NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

BLACKBERRY EDITION

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

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INCIDENTS

South Florida Areas

Hurricane Wilma Recovery Update

Hurricane Wilma recovery operations are now being managed by two teams. Denny Ziemann's Pacific West IMT is overseeing activities at Biscayne NP and Big Cypress NP. An incident management team headed by Bob Panko of Everglades NP is dealing with operations at Everglades NP and Dry Tortugas NP. A deputy IC (J.P. Mattingly) is responsible for the latter.

Big Cypress NP

Crews continue to mitigate building hazards at Looneyville and work on canoe trails, roofing at headquarters, and debris removal on the Gulf Coast. Route 41 (loop road) remains closed, with work on the road expected to be completed by Wednesday.

Biscayne NP

Work at Convoy Point continues with repairs on quarters and completion of chipping operations. Work will soon start on replacing 14 glass panels on the Boca Chita Key lighthouse. Stabilization of the Oceanside boardwalk continues. The painting of Boca Chita restrooms has been completed.

Everglades NP

Hurricane Wilma recovery efforts continue with emphasis on partial park re-opening. Cleanup operations and debris removal continued yesterday at the Flamingo residence area and campground. Debris piles were burned at Flamingo. Park utilities staff continued restoration of electric, water and wastewater treatment systems in Flamingo. It is hoped that utilities will be sufficiently repaired to permit Flamingo employees to return to government quarters in today. Cleanup operations also continued at Long Pine Key campground and should be completed today. Opening is still pending results of water tests. Hand crews will continue to clear the Coastal Prairie and Bear Lake trails today. Portions of the backcountry canoe trails have large amounts of trees and brush blocking them. Nine Mile Pond has been cleared. Hells Bay, Noble Hammock, Coot Bay Pond, Bear Lake and Mud Creek trails are scheduled to be cleared. On the 100-mile-long Wilderness Waterway, the most difficult sections to clear include Broad Creek and “the Nightmare.” The Noble Hammock and Wilderness Waterway trails will be cleared today using chainsaws from skiffs and canoes.

Dry Tortugas NP

Recovery operations on Dry Tortugas continue to go smoothly. The expected reopening date is Saturday, November 19th.

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.

[Richard Reuse, IO, Panko IMT; Judy Bartzatt, IO, Pacific West IMT]

Colorado NM

Special Event: Rim Rock Run

On November 12th, 327 runners competed in the 13th annual Rim Rock Run 37k foot race at Colorado National Monument. Rim Rock Drive, the main road through the park, was limited to one-way traffic during the event, with vehicles utilizing one lane while the runners used the other. Commissioned rangers from Canyonlands and deputies from Mesa County Sheriff's Department assisted with the successful event. (Phil Akers, Chief Ranger)

Wilson's Creek NB

Probable Drug Overdose Fatality

On the afternoon of October 30th, a visitor hiking the Wire Road trail found the body of a man off the trail and called 911. Green County Sheriff's Department officers and NPS personnel responded. The victim was subsequently identified as a man from Battlefield, Missouri, who had been reported missing the previous day. Preliminary indications were that the death was the result of a drug overdose. The sheriff's department is the lead investigative agency. [John Sutton, Chief Ranger]

TRAINING

Arches NP

EMS Training Opportunity

Arches NP will be holding a 24-hour NREMT refresher course from December 12th to 14th, with an optional eight-hour ALS/EMT I skill review on December 15th for all participants seeking continuing education credits. The course will be taught by instructors from the University of Utah EMS outreach program, with a 10:1 student-to-instructor ratio and hands-on exercises and skills practice. Classes will be held at the park visitor center in Moab. Tuition is $300, paid by benefiting account. For more information, contact course coordinator Jeff Webb via email or at 435-259-4712 ext. 11. [Jeff Webb]

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Organ Pipe Cactus NM

Canine Team Competitions

During the week of November 7th, NPS narcotics canine teams from Yellowstone NP and Organ Pipe Cactus NM attended the National Police Canine Association's national seminar and competition in Tucson, Arizona. This was the first time that the national seminar was held in the western United States since 1998. Four days of seminars on canine team interdiction culminated with a national team competition. Fifty narcotics canine teams from agencies across the country competed. Organ Pipe district ranger Julie Kovacs and her canine partner “Emma” placed second in the competition. Yellowstone ranger Bonnie Gaffney and her canine partners “Augie” and “Smokey” attended the seminar, but did not compete in the trials. [Fred Patton, Chief Ranger]

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Prepared by Visitor and Resource Protection, WASO, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.

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