South Florida Parks
Hurricane Katrina Arrives in South Florida

Hurricane Katrina passed over south Florida during the night, bringing sustained winds in the 80 mph range and up to 15 inches of rain. Here are reports received from three parks early yesterday:

• Canaveral NS — The park is operating under ICS. At 9 a.m. yesterday morning, the IC placed the park in Hurricane Condition V, which specifies that 50 knot winds are expected to hit the park. Issuance of backcountry permits was suspended and entrance station personnel in both districts were notified. Turtle nest protection patrols set for yesterday evening were cancelled. Backcountry campers in the north district were contacted and advised of the approaching storm.
• Everglades — Park staff spent Thursday securing park facilities and equipment. Employees were to be released by early afternoon. Plans were to close most operations down by 5 p.m.
• Big Cypress — The park began implementing hurricane shutdown procedures yesterday with the goal of completing them by 2 p.m. to that employees could be released. The park was closed yesterday afternoon and will remain closed through Saturday. 

The storm is now in the Gulf of Mexico and headed toward the Florida panhandle, where it is expected to again make landfall as a hurricane. [Submitted by Scott Anderson, Canaveral; Rick Cook, Everglades; Ed Clark, Big Cypress]

Springfield Armory National Historic Site (MA)
Rare Carbine Stolen from Park Recovered and Returned

A weapon stolen from Springfield Armory in the early 1970s prior to National Park Service administration has been returned to the park. On August 9th, NPS special agent-in-charge Clark Guy and special agent Jeff Pascale handed over a rare, specially-modified "trapdoor carbine" to superintendent Doug Cuillard.

The carbine was one of two modified by Springfield Armory to solve a battlefield defect — its tendency to jam.  Little was done to solve the problem until the Battle of Little Big Horn, when the armory took some of the blame for the disaster. That summer, 1876, Springfield Armory experimented with attaching a cleaning rod under the barrel of the carbine. Only two of these modified carbines are known to exist and now both are back in the Springfield Armory collection.

The stolen weapon first surfaced on a web site and was discovered by a private collector, D.H. He noted the experimental modifications and suspected that the weapon had likely been stolen — and no doubt stolen from the Springfield Armory. D.H. enlisted the help of collectors Thomas Fleming and Albert J. Frasca Ph.D., a noted author and expert on the "trapdoor" series. Frasca contacted Springfield Armory and the case was immediately turned over to Guy and Pascale.

Pascale, with the assistance of D.H., Fleming and Frasca, began a long search for the weapon and its "owner." Once contacted, the "owner" voluntarily handed the weapon over to the NPS for examination.  Although the serial number had been defaced, scratches and other blemishes matched perfectly with ones on the weapon on pictures taken by Frasca on an earlier research trip to Springfield Armory, leaving little doubt the weapon belonged to the armory.

To corroborate this conclusion, the NPS enlisted the help of the FBI's art crime team, which had helped in an earlier recovery.  The FBI concurred with the NPS conclusion.  After sensitive negotiations and faced with the evidence, the "owner" voluntarily turned the weapon over to the National Park Service. No charges were filed as the "owner" was unaware that he had purchased stolen government property and had fully cooperated with authorities.

The recovery of the "trapdoor" carbine is an example of a successful partnership between federal agencies and the private sector. The National Park Service is grateful to these private citizens who took action to recover a piece of cultural heritage that belongs to all Americans. [Submitted by Douglas Cuillard, Superintendent]

Everglades National Park (FL)
Heavy Equipment Fire

While park staff was preparing for structural fire training late on the morning of August 19th, ranger Frank DeLuca was notified of a construction vehicle fire in the area of the Flamingo guest cottages. While he responded to the scene, Flamingo Fire Brigade member Doug Shields, a Xanterra concession employee, responded with the district's structural fire engine, and rangers Betsy Smith, Tony Terry, Bruce Gantt, and Jennifer Langel headed to the scene as members of the fire brigade. Interpretive ranger/EMT Allyson Gantt responded with the park ambulance. A piece of heavy machinery, a tracked excavator, caught on fire while it was in use by a contractor working on a sewage line replacement project. When the engine arrived, the excavator was fully engulfed in flames and smoke could be seen from a half mile away. The equipment leaked approximately 25 gallons of diesel fuel, oil and hydraulic fluid before the fire was extinguished. Containment booms and hazmat absorbent pads were put into place. A professional hazmat disposal service was later notified and completed clean-up of the site. No one was injured during the incident. [Submitted by Curt R. Dimmick, Flamingo District Ranger]

NIFC/NPS Fire and Aviation Management
National Fire Situation Highlights — Friday, August 26, 2005

Preparedness Level 3

Activity was light Thursday. All but four of the 108 new fires were caught by initial attack. Another seven large fires were contained. Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington.

Weather Forecast

The upper level low pressure center will continue to move east over the northern Plains today. Warm and dry conditions will continue to move into the West. Isolated thunderstorms will be confined to the Southwest today. Showers in Alaska will be tapering off with some precipitation lingering in the southeast.

Red Flag Warnings

None today.

Fire Weather Watches

None today.

NPS Fires

For a brief supplemental narrative on each fire, click on the bar with the arrow. Internal NPS readers can link directly to full reports on each fire by clicking on the notepad icon; public readers of the Morning Report can obtain similar information by going to http://www.nps.gov/fire/news

Park	State	Fire	Type	Acres	Percent Contain	Est. Full Contain
Denali National Park & Preserve	AK	BUB9 Highpower Creek - ref#226	Wildland Fire Use	118,073.7	N/A	N/A
	Latest Narrative: On August 25th Western Area Fire Management monitored the fire via helicopter. Fire activity was minimal, few smokes were observed. The general area around the fire has received very light to moderate amounts of precipitation. At this time, Alaska is experiencing fall like temperatures and future fire activity is expected to be minimal.
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks	CA	Comb Fire	Wildland Fire Use	approximately 5,500 acres	N/A	N/A
	Latest Narrative: Yesterday, the fire crossed Hotel Creek and burned approximately 200 acres up onto the slope of North Mountain inside Kings Canyon National Park. "Because we are allowing this fire to spread naturally, we are always prepared for increased activity," said Corky Conover, Fire Use Manager. "It is really interesting to watch a fire move at its own pace and renew the forest." While this fire activity was visible from Cedar Grove campgrounds last night, the developed area is not threatened by the Comb Fire. There are significant rocky areas between the fire and the valley floor that are unburnable. Today, fire managers will fly over the fire in order to map its exact perimeter. Over the next few weeks, the fire is expected to cross into the Granite Creek drainage. Ultimately, the fire will end with the first significant rain or snow.
Yosemite National Park	CA	Buena Vista Fire	Wildland Fire Use	4.5 acres	N/A	N/A
	Latest Narrative: Fire is 23 acres and has potential for growth. More smoke is visable.
Yosemite National Park	CA	Echo Fire	Wildland Fire Use	123.3 acres	N/A	N/A
	Latest Narrative: Crystal Fire, which now part of the Echo Complex,is now 27 acres.

National/State Team Commitments

Newly listed fires (on this report) appear below in boldface. Changes in the status of a fire (type of team, change from a fire to a complex, etc.) are also noted in boldface.

Fires are sorted by type of team; teams are listed in alphabetical order within each type by the IC's last name.

National Resource Commitments

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 NPS Fire and Aviation Management (FAM) and on park fires can be found at:

FAM — http://www.nps.gov/fire
Park fires — http://www.nps.gov/fire/news

Servicewide
Upcoming Training Calendar

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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September 19 — September 22

Retrofitting for Accessibility, Gatlinburg, TN. This course provides education on federal legislation and accessibility requirements as applied to park and recreation facilities and programs. Educational sessions will provide an understanding of the characteristics and needs of people with disabilities. Curriculum emphasis will include application of accessibility standards, barrier removal, safety issues associated with accessibility, and ongoing facility maintenance to assure optimum access for visitors including those with disabilities. This course has an active field-based component that is designed to provide hands-on experiences identifying design problems in existing facilities and potential considerations and solutions for improving access. The primary field work will be done within the boundaries of Great Smoky Mountains National Park . A prerequisite seminar on disability awareness will precede the course. The disability awareness seminar will give participants a better understanding of legislation, attitudes, architectural and programmatic needs in order to provide quality services to people with disabilities. The prerequisite seminar is mandatory for all participants who have not attended a previous NCA core course or NCA disability awareness seminar. For more information, go to  http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Conferences&id=841 The contact is Nancy Smith at 812-856-4422.

September 20 — September 22

Colt M-16/AR-15 Armorer's Course, Jean Lafitte Barataria Preserve Education Center, Marrero, LA. The point of contact for enrollments and lodging is ranger Georgia Shaw (504-589-2330 ext. 20); for more information on the course, contact ranger Michael Callais (504-589-2330 ext. 22). The cost is $375. To make a credit card payment, contact Jeff Radziwon at 1-800-962-2658 ext. 1408. 

September 26 — September 30

Tracking and Clue Management for Resources Protection, Northern Arizona University (NAU), Flagstaff, AZ. NAU offers you the opportunity to blend the old and the new into a more effective protection tool. Instruction begins with the skill of tracking, so essential to the success of field officers. This skill, built around observing changes in the natural environment, will be reinforced with tools to manage clues for the long term benefit of patrol, supervision and investigation. See http://www.jmu.edu/icle/workforce.htm for more details.

September 27 — September 29

Colt M-16/AR-15 Armorer's Course, Lake Meredith National Recreation Area, Fritch, TX. The point of contact for enrollments and lodging is ranger Scott Hall (806-865-3874 ext. 38). For enrollment applications, email Scott_L_Hall@nps.gov. The cost is $375.

October 17 — October 21

Archeological Resources Protection Training (ARPTP-601), FLETC, Glynco, GA. Training in all aspects of archeological investigation and subsequent prosecution of crimes. Taught by accomplished instructors who are nationally-recognized subject-matter expects in the fields of law enforcement, archeology and law. Any questions concerning the course can be directed to Senior Instructor Charles Louke, 912-280-5188, or charles.louke@dhs.gov .  For course registration information, contact Virginia McCleskey, 912-554-4828 or virginia.mccleskey@dhs.gov

October 31 — November 4

Producing NPS Publications, Harpers Ferry NHP, WV. This 40-hour, hands-on course will give participants the basic knowledge and skills to design and produce publications, including site bulletins, newspapers, posters, and other graphics. It will incorporate the new NPS Graphic Design Standards and templates. Subjects will include design principles, layout, typography, image preparation, maps, printing prep, and working with printing companies. This course will not cover writing and editing. Computers will be used but this should not be considered a computer course. Participants will need to bring their own laptop with full and complete editions of Microsoft Word, Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator installed. (Adobe PageMaker will not be acceptable.) The tuition is $175 to cover supplies and materials. For further information and/or application forms, contact Tom Haraden at Zion NP at 435-772-0161 or via email by September 26th.

November 28 — December 2

Quarters Management Information System and Rates Training, Denver, CO. The course will provide housing managers a better understanding and working knowledge of the NPS housing program. Specific topics include QMIS inventory requirements, required and non-required occupancy, safety and health issues, need assessments, condition assessments, housing management plans and PMIS projects. For more information, contact Hala Bates, IMRO housing office, at 303-969-2742 or via email.

Fiscal Year 2006

The NPS Law Enforcement Training Center is pleased to announce rosters for basic academy training for the complete FY2006 fiscal year. These rosters are tentative, except for class LMPTP 601. Parks and trainees for 601 have been notified that the class has been confirmed. Small changes in these rosters are likely over time. NPS/LETC is publishing them now to assist parks and trainees in future planning. Those waiting on future, unconfirmed classes should check regularly to see if the have been re-assigned to another class. Classes are confirmed 60 days in advance. Once a class has been confirmed, parks and trainees will receive confirmation emails from the NPS-LETC. The lists are based on EOD date. Requests for rescheduling of training must be forwarded through the regional chief rangers. The list can be reached at: http://inside.nps.gov/waso/custommenu.cfm?lv=3&prg=573&id=3675 [Greg Jackson, Senior Program Manager]

Servicewide
Upcoming Events Calendar

This listing is updated every Friday. Please submit information to Bill Halainen. New listings and revisions are in bold face.

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September 15 — September 16

"Oh Freedom: Reclaiming August 8th as Emancipation Day," Greeneville, TN.  The African American Task Force of the Community Economic Development Network of East Tennessee invites you to attend a groundbreaking conference about the 8th of August in an effort to rekindle the recognition of this special day in the life of African Americans across Tennessee, Kentucky and beyond.  The conference will draw together a rare combination of individuals — those from communities where celebrations have occurred, those who want to uncover this important piece of African American heritage, and those who have an academic interest in African American history.  For more information, and a copy of the registration form, contact Mark Corey at Andrew Johnson NHS at 423-639-3711 ext. 101 or e-mail him at mark_corey@nps.gov .

October 23

Manning Cabin 100th Anniversary Celebration, Tanque Verde Guest Ranch, Tucson, AZ. Saguaro National Park, along with co-sponsors Friends of Saguaro National Park, Western National Parks Association and the Arizona Historical Society are hosting a "Manning Cabin 100th Anniversary Celebration" at Tanque Verde Guest Ranch on Sunday, October 23rd from noon to four p.m. The event features mule-packing demonstrations, cowboy music and storytelling, exhibits showing the history of Manning Cabin, firefighting, the Rincon Valley's Hispanic history, and Levi Manning's role in changing Tucson at the turn of the century. Admission is free. The Arizona Historical Society will be hosting a related exhibit and series of lectures on Levi Manning and the history of the Rincon Mountains in October. Manning Cabin is located in the Rincon Mountains at 8,000 feet. It was built by Levi Manning, mayor of Tucson from 1905 to 1907. It was used by the Manning family and later became a backcountry ranger station in the Coronado National Forest, and by the 1920s, was used as a base camp for firefighters, a role it still fills today. Saguaro National Park is also seeking people — from firefighters to hikers who can relate their experiences at the cabin. For more information, call Meg Weesner at Saguaro National Park at 520-733-5170.

November 11 — November 13

On December 30, 2005, Colonial National Historical Park will mark the 75th anniversary of its creation by an executive order of President Herbert Hoover.  In recognition of this milestone, Colonial is planning special events throughout the year, including a reunion of current and former employees of Colonial and its partners.  The reunion is open to anyone who has worked at the park, either for the National Park Service or as a cooperating association, partner or concessionaire. This reunion is strictly a social opportunity for the NPS family to come back to Colonial to renew acquaintances, share stories and see the many improvements that are underway as the park prepares for its anniversary events at Yorktown in 2006 and Jamestown in 2007. Among the many planned activities for the weekend are:

• a hard-hat tour of the new Historic Jamestown Visitor Center that will open in 2006
• a tour of the new Historic Jamestowne Research Center
• a variety of interpretive tours and programs for reunion participants, including the Jamestown Rediscovery archaeological excavation, and a bus tour of the Colonial Parkway (nominated as an All-American Road in 2005)
• evening reception featuring entertainment and a multi-media "step back in time"
• a screening of "The New World," the new feature film about Jamestown from Academy Award nominated director Terrence Malick and starring Colin Farrell as John Smith

More details on the Colonial NHP reunion weekend will be available soon.  To receive information on the plans for this reunion, please send your contact information to christine_lucero@nps.gov  and put "Reunion" as the Subject. Please share this information with those who do not have access to email. Contact information: Christine Lucero, Colonial NHP, P.O. Box 210, Yorktown, VA 23690 (757-898-2432).

November 18 — November 20

Maritime Heritage Education, National Maritime Center, Norfolk, VA. This conference will be the first of its kind to bring formal and informal educators together to promote the sharing of maritime heritage education partnerships, programs and products. People from all over the country will come together to participate in this exciting conference featuring guest keynote speakers, concurrent sessions, a book room and social gatherings related to the following maritime heritage topics: Lighthouses/lightsaving stations; whaling and fishing heritage; native canoe cultures; shipping and port heritage; shipboard education programs; shipwrecks and other submerged sites. For information on the conference, go to http://www.sanctuaries.noaa.gov/education/mhec ;  for info on submitting abstracts (due by August 30th), go to http://www.sanctuaries.noaa.gov/education/mhec

Submission standards for the Morning Report can be found by clicking here. 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.