NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Friday, October 2, 2009

INCIDENTS

National Park of American Samoa

Salvage, Recovery And Assistance Operations Continue

Recovery operations continue at the National Park of American Samoa. Assisting are the Western Incident Management Team, two U.S. Public Health Service officers, two critical incident stress management counselors, three cultural resource specialists and an NPS special agent, all of whom are now in place on American Samoa. Park employees are salvaging cultural resources and park files and equipment and moving them to secure storage. Salvage operations will continue through today. Park staff continue to periodically assist the USCG with rescue and body recovery operations as the need arises. As the park begins to finish its salvage operations, park employees will be made available to assist the broader FEMA-led territorial recovery operation. The Hawaii Natural History Association has set up a Bank of Hawaii special donation account for assistance to park employees affected by this week's natural disasters, as that bank's branch in American Samoa survived without serious damage. Those wishing to donate can make checks payable to NPSA Employee Disaster Relief Fund, and for now, mail to: Hawaii Natural History Association, PO Box 74, Hawaii National Park, Hi 96718. Information on how to make donations directly to the bank will be posted when available. The Pacific West Region and National Park of Samoa are grateful for all the offers of assistance that have poured in from around the country, including from many retired NPS employees. At this time, we are meeting our resource needs, but are keeping a list of those who have offered to assist. We will utilize that list should we require additional resources at a later time. [Scott Wanek, Regional Chief Ranger]

Dayton Aviation Heritage NHP

Wright Flyer III Replica Crashes

A replica of the Wright Flyer III, the third powered aircraft built by the Wright brothers, crashed during a practice flight at Huffman Prairie Field yesterday morning, injuring pilot M.D. The field is on and owned by Wright-Patterson AFB, but within the park's legislative boundary. The pilot was practicing for a re-enactment flight that was to take place this weekend on the 104th anniversary of flight, which is October 5th. M.D. crashed the same plane two years ago. The plane went down on its second practice flight of the day. It had been in the air for 19 seconds when it started making noises, which is not unusual for the plane. The plane then took a nose dive and hit the ground hard. M.D. was taken to a hospital with unspecified injuries. The Wright Flyer III is the third powered aircraft built by the Wright Brothers. Orville Wright made the first flight with it on June 23, 1905. [News sources]

Golden Gate NRA

Car Clout Suspect Arrested

Rangers and a Park Police sergeant apprehended and arrested a man in the Marin Headlands last Saturday afternoon for a series of car clouts that had occurred throughout the day in Marin County and the park. Operations supervisor Kim Coast was leaving the park housing area when she saw the driver of a sport utility vehicle going faster than the posted speed limit and passing other cars on a solid double line. Coast was able to pull out in front of the driver and get him to slow down. Upon doing so, the driver shouted that his wife's purse had just been stolen and that the suspect was getting away. The driver actually witnessed the theft and was trying to get the man to stop on his own. The driver provided an accurate description of the suspect, his vehicle, and the vehicle's license plate. Coast immediately put a be on the lookout message out over the radio. Sergeant Todd Roth heard the traffic and responded from his residence. Roth obtained the information from Coast and was able to make it through the one-way tunnel that leads to the Headlands. Once on the other side, he watched until the suspect's vehicle appeared. Roth then conducted a traffic stop, assisted by ranger Anne Leone. During the course of the stop, Roth was able to get the man to admit that he had stolen a woman's purse. Coast drove the victim to the scene and he confirmed that Roth and Leone had stopped the correct person. The man was placed under arrest. During the search of his vehicle, it was determined that he'd broken into another vehicle in the Marin Headlands and five other vehicles in Marin County, all areas near the park. Working jointly with the Marin County Sheriff's Office and the District Attorney's Office, arrangements were made to assure that the man received enhanced bail and would accordingly remain in jail. A search warrant will be executed with assistance from Marin County deputies. Leone confirmed that inside the vehicle other property had been recovered from at least two prior clouting incidents (one in the park and one within the county). The investigation is ongoing. Leone is the case ranger working with the county. [Kim Coast, Operations Supervisor]

OTHER NEWS

The following stories are among those in today's edition of InsideNPS:

Federal Protective Service - Flags are to be lowered to half staff on Sunday in honor of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service. Flags will return to full staff on Monday.

America's Best Idea - The sixth and final episode of Ken Burns' “The National Parks: America's Best Idea,” entitled “The Morning Of Creation (1946-1980),” will appear on PBS this evening.

NPS-LETC - The NPS Law Enforcement Training Center is accepting nominations for the 2009 Law Enforcement Instructor of the Year Award.

Training Calendar - A listing of upcoming training courses offered by the NPS and its partners across the nation. Added to this week's listing is an advanced control tactics instructor course in West Virginia in November.

To see these and other stories posted on InsideNPS (or NPS Digest, its public version), click on one or the other of the following links (please note that not all stories in the former appear in the latter): NPS employees: HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index ; non-NPS employees: HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/

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Submission standards for the Morning Report can be found at the following web site:

HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=3363" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=3363

Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services, Washington Office, with the support of the Office of the Chief Information Officer and Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@nps.gov).

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