NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
BLACKBERRY EDITION
Friday, November 4, 2005
===============================================================================================================
INCIDENTS
South Florida Areas
Hurricane Wilma Recovery Update
The National IMT (JD Swed, IC) continues it's assistance with recovery from Hurricane Wilma at the three large south Florida parks by helping the park staffs with the efforts begun before the storm ever hit. There are now 271 people deployed throughout Big Cypress National Preserve, Biscayne National Park and Everglades National Park. That figure includes approximately 35 overhead staff. The three parks are beginning to open selected areas to the public while continuing the clean-up process.
Big Cypress NP
The SET continues its 24-hour coverage of the closed areas of the park. Crews continue to work to clear roads, trails and waysides. An electrician has arrived and will be addressing electrical issues throughout the park. Clean-up of the Kirby Storter Roadside Park nears completion with the removal of debris from the wrecked chickee picnic table covers and repair of the boardwalk handrails that were broken by falling trees. The Oasis Visitor Center is open and doing a brisk business as tourists return to the south Florida area. Debris removal and hazard tree mitigation continues throughout the preserve and ORV trails continue to be cleared. The FMSS team estimates it will be finished with Big Cypress by Saturday and will move on to Branch 2 (Everglades).
Biscayne NP
The visitor center parking lot, boardwalks, jetties and sidewalks in the Convoy Point area are almost done. The removal of storm shutters is almost complete as well. The concessioner intends to open on Saturday at the same time the Convoy Point VC opens. Crews will begin the tree removal and clean-up at Boca Chica Key on Friday. Clean-up of campgrounds is ongoing. Phone, electrical and internet service have now been restored to the park.
Everglades NP
The park conducted hydrology and hydrostation assessments yesterday by land, air and sea. The Eastern Panhandle, Duck Key and Long Sound are flooded. At Hole-in-the-Donut, employees and crews are working to salvage native plants in the shade shed and to upright trees that were blown over on the mounds. The air conditioning unit on the roof of the Krome Centre office building in Homestead has been re-positioned on it's proper supports. Further work will be needed to get the A/C unit operational. That will be done in cooperation with the building's owner. Fresh water fish surveying and monitoring has resumed by checking fish traps and damage assessments at the monitoring sites. Mud removal at Flamingo continues using pressure washers and elbow grease. The employee assistance group tarped roofs at two employee homes and cut hazard limbs from trees around the houses.
Dry Tortugas NP
At Dry Tortugas, an HVAC specialist, a carpenter and a plumber have begun work to restore utilities and repair damage. An electrician is working on the photo-voltaic system for the island. An eight-person labor crew is cleaning up and stockpiling debris for removal from the island. Repairs have begun on the causeway to the seaplane landing facility. Needed supplies and material are being ordered and delivered. Communication specialists determined yesterday that the antenna directed at Fort Jefferson has sustained irreparable damage and needs to be replaced. In support of the extra resources now working on Dry Tortugas, catering and lodging is being provided by a contract vessel anchored at Garden Key.
Additional Information
A web site has been established as a repository for official documents related to hurricane recovery operations: HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/waso/waso.cfm?prg=15&lv=1" http://inside.nps.gov/waso/waso.cfm?prg=15&lv=1. Note: An important addition has been made under the heading for the National IMT. Employees at affected parks can find a comprehensive FAQ sheet there that will answer many of their questions. The specific URL to that document is HYPERLINK "http://classicinside.nps.gov/documents/FAQ%20Sheet%20-%20Hurricane% 20Wilma%2010-30-05.doc" http://classicinside.nps.gov/documents/FAQ%20Sheet%20-% 20Hurricane%20Wilma%2010-30-05.doc
[Shauna Dyas, IO, National IMT]
National Capital Parks
Homicide Suspect Identified and Arrested
A homicide occurred in Franklin Park on October 1st when one man stabbed another in the chest. Both were known to frequent the area. An officer familiar with crimes and criminals from the area in and around that park was brought in and advised that one of the suspect's names might have been “T.” The lieutenant responded that he probably knew “T.'s” true identity through information he'd received from a confidential information source. The lieutenant was put in touch with the USPP Violent Crimes Unit detective assigned to the case and provided her with both the man's true name and personal identifiers. Using this information, the detective was able to compile a photo spread. She showed the photos to witnesses who positively identified the assailant. An arrest warrant was issued. Further investigation was required in order to find the suspect, but he was identified and arrested following a foot chase on October 4th. [Major Robert Kass, USPP]
Gateway NRA
Suicide in Sandy Hook Unit
As a ranger was making park closing announcements in Parking Lot J just before 6 p.m. on November 2nd, he noticed a red 2001 Dodge Ram pickup sitting in a corner of the lot with only its brake lights on. The driver was found to be deceased, his body slumped over in the driver's seat. The ranger had seen this pickup stopped on the side of Atlantic Drive about 45 minutes previously and had motioned the driver to move along. The driver did so. Local detectives, the county medical examiner and firefighters responded - the latter providing additional lights to assist investigators. A Mossberg shotgun, shell casing, shell wadding, several pills and a suicide note were found in the truck. The investigation, including an autopsy, continues. CISM peer support is being provided to employees. [Hollis Provins, Chief Ranger, Sandy Hook Unit)
* * * * *
Prepared by Visitor and Resource Protection, WASO, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.
--- ### ---