself a 'people-person' and believes the National Park Service can accomplish its highest mission only when the National Park Service, friends, neighbors, and partners believe in and contribute to common goals.
In her leisure time Dubois enjoys batik and other fine arts, Duke University basketball, gardening, and being outdoors.
[Submitted by Amy Vanderbilt, Public Affairs Specialist]
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.