NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

BLACKBERRY EDITION

Monday, November 21, 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.

Everglades NP/Dry Tortugas NP

Hurricane Wilma recovery efforts were suspended on Saturday as park personnel and outside resources implemented the parks' hurricane readiness plan in anticipation of the possible arrival of Tropical Storm Gamma in south Florida by Monday. Everglades National Park closed at noon on Saturday, November 18th, in preparation for the storm's impact and due to concerns for public and employee safety. Park personnel and outside resources focused on preparing Everglades and Dry Tortugas parks for impact by the storm.

The planned Saturday re-opening of Dry Tortugas National Park has been delayed, as personnel brought in for Hurricane Wilma efforts were evacuated from the Florida Keys. All incident personnel who had been assigned to Dry Tortugas were transported back to Key West after assisting Dry Tortugas staff in preparing the islands for the storm. They have traveled back to the Everglades ICP for check out and demobilization and traveled home on Sunday. Park staff normally assigned to Dry Tortugas will remain there. The commercial ferries brought visitors to Dry Tortugas on Saturday, as it was hard to get the word to all companies regarding the opening/closing changes at Dry Tortugas due to the development of TS Gamma. The companies were contacted by phone to ensure that visitors would not be brought to the park on Sunday, and Dry Tortugas will remain closed until threats from Gamma are gone. High winds and heavy surf are expected for the Dry Tortugas, both as a result of Gamma and the strong cold front approaching behind it.

A press release concerning the park closures was disseminated and all Florida Keys chamber of commerce offices were contacted this morning. Park closure information was updated on the park website and phone information line.

Incident staff were to report to the incident command post on Sunday morning to assess the situation with TS Gamma and continue completing closeout documentation. The three team members who have been in Key West managing the Dry Tortugas branch of the Wilma incident will travel to the Everglades ICP to finalize closeout documentation for the transfer and closeout meeting still scheduled for today.

As of mid-afternoon on Sunday, the projected track for Gamma was further south than earlier in the day. If the storms track continues along this path, preparations for reopening parts of Everglades and continuing Wilma recovery actions may begin.

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]

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Cape Hatteras NS

GS-401-13 Chief of Resources Management

Cape Hatteras NS is currently recruiting for a GS-401-13 chief of resources management. The park is seeking someone with a strong biological background, ideally with a masters degree or higher, with strong experience leading and managing resources management programs and the kinds of complex natural resources management issues that are typically found in coastal parks. The park is in the process of developing an interim protected species management plan and EA to manage shorebirds, sea turtles and seabeach amaranth until negotiated rulemaking, an ORV management plan, and an EIS can be completed. The new division chief will play a key role in the development and implementation of new management plans and programs and will have the opportunity to fill several key positions in the division. The vacancy announcement can be found in USAJOBS under announcement #CAHA 06-02 (a). It closes on December 7th. For more information, contact deputy superintendent Mark Hardgrove at 252-473-2111, ext. 151, or incoming superintendent Mike Murray at 508-349-3785, ext. 201. [Mike Murray]

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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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