Everglades |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
The following Incident Reports were extracted from the NPS Morning Reports/Coalition Reports from 1989-current. They are not a complete record of all incidents which occurred in this park during this timeframe. INCIDENTS | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Friday, June 27, 1986 Summary: Rangers at Tamiami ranger station reported Black bear near 500' strip which runs for 6-8 miles long along North boundary and is owned & controlled by NPS but on a 99 year lease to Mikasuki tribe. Bear was not on but near strip. Private residences, other buildings along strip. Bears considered "very distasteful" to tribe; will go out of way to destroy them. Bear moved south, then moved across and north that night. tried to kill a pig & was allegedly shot w/ .22 by Indians. Bear fled, then returned & was killed by Indians w/ shotgun. EVER involved cuz bear came from park. Main investigation by State. Very few black bears in park. Protected status in state -- not endangered or threatened.
Location: 1/4 mi. outside NPS boundary Ranger Kevin Fitzgerald received information from an informant that a smuggling operation was taking place along the park boundaries just off Everglade City. He notified Customs, the assisted them in interdicting and boarding two boats found along the boundary. The first was tied to an EPS boundary marker and contained 197 bales of marijuana; the second was nearby and contained 234 bales. Five arrests were made by Customs.
Location: Pinelands Mr. P.S. was on a solo cross-country flight. He flew from northern Florida to Key West on the morning of the 16th, and was supposed to return to the point of departure by 5 pm on the same day. Witnesses reported, however, that he went into town, got "loaded" on drugs and/or alcohol, and didn't return to his aircraft until nearly midnight. His taxi driver said that Skeens was so intoxicated he tried to pay his fare with match covers, and also tried to take off while the plane was still tied down. He finally did take off, and crashed in Pinelands (two miles West of the main park entrance) some time between 3 and 7:30 am on the 17th. The pilot was killed on impact, and the entire plane demolished and burned. A ranger spotted the smoke at 8:30 am and the park responded to the scene as a probable wildfire. When the plane was discovered, FAA, NTSB and others were called in, and an investigation initiated. Note: P.S. had 3 motor vehicle DUI convictions, and had refused blood alcohol tests on 3 other occasions.
U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) doctors and Dade County epidemiologists are investigating an outbreak of serious intestinal disorders on the Miccosukkee permit area within the park. So far, the outbreak has taken the life of one six-year-old Miccosukkee girl and left nearly 30 others in local hospitals and clinics. The cause of the outbreak has not yet been cultured or identified, nor has the autopsy report been announced. As a precautionary measure, the park has shut down the public drinking facilities until further notice at the Tamiami Ranger Station and Shark Valley Visitor Center, both of which are served by the Miccosukkee's water system. Ron Speedy, the Service's PHS representative, has been notified and has been briefed by his USPHS counterparts who are on scene conducting the investigation. (Scott Erickson, CR, EVER, via RAD/SERO).
In early April, Public Health Service doctors and Dade County epidemiologists began investigating the cause of an outbreak of serious intestinal disorders in the Miccosukkee permit area in the park. The outbreak took the life of one six-year-old girl and left nearly 30 others in local hospitals. Several public drinking facilities in the park were closed at that time as a precaution. The disease has since been identified as shigella, a bacterial infection spread by poor sanitation. The exact source has not been isolated, but it's been determined that the majority of the illnesses occurred in two families who were drinking from the same polluted well. Other cases may eventually be linked to restaurants within the village. The water within the park was tested and found to be sound. There have been no new cases reported during the last ten days. (Scott Erickson, CR, EVER).
At 8:30 p.m. on the 11th, a fire broke out in an unoccupied seasonal trailer in the Pine Island residential area. The park's fire brigade responded, but the trailer was fully involved when they arrived. The trailer and its contents - mostly furnishings - were totally destroyed. No appraisal has yet been made of the value of the property lost. A Metro Dade fire investigator has determined that the fire was probably caused by faulty wiring. (Telephone report from Steve Smith, RAD/SERO).
The value of the three-bedroom, 14 foot by 60 foot furnished seasonal trailer which was totally destroyed by fire on the 11th has been placed at $19,700. (Telephone report from Steve Smith, RAD/SERO).
On September 22nd, NPS personnel on an orientation flight for Congressional staff members discovered the wreckage of a Cessna 150 approximately 1/4 mile west of the Shark Valley access road. Rangers dispatched to the scene found the bodies of F.S., 31, of North Miami, and L.S., 27, address unknown, in the wreckage. F.S. and L.S. had been missing since leaving North Perry Airport on the 20th. F.S. was a new pilot who'd received his private license on the 15th; L.S. was his first passenger. The FAA and NTSB are investigating. On the morning of the 24th, a Cessna 172 went down one mile southwest of the Shark Valley tower, killing both occupants. The plane was registered to Airmin, Inc., of Miami, but the occupants have not yet been identified. The FAA and NTSB investigators who were on-scene to inquire into the earlier crash are also looking into this one. Metro Dade homicide and crime scene units are also involved. (Telephone reports from Steve Smith, RAD/SERO, and UPI news story).
The air crash in Shark Valley which killed two Miami doctors is now believed to have been caused by a mid-air collision. A tire track was found on one wing of the victims' airplane, leading investigators to believe that the aircraft was struck from above, causing a wing to snap off. The NTSB has impounded a Cessna 152 at the Tami Ami airport. The plane was flown by a student pilot on the day of the incident. When he landed, he made no mention of the incident, but FAA computer tapes show that the flight patterns of the two planes intersected at the time of the accident. (Telephone report from Steve Smith, RAD/SERO).
On December 9th, seasonal ranger Rick Dunlap, 35, died of bilateral pneumonia and cardio-pulmonary failure while at the Homestead Hospital. A native of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, Dunlap had worked seasonally at Dinosaur and Ozark River before coming to the Everglades this winter. (Telephone report from Steve Smith, RAD/SERO).
On January 8th, a West German national in his late 20's rented a boat from a park concessioner and headed out into Whitewater Bay. He returned late that evening. The next morning, he again rented a boat for a trip into the bay, but this time brought a good deal of camping and other equipment with him. When he failed to return, the concessioner notified the park and a search was begun. The bay and Flamingo area were covered by boats, a helicopter and a fixed-wing aircraft. Late in the afternoon, the boat was found on a small island and searchers located the man not far away. He'd consumed an entire bottle of Nuprin, sliced his wrist and shot himself in the head with a flare device, but was still alive. He was medevaced to an area hospital. His current condition is not known. (Telephone report from Ken Morgan, CR, EVER, 4:30 p.m. EST, 1/10/90).
In December of 1989, a park ranger flying over the park's Gulf Coast district observed the captain and a crew member on a commercial fishing boat use a large net to illegally take fish in the park. When the ranger landed and approached the boat, the fishermen cut their net and fled. Both the captain and crew member were charged with commercial fishing within the park and were found guilty by a Federal magistrate on March 22nd. The magistrate employed the revised fines established by the Federal Reform Act of 1987 and fined the captain the minimum of $5,000 plus the cost of the net and court costs. The crewman was fined $150 in court costs. (Mark Lewis, EVER, via telephone report from Steve Smith, RAD/SERO, 3/23/90).
On April 21st and 22nd, President Bush visited the park and fished the shallow waters of Florida Bay. Earlier in the week, the President met with French President Mitterand in the Florida Keys. Rangers worked with Secret Service agents and other officers to provide protection for the President during his visit. (Faxed report to RAD/WASO and RAD/SERO from Mark Lewis, LES, EVER, 4 p.m. EDT, 4/26/90).
On the evening of the 14th, an Eastern Airlines International Lockheed L. 1011 bound from Miami to Peru dumped approximately 90,000 pounds of jet fuel while over the park. The jet experienced a tire blow-out on takeoff and was forced to lighten its load in order to make an emergency landing at Miami International. The jet remained at an altitude of 5,000 to 6,000 feet during the operation, and all the fuel apparently vaporized and dissipated rather than settling to earth. (Mark Lewis, LES, EVER, via telefaxed reports to RAD/SERO and RAD/WASO, 11 a.m., 5/14/90).
Late on the afternoon of the 24th, Gulf Coast District Ranger Kevin FitzGerald saw 40-year-old A.S., a resident of the Everglades City area, readying his mullet skiff in preparation to go fishing. Fitzgerald had previously obtained information leading him to believe that A.S. had fished commercially in the park in the past. The park's contract aircraft was used to track A.S., who was observed to be netting fish in the park. When A.S. saw the circling plane, he fled the area but was apprehended. A.S.'s boat, engine and 500 yards of gill net were confiscated. So far this year, seven defendants have been found guilty of commercial fishing within the park and have paid fines between $250 and $5,000. Several have also forfeited their boats and nets following convictions. This was the second case made in the course of a week through the use of an aircraft. On the 22nd, J.F., 68, was spotted in his boat in a closed crocodile sanctuary and was apprehended. J.F. had been caught fishing in the sanctuary three weeks earlier. (Mark Lewis, LES, EVER, via telefaxed report to RAD/SERO and RAD/WASO, 6/25).
In response to the opening weekend of Florida lobster season, Everglades rangers initiated a major three-day marine law enforcement operation on July 28th which was aimed at detecting and apprehending persons in violation of resource and drug laws. Due to the tremendous number of boats in the water during this popular weekend, rangers were joined by law enforcement officials from Customs, DEA, the Coast Guard and local agencies in a concerted effort to monitor and interdict suspicious boat activities. "Operation Hardtail" began on Friday afternoon and ran almost non-stop until late Sunday. Numerous cases were made by the various agencies. Everglades rangers contacted 130 vessels and issued 26 violation notices for resource violations. A stolen vessel was recovered by District Ranger Dave King and a separate investigation by Ranger Kim Korthuis resulted in the seizure of a vessel due to the illegal possession of 174 fish by two Miami residents. (Telefaxed report from Mark Lewis, LES, EVER, 7/30).
On the afternoon of the 24th, C.H., 22, of Belize, was on his first solo flight when he became lost. When his fuel began to run low, C.H. found it necessary to find a place to land, and put his Cessna 150 down on the main park road near Pavrotis Pond, about ten miles north of Flamingo. The landing was successful, but C.H., despite his low fuel, then decided to take off again; as he attempted to do so, he hit a park sign and went off the road into a ditch. The plane, which is owned by Tac Air and was operated from the Tamiamia Airport, was seriously damaged, but Hart suffered only minor injuries. The FAA is investigating. (Telephone report from Steve Smith, RAD/SERO, 9/25).
On the evening of the 15th, a single-engine Piper aircraft crashed into the waters of Chokoloskee Bay, a half mile from the Gulf Coast ranger station in Everglades City and about 300 yards outside the park boundary. The plane was taking off from the Everglades City airport when the accident occurred. Rangers Garrett Moynihan and Kevin FitzGerald were the first law enforcement personnel on scene. They joined sheriff's deputies and local residents in efforts to rescue the occupants of the aircraft, but were not successful. Two bodies were recovered that night; the third was retrieved the following morning. (Telefax from Mark Lewis, LBS, Everglades, 10/16).
On the afternoon of the 25th, two commercial fishing vessels - the Cascais and the Lady D - radioed mayday emergency messages after they began sinking in the Gulf of Mexico off the park's west boundary. The unrelated incidents took place as a result of strong winds and high seas. The Cascais, a 34-foot lobster boat, began taking on water and was in danger of sinking some 10 miles offshore of Flamingo. Rangers and Coast Guardsmen rushed to the vessel with emergency equipment and were able to keep it afloat until it could be towed to port. The 46-foot trawler Lady D was not so lucky. Despite the efforts of rangers, Coast Guardsmen and other boaters, the trawler sank in Indian Key Pass outside of Everglades City. There were no injuries in either incident. The Lady D was to be refloated late on Friday. (Telefaxed report from Mark Lewis, LES, Everglades, 10/26).
At 2:30 on the afternoon of November 9th, a commercial pilot flying over the park saw a twin-engine Cessna flying below him at 4,000 feet blow up in mid. air and crash. The FAA was notified, and the Coast Guard and Scott AFB began a search of the area shortly thereafter. Several hours later, a Minnesota woman reported that a plane which her husband and another couple were flying in from Key West to Naples had not arrived, and it was soon determined that this was the plane which had exploded. The park was not advised of the search until late the following day, when searchers sought their assistance in finding the remains of the aircraft. At about the same time, a section of the plane's wing was spotted six miles west of Flamingo. Rangers assisted in the search for the remainder of the plane the following day. They were in the air for ten hours before spotting other pieces of the Cessna in a sawgrass prairie dotted with mangroves and small ponds. Rangers had to employ canoes to reach the inaccessible area. The largest sections of the plane were found in one of the ponds. On the 12th, the park flew NTSB and Cessna investigators to the site. A contractor is to arrive on site today and remove the aircraft. Killed in the accident were the pilot, T.S., 70, of Saint Paul, Minnesota; his wife, J.S., 66, also of Saint Paul; and R.W., 68, of White Bear Lake. (Hunter Sharp, DR, EVER, via telephone report from Steve Smith, RAD/SERO, 11/13).
While patrolling the Ten Thousand Islands area of the Gulf Coast District on the evening of the 17th, rangers Kevin FitzGerald and Tim Phillips heard two motorboats running in the shallow waters. The rangers surreptitiously approached the vessels, which were running without lights, and watched them with night-vision goggles. Both vessels were flat-bottomed commercial fishing boats designed to spread gill nets in the shallows. Although the occupants were not caught with their nets in the water, they were in possession of commercial fishing gear within the park. The two rangers were able to jump on to one of the boats and identify the occupant, then chase down the second boat. The operators - L.G.D., 51, and his son, L.W.D., 32, both of the Everglades City area - were charged with operating without lights and possession of commercial fishing gear in the park. The elder L.G.D. has been caught and convicted twice in the past 18 months for commercial fishing violations. His boat, motor and net were seized and will be held as evidence. (Telefax from Mark Lewis, LES, EVER, 12/19).
District ranger Bob Panko and officers from the Florida Marine Patrol and the Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission raided a suspected marijuana cultivation site along the park's boundary on December 28th, where they found and destroyed 35 marijuana plants. The plants, which were found just outside the park boundary, were being cultivated in 12inch plastic pots which were embedded in styrofoam blocks approximately a foot and a half by three feet long and one foot thick. Ropes were drawn through holes drilled through the bottoms of the styrofoam sections to wick water up to the plants. The planters were then painted camouflage colors and floated at the edge of a marsh among sawgrass and other swamp vegetation. This new technique for cultivation was reported to work quite well in the Everglades, and should be adaptable to any area with lakes, ponds, marshes or similar areas with shoreline vegetation and reasonably easy access. [Telefax from Mark Lewis, LES, EVER, 1/10]
A fully-armed F16 from Homestead AFB crashed and blew up about 14 miles northeast of park headquarters in mid-afternoon on the 15th. The pilot was able to eject safely, and no one on the ground was killed or injured. There was no fire. At the time of the crash, there was severe weather in the area, and it may have been a factor in the accident. [Keith Whisenant, ACR, EVER, via telephone report from Steve Smith, RAD/SERO, 1/15]
The F16 which crashed in the eastern part of the park on the 15th was out of Homestead AFB and was conducting a live bombing run in central Florida when it went down. The plane blew-up on impact after the pilot safely ejected. The Air Force has secured the area and plans to clean up debris and salvage ordinance over the next six days. They also plan to send out their environmental people to survey the site. The area is within a wilderness eight miles southeast of Shark Valley and is accessible only by helicopter. The park reports that no serious resource damage occurred. [Keith Whisenant, ACR, EVER, via CompuServe message from Bill Sturgeon, RAD/SERO, 1/16]
A large Air Force-owned blimp deflated over the park and landed on some mangroves yesterday afternoon. The blimp was tethered in the Keys when its lines broke and it began drifting. Aircraft pursued it, then gave it a radio order to deflate when it was about 20 miles north of Flamingo. The collapsed blimp settled into an area of the park which is inaccessible by either foot or boat, and will have to be removed by helicopter. The park will cooperate with the Air Force in efforts to remove it. [Hunter Sharp, DR, EVER, via telephone report from Steve Smith, RAD/SERO, 1/17]
The blimp which was deflated over the southwest edge of the park and fell into a dense mangrove forest there contained the transmitter used by TV Marti, the government-funded television station which beams programs into Cuba. According to a spokesman at TV Marti's Washington headquarters, the Air Force blimp, known as "Fat Albert," broke free from its tether off Cudhoe Key as it was being lowered for maintenance. The blimp is normally raised to 10,000 feet to transmit broadcasts 100 miles to Cuba. The blimp has not yet been recovered. [Laura Parker, Washington Post, 1/18]
V.S., 80, and R.S., 35, both of Great Britain, were robbed at gunpoint near the Royal Palm visitor center just before dark on the evening of the 29th. The couple were at the end of the Anhinga trail when they heard footsteps approaching from behind them. When they turned, they were confronted by two men wearing ski masks and carrying at least one semiautomatic handgun. The men ordered the couple to lie face down on the ground, then robbed them of their money and car keys. The pair then fled in the couples' rental car. Everglades rangers and Miami Metro-Dade police set up two control points along the road leading to town and searched the park road and turnouts with patrol cars and a police helicopter. The search proved fruitless. Items stolen from the couple included several pieces of jewelry. Rangers are working with police in an effort to track the robbers through the fenced jewelry. [Telefax from Mark Lewis, LES, EVER, 1/30]
On January 23rd, six Florida men were convicted in U.S. district court in Fort Myers on charges of smuggling marijuana into the United States. The convictions resulted from a two-year-long investigation coordinated by U.S. Customs with the assistance and testimony of representatives from several agencies, including rangers from Everglades. The rangers testified that they had chased high speed boats through the park during the night that Customs took down the commercial vessel "Mystical Rose" near the park's boundary. The vessel was loaded with marijuana, and the high speed boats were apparently escaping from Customs agents at the time the rangers pursued them. [Telefax from Mark Lewis, LES, EVER, 2/8]
On February 11th, a U.S. magistrate judge imposed fines totaling $5,000 on three Everglades City men for commercial fishing in the park. The defendants - R.W., 43, C.W., 20, and T.D., 21 were also ordered to forfeit over $3,000 worth of property. Although this was the first time any of the three had been caught fishing commercially in Everglades, they agreed to the negotiated settlement in lieu of facing Lacey Act charges. Other commercial fishing cases will be adjudicated next month. [Telefax from Mark Lewis, LES, EVER, 2/14]
On the evening of January 23rd, student pilot F.S., 28, of Hollywood, Florida, was flying a rental Cessna 150 through clouds over the park when he became disoriented and the plane went into a spin. F.S. attempted to correct for the spin, but crashed into the mangrove forest bordering Sunday Bay a few moments later. He was only slightly injured in the crash and was able to free himself from the plane. F.S. spent the night in the woods and was rescued the next day. He said that he had to wrap himself in charts, maps and pieces of carpet from the plane in an attempt to hide from the thousands of mosquitoes which descended upon him. [Telefax from Mark Lewis, LES, EVER, 2/6 received in RAD 3/6]
The President and Mrs. Bush fished in the park this week during their visit to the Keys. The President has made annual visits in recent years to fish for bonefish and grouper in the grass flats and in the deeper channels of Florida Bay. The Bushes reportedly caught barracuda, snapper and a shark while in the park. Rangers worked with the Secret Service and Florida Marine Patrol to provide security for the Presidential party while they were on the water. During the same period, Congressmen Synar of Oklahoma and Clinger of Pennsylvania were also in the park on an unrelated tour. [Telefax from Mark Lewis, LES, EVER, 4/3]
Rangers Chuck Passek, Jill Hawk and Kim Korthuis responded to the report of an auto break-in at the Hell's Bay Trailhead in the Flamingo District early on the afternoon of April 6th and arrested three Miami men: R.G., 25, H.F., 26, and A.T., 20 for burglary shortly thereafter. The rangers made a consent search of the suspects' vehicle and discovered several roles of German-made 35 millimeter film identical to the film taken from one of three burglarized vehicles. The car was owned by a German tourist. Several other items and a packet of marijuana seeds were also discovered. Due to the presence of the contraband marijuana, all property was seized. The film was developed and the photos were identified by the German visitor as having been taken by him. The photos showed the members of his party and the vehicle from which the film was taken. An investigation into two other car clouts is continuing; the three men are suspects in those burglaries. [Telefax from Mark Lewis, LES, EVER, 4/8]
Greenpeace supporters concluded a two-day-long march through the park along the main road from Flamingo To Miami on April 9th. Some 30 demonstrators participated in the march, which was conducted to focus attention on new garbage incinerators in south Florida which allegedly discharge mercury and other toxic metals into the air. These emissions reputedly poison the water which flows through the park. The group was peaceful and cooperated fully with National Park Service conditions. [Telefax from Mark Lewis, LES, EVER, 4/9]
M.B., 20, D.D., 20, and M.N., 19, all of Florida, were caught with commercial fishing gear in the park late on Christmas night last year. The trio subsequently appeared in magistrate's court, but requested an appearance before the judge in district court. On April 16th, District Court Judge Gagliaridi accepted a negotiated plea agreement in which M.B., the vessel's captain, was placed on one year's probation and fined $3,000 for possession of commercial fishing gear and $1,000 each on two counts of operating a vessel at night without running lights. Half of his fines were suspended. D.D. and M.N. were each found guilty of possession of commercial fishing gear and fined $200 each. The same three individuals had also been caught with commercial fishing gear by rangers three nights prior to their Christmas day arrest, and had appeared in district court. D.D. had been found not guilty, but M.B. had been fined $1,000 and ordered to forfeit an $800 net and M.N. had been fined $250. So far this year, there have been 18 convictions and over $25,000 in fines and forfeitures assessed by the courts for violations of commercial fishing laws in the park. [Telefax from Mark Lewis, LES, EVER, 4/25]
On May 21st, rangers from Everglades, Big Cypress and Biscayne participated in a joint marijuana raid on a site on Biscayne's boundary with agents from DEA, Fish and Wildlife, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). They seized 1,478 marijuana plants with a potential value of $1.5 million from eight separate sites. Plants ranged in size from small seedlings to fivefoottall plants. The seizures almost equalled the total for all seizures made in Dade County last year. The joint raid was the culminating exercise in a joint FDLE/DEA domestic marijuana eradication school, where rangers and officers are taught aerial detection, ground operations, booby traps, evidence processing, seizures and arrest procedures. A marijuana spotter team in Everglades' contract helicopter detected and confirmed the sites. [Telefax from Mark Lewis, LES, Everglades, 5/22]
A single-engined Piper aircraft was flying over the park on the afternoon of the 25th when the pilot, J.S., 44, of Clearwater, Florida, reported that he was experiencing engine trouble. Following a conversation among representatives from FAA, Metro Dade emergency services and the park, arrangements were made to permit an emergency landing near the walk-in tent site at Flamingo. While landing, the plane struck a tree and flipped over. Neither J.S. nor his wife, D.S., 46, were hurt, but the Piper was seriously damaged. The couple were en route from St. Petersburg to Marathon Key when the incident occurred. [Telephone report from Steve Smith, RAD/SERO, 5/28]?
The Piper Cherokee 140 which crashed at the campground at Flamingo was removed on Monday. About 14 gallons of fuel which leaked from the plane were picked up by absorbent pads. Due to the heavy mosquito population in the area at this time of year, the campground was empty and no one was injured. [Telefax from Mark Lewis, LES, EVER, 5/28]
A brand new Suzuki four-wheel-drive ATV and an older Honda ATC were stolen from within a locked compound at the Pine Island ranger station sometime before the morning of June 21st. Thieves entered the ranger station and maintenance compound and then cut their way into a small fenced holding facility within the compound. The vehicles were stolen from an area closed from and out of view of the general public. Rangers are following several leads and working with other enforcement agencies on the case. [Telefax from Mark Lewis, EVER, 6/26]
At about 2:00 p.m. on the 27th, a severe thunderstorm which passed over Rabbit Key produced winds over 60 mph and seas of from five to six feet, dropped almost four and a half inches of rain in 45 minutes, damaged homes and property, and injured three people seriously enough to warrant hospitalization. Ranger Chuck Noll was caught in the storm while on boat patrol off the key in the Gulf of Mexico. Noll put himself at great risk by exposing himself and his vessel to the storm in order to locate and direct several other boats to safety. After the storm had passed, Noll found a capsized 18-foot Wellcraft boat with four people - S.B., 38, his son T.B., 7, D.M., 44, and his son C.M., 15 clinging to the hull. Noll rescued the four, then helped S.B. and D.M. right and bail out the boat. Noll then towed the boat into the Gulf Coast Ranger Station. The party told Noll that they had fired distress flares in attempts to attract a passing boat and an airplane before Noll's arrival, and that they were beginning to give up hope when he appeared. [Telefax from Mark Lewis, LES, EVER, 7/31]
On June 21st, a brand new Suzuki four-wheel-drive ATV valued at $4,600 and an older Honda ATC were stolen from within a locked compound at the Pine Island rangers station. Rangers Bob Panko and Craig Thatcher recovered the Suzuki on August 13th. Local FBI agents assisted in the seizure, which was conducted at a private residence outside the park. Rangers and agents are continuing the investigation with the intent of recovering the second ATV and identifying and arresting the thieves. [Telefax from Ken Morgan, CR, EVER, 8/14]
On August 9th, J.D., 42, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was bitten by a small, 30-pound lemon shark in Florida Bay and suffered severe lacerations of his right arm and wrist. J.D. told rangers that he caught the shark while fishing and was attempting to release it when he was bitten. He was air evacuated out of Flamingo and treated in a Miami hospital. J.D. is a fishing guide who operates in park waters with a permit. [Telefax from Mark Lewis, LES, EVER, 8/19]
A Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Cessna 172 with two people aboard disappeared while searching for overdue boaters along the park's west coast on October 2nd. The pilot of the plane found the missing boaters near Mormon Key and directed other searchers to their location, then radioed that he was running low on fuel. He apparently tried to return to Marco Island, which is north of the park, but did not arrive and was not heard from again. A search was immediately begun employing searchers from the park, CAP, Coast Guard and local sheriffs' departments and was still underway at the time of the report. The plane is presumed to have gone down in the Gulf of Mexico. [Telefax from Mark Lewis, LES, EVER, 10/4]
On October 2nd, a Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Cessna with two men aboard disappeared while searching for an overdue boat in the park's Gulf Coast subdistrict. Despite intensive efforts by park, Coast Guard and CAP searchers, no trace of the aircraft was found over subsequent days. Another CAP pilot spotted what appeared to be wreckage in dense stand of mangroves on the 17th, though, and investigators soon confirmed that it was the missing Cessna. The bodies of the two men - C.R. and J.M., both 70 years old and from Naples, Florida - were found within. The FAA is investigating the accident. [Telefax from Mark Lewis, LES, EVER, 10/21]
Early in October, the park acquired the first 35,000 acres of the 107,000 within the area authorized for expansion under the Everglades National Park Protection and Expansion Act of 1989. During the three weeks since those lands were acquired, there have been 58 incidents in the new East Everglades subdistrict. Of these, 28 involved persons shooting firearms and ten were incidents in which boundary signs were destroyed by gunfire or stolen (some within two hours of being installed). Other incidents included the recovery of two stolen cars (one of them burned and the other driven into a canal), campground disturbances, off-road travel, dumping of trash, a fire, and a dead horse found in the middle of a road. [Telefax from Mark Lewis, LES, EVER, 10/26]
C.M., 33, an employee of TW Services, the park concessioner, was critically injured in a multi-vehicle accident which occurred in the Flamingo District at about 7:30 p.m. on the evening of January 26th. C.M. and her husband, R., had stopped to assist R.P., another TW employee, whose truck had broken down in the middle of the road. As they were attempting to restart R.P.'s truck, a pickup truck operated by J.M., 73, a park visitor, crashed into the two parked vehicles. C.M. was pinned under the vehicles and had to be extricated. She suffered serious head injuries and a broken femur and was air-evacuated to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, where she is in critical condition in the neurological unit. J.M. hit the steering wheel with his chest and is in critical condition with four broken ribs and a bruised heart. B.S., 63, J.M.'s sister-in-law, was also in the pickup truck and suffered four broken ribs in the accident. Hunter Sharp, the Flamingo district ranger, was first on scene and supervised the accident as incident commander. Ranger Pat Zurcher and Metro-Dade police officers are investigating the accident. [Telefax from Mark Lewis, LES, EVER, 1/28]
On the morning of February 8th, a park visitor in a boat off the park's Pine Island District saw an airplane flying at less than 200 feet and losing altitude. The plane's motor was sputtering, and it appeared that it went down into a dense grove of mangrove trees. The visitor radioed in a report of the apparent crash to the Gulf Coast ranger station. Ranger Chuck Noll immediately began a search by contract aircraft, but was unable to locate any wreckage. While this search was underway, the park was informed by the Coast Guard that they'd been called to an airplane crash some 32 miles east of the search area but still within the park. Based on the descriptions of the planes involved and the flight plan of the crashed airplane, it was determined that the same plane was involved in both reports. The plane was eventually found 12 miles northwest of park headquarters. The pilot, J.B. of Miami, had flown his Cessna 172 from Homestead toward Florida's west coast, but had turned back when the plane developed engine problems. J.B. was forced to attempt a landing in the park before he could make it back to the airfield. The plane flipped over onto its back upon impact; although the Cessna was significantly damaged, the pilot was not injured. An investigation into the accident is underway. [Telefax from Mark Lewis, LES, EVER, 2/10]
On January 10th, rangers Jan Kirwan and Linda Cramer found M.A., 52, and his wife, H.S., harvesting sponges a quarter mile within the park's boundary near the Crane Keys. M.A. had collected almost 700 sponges at the time. Once cured, they would have had a commercial value of $1,800. M.A. and his 28-foot sponge boat were escorted to the Coast Guard station at Islamorada, where his boat, two collecting rakes and the sponges were seized. Following a plea agreement reached in magistrate court for the Southern District of Florida, M.A. pled guilty on February 21st to charges of business operations and damage to natural features. He was fined $1,000, forfeited his commercial sponging equipment, and was placed on a year's probation. [Telefax from Mark Lewis, LES, EVER, 3/3]
On March 16th, T.S., 19, of Copeland, Florida, was found guilty of unauthorized commercial fishing in the park. Under the terms of a plea agreement, T.S. was required to pay a fine of $370, forfeit his 580-yard gill net, valued at $1,500, and donate $3,024 to the park. The latter figure represents the commercial value of the fish he possessed when he was caught. Since the money will come as a donation, it could go directly to the park rather than to the general treasury. The park has established a special donation account which will be used to defray the costs of processing the case and for other law enforcement purposes. T.S. was seen fishing with a gill net from a commercial boat by ranger Craig Thatcher, who was flying patrol in a surveillance plane. Thatcher notified ranger Darleen Koontz, who apprehended T.S. while he was retrieving his net from the water. Upon seizure of the vessel, it was determined that T.S. had caught about 4,000 pounds of fish from park waters. [Telefax from Mark Lewis, LES, EVER, 3/24]
Rangers from the Florida Bay District joined Monroe County officers on March 23rd in a search for an elderly man who lived in Key Largo, just outside the park. Shortly before dark, ranger Linda Cramer found the body of L.S., L.S.77, in the water near the shoreline within the district. L.S. had a history of strokes, and was believed to have Alzheimer's Disease. Investigators suspect that L.S. wandered from his home and subsequently died of natural causes. The body was transported by patrol boat to the ranger station, where it was picked up by the county coroner's office. The county is heading the investigation into L.S.'s death. [Telefax from Mark Lewis, LES, EVER, 3/24]
Last week, Border Patrol agents in southern Florida netted 177 illegal immigrants - the largest number ever taken in a single raid - along the boundary and near the main entrance to the park. Several of the illegal farm workers ran into the park in an effort to escape, but rangers directed the agents to them. The workers were picking tomatoes in large field outside the park owned by Stano Farms. The immigrants were from Mexico, Guatemala and El Salvador. [Telefax from Mark Lewis, LES, EVER, 4/18]
On May 13th, J.B., an employee of Florida Power and Light electric company, was walking with several park maintenance employees examining a stretch of underground power cable when he suddenly fainted. D.D., a park research employee with the group, examined J.B., found him pulseless and began CPR. Rangers were advised via radio and park dispatch mobilized Metro Dade County Air Rescue. Ranger/EMT's Bob Howard, Craig Thatcher, Bob Panko and Jay Liggett were on scene within 20 minutes; they continued CPR, started oxygen therapy and prepared the patient for air transport. Metro Dade paramedics arrived shortly thereafter and provided advanced ALS. J.B. remained unresponsive and was taken to South Miami Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. J.B. had been the park's liaison with FP&L for many years. Investigation of the incident is being jointly conducted by the NPS, FBI and Metro Dade police. [Telefax from Bob Panko, EVER, 5/13]
Following a month-long narcotics and firearms investigation, Everglades and Big Cypress rangers joined ATF and DEA agents in an illegal weapons "buybust" operation in East Everglades on June 11th. As agents swept in to arrest B.K. of Frog City Airboat Tours after he attempted to purchase 30 handgun silencers, rangers employed airboats to block any attempted escape into the Everglades and spotted for the operation from an aircraft with gyroscope dampened binoculars. B.K., who is reportedly a part owner of a tourist stop and airboat tour operation on the north edge of the new East Everglades addition, was charged with felony transportation and exchange of unregistered firearms. [cc:Mail message from Mark Lewis, LES, EVER, 6/12]
On June 25th, indictments were issued in federal court charging 20 people with importing or conspiring to import marijuana into the United States. Those indicted are alleged to have smuggled over 100,000 pounds of marijuana into Monroe, Collier and Lee counties during the 1980s, much of it through the park. One of the 20, J.H., was arrested by rangers in 1985 after he was discovered guarding a cache of 13,000 pounds of marijuana valued at $8 million. J.H. was later convicted of possession with intent to distribute, and was sentenced to four years in prison. Five of those indicted are residents of the Everglades City area, which is surrounded by the park; 13 others are residents of either Naples or Miami. Much of the marijuana originated in Columbia. DEA and Customs are the lead agencies in the investigation. [Mark Lewis, LES, EVER, 7/3]
A twin-engine Piper Aerostar dropped ten bales of cocaine into the norther portion of the park while being pursued by Customs aircraft on the afternoon of July 1st. Radar observers had spotted the Aerostar flying from the Bahamas toward the eastern United States at an extremely low altitude, and Customs had dispatched a Blackhawk helicopter and a Citation fixed-wing aircraft to pursue the plane. They trailed it across the park to a remote landing strip, at which point confederates on the ground apparently notified the Aerostar's crew that they were being followed. The plane turned and flew back across the park, dumping bales of cocaine as it went. One bale fell in Big Cypress and ten more landed in Everglades. Everglades and Big Cypress rangers worked the access points into the glades, contacting people from their airboats, while Customs agents recovered the cocaine using their helicopters. The pilot and his passenger were arrested when the plane landed at Homestead General Airport on the east boundary of Everglades. Prior to landing, all of the bales were dropped from the plane; one struck a church in Homestead, while another landed at a location where the Homestead police chief was speaking at a neighborhood crime watch meeting. The bales, which weighed about 65 pounds each, were valued at $2.5 million each. The total value of the cocaine seized on NPS lands was placed at about $27.5 million. [Mark Lewis, LES, EVER, 7/10]
The four National Park Service areas in south Florida - Everglades, Big Cypress, Biscayne and Fort Jefferson - and one further up the east coast - Canaveral - completed all preparations for the arrival of Hurricane Andrew late yesterday and are currently riding out the storm: * Everglades - Rangers began closing the park's backcountry at 6:45 p.m. Saturday evening, immediately after the issuance of a hurricane warning for the area. Because of the storm's strength, however, a decision was made at 8:00 p.m. to close the entire park, and an incident command team was put in place to manage operations during the emergency. All incoming traffic was stopped, visitors at the Flamingo Lodge were advised they would have to leave on Sunday morning, and, after daybreak, rangers flew the backcountry and contacted all remaining visitors. During the night, park staff installed hurricane shutters, secured and prepared buildings, and moved upwards of 25 boats inland. Water structures at the north end of the park were opened fully in order to prevent flooding of adjacent conservation areas. Employees living on the coast were moved inland - about 20 people from Flamingo went to Pine Island and a half dozen or so from Everglades City moved to the ranger station at Oasis in Big Cypress. Employees who lived in Homestead were released at noon on Sunday so they could make preparations and evacuate the area. As expected, efforts to contact the incident command center at Everglades headquarters this morning proved fruitless. Preliminary reports from Big Cypress are that the power is still on there and that the worst of the hurricane is hitting Everglades to the south. A follow-up report on the hurricane's impact will appear in tomorrow's morning report, which will also report on the situation at DeSoto, south of Tampa, and on preparations at Gulf Islands, along the Florida/Mississippi coast. [Debbie Ligget, IC team, EVER, 8/23; John Kalifarski, BICY, 8/23; Bill Springer, SERO, 8/24]
Hurricane Andrew caused significant damage to some park areas in south Florida, but none of those employees who sought refuge in the parks were injured. Preliminary damage reports have been received: * Everglades - Estimates of the full extent of damage inflicted on the park are incomplete because many areas remain unreachable due to fallen trees and other damage. The visitor center near park headquarters was flooded, the walls blew out, and the roof was seriously damaged. Roofs of a number of housing units in Pine Island were blown off. Initial reports are that damage at Flamingo is lighter than expected, but that has not yet been confirmed. All phones and power are out; current estimates are that it will take between one and four weeks to restore power to the area. The park's communications center is intact and operating on power provided by generators. Water lines are also out, and the park is currently attempting to restore them. Fuller assessments of damage will be possible once the park's contract helicopter returns. Everglades has asked that the Service's all-risk incident management team be dispatched to the park to assist in recovery operations; efforts to get them to the park have already begun. SERO has been working with the Forest Service's Southeast Interagency Coordination Center (SICC) to get supplies to the park. SICC is sending food and a 24-hour supply of gas today. Half of the 24 generators requested by Everglades will likely come from SICC, and SERO will be working to obtain the remaining dozen from other sources. SERO will be sending additional supplies of food, gasoline and diesel fuel to the park, possibly with the assistance of Canaveral or other area parks. One or two SER SET teams will likely be dispatched to provide protection to facilities at Flamingo and elsewhere, and teams of carpenters, plumbers, and other facilities specialists will also be put together and sent to the park. [Bill Springer, RCR, RAD/SERO; Bob Belous, SUPT, JELA; Tom McDaniel, PAIS; Ron Switzer, SUPT, BITH, 8/24 and 8/25]
A preliminary evaluation of damage to the parks was completed by air yesterday afternoon. Rangers flew a fixed-wing aircraft over Biscayne, Big Cypress and Everglades and reported the following. Since most of the following observations were made from the air, assessments are limited to what could be seen from the aircraft. There's no report on Big Cypress because the park appears to have come through virtually unscathed. * Everglades - Most of the damage from the storm occurred in a 30-mile-wide swath through the central section of the park, roughly from the Tamiami Trail on the north to a line from Card Sound to Ponce De Leon Bay on the south. For purposes of this report, the areas will be grouped into three zones: - North - Everglades City, the Gulf Coast ranger station and all park housing areas came through in good shape. Some damage was done to boat docks and the boat compound enclosure, and tree damage is extensive. Residences at the Loop Road interpretive center are okay. Some roof damage occurred to the two residences at the Tamiami ranger station; temporary repairs have already been completed. The roof of the visitor center at Shark Valley blew off, but the office and residences there appear to be largely undamaged. - Central - Trees are down and buildings are damaged at Chekika in East Everglades. The park headquarters building and visitor center are standing, but the walls of the visitor center have been blown out. Most of the old houses in the Pine Island residence area appear to have come through okay, but serious damage was inflicted on all newer quarters. The roof of the ENPMA building has sustained damage; the maintenance building seems okay. The roof of the Royal Palm visitor center has been severely damaged. The Hidden Lake interpretive center is largely gone. Part of the roof of the research center has pealed away, and the roof of the nearby Beard Center partly collapsed. The storage area at the old missile base is largely undamaged, which means that the Biscayne and Everglades boats which are stored there are probably okay. - South - All indications are that Flamingo and Key Largo both came through with virtually no damage at all; previous reports that homes on Key Largo had suffered major damage were incorrect. A small oil spill, source unknown, can be seen stretching about ten miles from Flamingo to East Cape. The airborne observers also noted extensive damage to trees throughout the park. Virtually all tropical hardwood hammocks have been knocked down, pines everywhere have been either blown down or snapped off, and a forest about five miles wide and a half mile deep near Graveyard Creek on the Gulf Coast has been totally "mowed down." Concern was also expressed about the spread of melaluca, an exotic species that the park has been trying to eradicate; since its seeds are windborn, the hurricane has probably dispersed them throughout Everglades. [Kevin Fitzgerald, DR, EVER, and Ron Switzer, SUPT, BITH, 8/25; Steve Smith, RAD/SERO, 8/26]
Reports have now been received from all Gulf Coast areas affected by the hurricane, and few have suffered any serious problems: * Everglades/Biscayne - As of yesterday morning, there were 82 people committed to the overhead team working in the Everglades and Biscayne. The ARM (all-risk management) team is now operating out of a building at park headquarters. Efforts yesterday focused on contacting all employees who had not yet been heard from. As of yesterday evening, all but one Big Cypress, two Biscayne and 16 Everglades employees had been contacted. A 12-person team has been going to residences in Homestead to reach most of them. They've reached about 80% of the homes so far and will continue efforts to reach the remainder. The team's objective today will be to salvage and secure buildings and prevent further damage wherever possible. Operations continue to be "severely hampered" by lack of phones and radios; at present, the ARM team and employees from all three parks are communicating over only one radio channel. The BIFC radio net should be up today, however, and a satellite dish telephone system which was set up yesterday should also be fully operational. Big Cypress has sent two 28-foot travel trailers to Pine Island. Catering and shower units have been ordered, and additional law enforcement personnel have been requested to provide security. There are more than two dozen law enforcement rangers in the park at present; they've been assigned to island and mainland facilities at Biscayne and to Flamingo and the main entrance at Everglades. Critical incident stress debriefing (CISD) teams were due in last night. An incident information officer has also arrived. Many NPS employees and friends of the Service have called to ask what they can do to help people in the park. - Personnel - Incident commander Rick Gale has expressly asked that the many people who've offered to help hold on until the basic groundwork for recovery operations has been laid. Although these efforts to help are very much appreciated, there is no infrastructure to support additional employees or volunteers, much less existing staff. Additional help will be summoned as soon as possible. Until that time, please stand by. - Financial Aid - SERO has set up a relief fund to receive monetary contributions for employees in Biscayne and Everglades. The regional director has asked ENP&MA to set up a reserve account to meet these employees' immediate needs. Eastern has set up an "Andrew Relief" fund and has already donated funds to it. Individual employee contributions and non-ENP&MA park donations may be sent to ENP&MA, Attention: George Minnucci, 446 North Lane, Conshohocken, PA 19428. ENP&MA parks that want to make a contribution from this year's percentage donation or an advance from next year's donation must notify George Minnucci by memo or fax (215-832-0242) of the year and amount. These funds will be made available to employees by wire transfer immediately upon receipt. Questions regarding these procedures should be directed to Pat Stanek in SERO (404-331-3527) or Richard Jamgochian at ENP&MA (215-832-0555). - Notes of Support - As noted yesterday, you can send either general messages of support to the park staff or personal notes to employees via the park office in Everglades City. The mailing address: Everglades NP, PO Box 120, Everglades City, FL 33929. - Goods and Supplies - We are working with the ARM team and park to identify supplies (clothing, equipment, etc.) which are needed by park employees. That list and a UPS mailing address will be available through the morning report on Monday. [Rick Gale, Bill Gabbert, and Jan Patrick, ARM Team, EVER/BISC; Darlene Koontz, EVER; Bill Springer and Steve Smith, RAD/SERO; Bonnie Winslow, RAD/SWRO; 8/27]
There are now 173 people - 158 NPS, 12 Forest Service and four from other agencies - committed to the NPS all-risk management (ARM) team working on the recovery effort in Everglades and Biscayne. Extremely limited communications continued to hinder operations through the weekend. A military satellite phone system which was brought in late last week failed to work properly, so the ARM team ordered a 24 duplex channel satellite system from AT&T. It arrived yesterday afternoon and should be up and functioning today. Incident objectives remain as before: * Provide for basic emergency needs of park employees and their families. * Provide for employee safety. * Prevent further damage to resources, property and facilities. * Secure, protect and salvage all facilities. All Everglades and Biscayne employees have now been found. According to recent estimates, over 50 employee homes were destroyed by the hurricane or are uninhabitable. Facilities on Key Largo are up and running, but work still needs to be done in Flamingo to get that area operational. Employees are being housed in a motel on Key Largo, in NPS housing at Flamingo (despite lack of services) and Pine Island (where people are doubling up in those homes which are still intact), and with family and friends outside the park. A body was discovered over the weekend by NPS employees flying over Adams Key at a location where two boaters were reported to have disappeared. They'd been moored to the key, but their boat blew away during the storm. No further details are presently available. Many people have asked how they can help. The following information appeared in Friday's morning report, but has been somewhat amended: - Personnel - Incident commander Rick Gale has expressly asked that the many people who've offered to help hold on until the basic groundwork for recovery operations has been laid. Although these efforts to help are very much appreciated, there is no infrastructure to support additional employees or volunteers, much less existing staff. Additional help will be summoned as soon as possible. Until that time, please stand by. - Financial Aid - SERO has asked ENP&MA to set up a reserve account to meet employees' immediate needs, and Eastern has accordingly set up an "Andrew Relief" fund. Individual employee contributions and non-ENP&MA park donations may be sent to Andrew Relief Fund, ENP&MA, Attention: George Minnucci, 446 North Lane, Conshohocken, PA 19428. Checks should be made out to ENP&MA with a notation that the contribution is for the relief fund. ENP&MA parks that want to make a contribution from this year's percentage donation or an advance from next year's donation must notify George Minnucci by memo or fax (215-832-0242) of the year and amount. These funds will be made available to employees by wire transfer immediately upon receipt. Questions regarding these procedures should be directed to Pat Stanek in SERO (404-331-3527) or Richard Jamgochian at ENP&MA (215-832-0555). - Notes of Support - You can send either general messages of support to the park staff or personal notes to employees via the park office in Everglades City. The mailing address: Everglades NP, PO Box 120, Everglades City, FL 33929. - Goods and Supplies - We are working with the ARM team and park to identify supplies (clothing, equipment, etc.) which are needed by park employees. That list is not yet ready, but should be completed later today. A special message will be sent out when the list is available and will be repeated in tomorrow's morning report. [Rick Gale, Bill Gabbert, and Martha Isbister, ARM Team, EVER/BISC; Darlene Koontz, EVER; Bill Springer and Steve Smith, RAD/SERO; Doug Erskine, FIRE; 8/28-31]
There are now 181 people - 164 NPS, 12 Forest Service and five from other agencies - committed to the NPS all-risk management (ARM) team working on the recovery effort in Everglades and Biscayne. The AT&T satellite phone system is now functional and providing the ARM team with limited telephone communications. This system is being used only for priority incident management traffic; the parks still have no regular phone lines and are unable to receive routine phone calls. A fuller itemization of damages has been prepared for both parks. The new headquarters and maintenance buildings which were under construction at Convoy Point in Biscayne have been severely damaged. Although still standing, some interior walls in the wood and steel structures in the new $4 million complex were shifted and buckled. A just-completed restroom facility in one corner of the headquarters building was virtually blown apart. The storm also severely damaged Biscayne's current visitor center and headquarters building, destroyed trailers and boat docks, and deposited two concessioner-operated boats onto a road and a rocky shoreline. Other damage was inflicted on park structures at Elliott Key, Adams Key and Boca Chita Key. The storm blew out the walls of the main visitor center at Everglades and damaged the headquarters office complex, though both structures remain standing. Employee housing and maintenance facilities at Pine Island also suffered some damage, as did the park's research center. Other park facilities at Flamingo, Shark Valley and Everglades City came through the storm relatively intact. Tree damage was extensive throughout the park, as the storm mowed down royal palms, hardwood hammocks, and pine trees. Facilities on Key Largo are up and running, but work still needs to be done in Flamingo to get that area back on line. The current target is to have it fully operational by Wednesday afternoon. A key asset at the location is the Flamingo Lodge, which has 104 rooms and will be used to house many dislocated employees and ARM team members. A number of other steps are being taken to assist employees. Two critical incident stress debriefing (CISD) teams and a psychologist specializing in CIS have been meeting and talking with them, a property insurance and real estate "ombudsman" has been providing advice on pertinent matters, and representatives from insurance companies have begun issuing checks to those who lost their homes and other possessions. Employee assistance teams are also helping people acquire needed supplies and resolve logistical problems, and funds from the emergency relief account being administered by ENP&MA are being disbursed. As expected, local repair and supply resources are in many cases wholly unavailable. The incident commander reports, for example, that there's "no plywood south of Tallahassee", and that indications are that it may soon be in short supply throughout an even larger area. The team has been ordering resources from elsewhere, however, and essential needs are being filled. At the team's request, BIFC is currently checking on the possibility of acquiring 80 to 100 5kw generators for use at employee residences. Current estimates are that it will take from four to six weeks to get power back. Meetings have been held with Dade County officials on recovery operations. The ARM team will soon have a representative at the Dade County emergency operations center to facilitate communications between the park and the county. Managers and staff from the park and ARM team have held extensive discussions regarding what types of goods and supplies should be sent to park employees and have decided that those wishing to help should send contributions to the relief fund rather than ship or bring supplies. The reasons are several, and include difficulties in accurately identifying employee needs, problems with matching those needs with contributions, receipt of insufficient amounts of some items and surpluses of other items, and difficulties in distribution. The flow of emergency equipment and supplies is increasing and should soon meet all basic employee needs. By making a monetary contribution, you can get employees funds to purchase other items that they will need over both the short and long term. As noted before, contributions and non-ENP&MA park donations may be sent to Andrew Relief Fund, ENP&MA, Attention: George Minnucci, 446 North Lane, Conshohocken, PA 19428. Checks should be made out to ENP&MA with a notation that the contribution is for the relief fund. [Paul Winegar, SERO, 8/28; Rick Gale, ARMT, 8/31]
There are now 205 people - 188 from the NPS - committed to the Hurricane Andrew recovery operation. Of these, 72 are overhead personnel; the remainder are assigned as follows: two to air operations, 30 to security, 48 to employee assistance and CISD, 38 to salvage and repair, 13 to communications and four to medical support. About 40 maintenance employees, mostly from SER and MAR, also arrived last night, but their numbers are not yet reflected in the above total. Operations have been divided into three branches - one for Biscayne, Key Largo, Fort Jefferson and part of Homestead; one for the remainder of Homestead, East Everglades, Pine Island and Flamingo; and one for Shark Valley, Tamiami, Everglades City and all of Big Cypress. The top priority for immediate response continues to be provision of emergency welfare and security - shelter, food, water and counseling - to the 258 NPS employees affected by the hurricane. The current assessment of the storm's impacts on personal property is as follows: * 101 employees/families have seriously damaged homes which were either destroyed during the hurricane or will be condemned. Most lost all their personal belongings as well. * 76 employees/families have homes or quarters that can be temporarily repaired with adequate resources. Some of these may also be deemed unrepairable after further evaluation. * It's not currently known how many employees lost vehicles in the storm, but current estimates are between 30% and 40%. Yesterday, recovery teams completed work on all but four of the repairable employee homes in Homestead. Efforts centered on plugging leaks so that employees could remain in their residences. The remaining four should be finished today. Other teams are repairing NPS-owned quarters in Biscayne, Everglades and Big Cypress. Operations also focused on the curatorial collections in Biscayne and Everglades. The museum on Adams Key at Biscayne was destroyed, so team members are searching the area for remnants of the collection. The roof of the building housing the collection at Everglades is being repaired. The park's last curator, who had transferred, is returning to the park to consult with the team on restoration of both the Everglades and Biscayne collections. Repair work at Flamingo has been completed and all facilities will reopen there today, including the lodge, which will be used to house and feed homeless employees and ARM team members. Funeral services for Natividad "Tito" Rohena, the Fort Jefferson employee who died during the hurricane when his roof collapsed on him, are to be held today at the Bernardo Garcia-Brake Funeral Home at 8215 Bird Road in South Miami. Tito, who was a long-term seasonal at Fort Jefferson, had retired from the military and will be given a military funeral. His daughter, Melissa, gave birth to a son the day after the hurricane and named him Tito. Although the parks and ARM team have requested that those wishing to help send financial contributions through the ENP&MA fund, those of you who have packages to be sent to specific employees can send them via Federal Express, Airborne Express or UPS to the following address: Employee name, Hurricane Andrew Relief, Big Cypress National Preserve, Oasis Ranger Station, 53553 East Tamiami Trail, Highway 41, Ochopee, FL 33943. Ccontributions may be sent to Andrew Relief Fund, ENP&MA, Attention: George Minnucci, 446 North Lane, Conshohocken, PA 19428. Checks should be made out to ENP&MA with a notation that the contribution is for the relief fund. [Dick Ring, Superintendent, EVER; Bill Gabbert and Bill Pierce, ARM Team; Steve Smith, RAD/SERO; 9/2]
There are now 248 people - 219 from the NPS - committed to the Hurricane Andrew recovery operation. Of these, 87 are overhead personnel; the remainder are assigned as follows: two to air operations, 35 to security, 58 to employee assistance and CISD, and 68 to salvage and repair. Repair crews from Mammoth Cave, Great Smokies, Blue Ridge Parkway and Cape Hatteras - along with a volunteer crew from Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge - have arrived in the park and are now working on building repair and reconstruction. Planning is underway to rebuild the 38-mile-long powerline between Flamingo and the east entrance of Everglades. Plans are also being made to bring in a team of assessors from Denver Service Center next week to fully appraise damages to the parks. Some power and air conditioning were provided to the curatorial collection at Everglades yesterday, and good progress was made on installing a temporary roof. Facilities at Flamingo are now open. Several employee families have moved into the lodge, and its expected that a total of about 30 families will eventually take up temporary residence there. The incident team has expressed its specific thanks to TW Services, the concessioner that runs the lodge, for its outstanding efforts and support in getting the lodge ready and providing support to the employees who will be staying there. Several resource evaluations are underway. A survey of park coastlines has been completed, and only one oil spill has been found. The spill, which came from a facility at Turkey Point and spread into Biscayne Bay, has been boomed and contained. Resource specialists are checking on the situation of Florida panthers, but a final evaluation has not been completed. All radio-collared panthers are known to have survived the storm. Team members are also on the lookout for about 400 of the 10,000 Macaque monkeys and several hundred baboons that escaped from a nearby breeding facility during the hurricane. They are still at large and several have been sighted just outside the boundaries of Everglades. The team has also been working to assist local communities whenever and wherever possible. Supplies have been provided to needy people in those communities, and workers have helped to clear the road to Homestead General Airport. About a dozen migrant workers who lost everything have been hired to assist in park recovery efforts. The ARM team has compiled a summary of activities to date. Although statistics alone do not portray the full picture of the recovery efforts, they provide indicators of the scope of the operation: - Approximately 600 contacts have been made with park employees. Contributions may be sent to Andrew Relief Fund, ENP&MA, Attention: George Minnucci, 446 North Lane, Conshohocken, PA 19428. Checks should be made out to ENP&MA with a notation that the contribution is for the relief fund. Those of you who have packages to be sent to specific employees can send them via Federal Express, Airborne Express or UPS to the following address: Employee name, Hurricane Andrew Relief, Big Cypress National Preserve, Oasis Ranger Station, 53553 East Tamiami Trail, Highway 41, Ochopee, FL 33943. [Bill Pierce, and Bill Gabbert, ARM Team; Steve Smith, RAD/SERO; 9/3]
The emergency repair of employee residences has largely been completed, and the all-risk management (ARM) team is now focusing on the restoration of both residences and park facilities to "livable and workable conditions." Employee assistance efforts continued yesterday with the issuance of generators to families that need them and the installation of an 800 number so that employees can call in for assistance. Two sessions with insurance agents and lawyers were held for employees yesterday to explain their options on claims. The meetings, which were conducted at Biscayne and Everglades, were attended by 52 families; a third session will be held at Big Cypress today. A temporary roof over the curatorial collection will be completed today and a reliable power system will be installed. Efforts are also underway to restore the collection, which was soaked by rain during the storm. A dolphin trapped in a canal near Turkey Point in Biscayne was rescued yesterday. It had apparently been washed into the canal during the hurricane. Team members arranged to have a canal gate opened so that it could swim back into the Atlantic. Some park personnel, particularly in the three parks' protection divisions, have been released from ARM team to return to regular patrol duties. Total personnel commitments to the recovery operation as of yesterday were as follows: employee assistance and CIS, 59; salvage and repair, 95; security and medical, 41; overhead, 85; air operations, three. Of these 283 personnel, 248 are NPS, 22 are Forest Service, nine are from state forestry divisions, and one is from Fish and Wildlife. Contributions for employee relief may be sent to Andrew Relief Fund, ENP&MA, Attention: George Minnucci, 446 North Lane, Conshohocken, PA 19428. Checks should be made out to ENP&MA with a notation that the contribution is for the relief fund. [Bill Pierce, and Bill Gabbert, ARM Team; Steve Smith, RAD/SERO; 9/4]
Employee support and park repair and reconstruction efforts continued throughout the Labor Day weekend. Here are highlights of activities which are either in the works or undertaken or completed over the last 72 hours: * The maintenance teams which arrived late last week have been re-roofing
structures (both residences and park buildings), clearing roads and
working on related activities. All structures in Big Cypress have now
been stabilized. Total personnel commitments to the recovery operation as of yesterday were as follows: employee assistance and CIS, 60; salvage and repair, 103; security and medical, 41; support, 75; overhead, 26; air operations, three. Of these 305 personnel (an increase of 22 from last Friday), 261 are NPS, 28 are Forest Service, 15 are from state forestry divisions (North Carolina, Minnesota, Tennessee and Florida), and one is from Fish and Wildlife. Contributions may be sent to Andrew Relief Fund, ENP&MA, Attention: George Minnucci, 446 North Lane, Conshohocken, PA 19428. Checks should be made out to ENP&MA with a notation that the contribution is for the relief fund. Those of you who have packages to be sent to specific employees can send them via Federal Express, Airborne Express or UPS to the following address: Employee name, Hurricane Andrew Relief, Big Cypress National Preserve, Oasis Ranger Station, 53553 East Tamiami Trail, Highway 41, Ochopee, FL 33943. [Bill Gabbert, Bill Pierce, ARM Team; Steve Smith, RAD/SERO; Ann Strack, RAD/WASO; 9/5-9/7]
Director Ridenour will be on site today to get an overview of the damage and meet with park and ARM Team staffs. After a meeting at Everglades headquarters late this morning, he will fly to Biscayne. There are no significant new developments to report today. The parks and ARM Team have jointly completed a summary of the first two weeks of recovery operations and a plan for actions which will have to be taken in coming months. A synopsis will appear in tomorrow's morning report. The total personnel commitment to the recovery operation as of yesterday was as follows (changes in numbers are indicated in parentheses): employee assistance and CIS, 60 (same); salvage and repair, 105 (+2); security and medical, 41 (same); support, 74 (-1); overhead, 37 (+11). Of these 317 personnel, 272 are NPS, 29 are Forest Service, 16 are from state forestry divisions, one is from Fish and Wildlife, and one is a volunteer. Contributions may be sent to Andrew Relief Fund, ENP&MA, Attention: George Minnucci, 446 North Lane, Conshohocken, PA 19428. Checks should be made out to ENP&MA with a notation that the contribution is for the relief fund. NOTE: Director Ridenour has determined that the Eastern National Park and Monument Association may also accept donations from NPS concessioners. Because of potential conflicts of interest or appearance of conflicts of interest, NPS policy prohibits the acceptance of donations from concessioners, either directly by the Service or by others, when the gift would benefit the Service. The director has determined, however, that such contributions are permissible under present circumstances. Please note that parks may not solicit donations from concessioners or from visitors for the relief fund. [Bill Gabbert and Bill Pierce, ARM Team; Carol Aten, Office of Policy, WASO; 9/9]
Director James Ridenour, SERO Regional Director Jim Coleman and Comptroller Bruce Sheaffer visited the south Florida parks yesterday to personally view the damage caused by the hurricane. Accompanied by the superintendents of the three parks, they drove from Miami airport through East Everglades, took a helicopter flight over the three parks, drove to Biscayne, then returned to the airport through heavily damaged residential areas. The director emphasized that the problems in south Florida are a Servicewide concern and are not limited to the parks or Southeast Region: "We are committed to provide whatever support is necessary - whether it be housing or people or whatever - and to channel it to you in ways which are useful to you, both professionally in the work place and personally as family." Park repair and rehab operations are continuing. Among the projects on today's work plan are the following: - Convoy Point (Biscayne): Remove the damaged marine repair shop, all or
portions of the headquarters/visitor center complex, and debris in the
resource management and protection trailer. Employee assistance teams are focusing on pickup and storage of employee personal belongings, distribution of generators to employees living inside and outside of the park, and serving as contacts to address employee needs. The Service is currently attempting to acquire all rental housing available within a reasonable commuting distance of the parks to accommodate those employees and their families who are either homeless or whose previous homes are uninhabitable. Amenities continue to improve. Bus service is now available between Pine Island and Flamingo, mail is being received through the park address, and Flamingo Lodge has opened its pool and is providing evening social activities. The total personnel commitment to the recovery operation as of yesterday was as follows (changes in numbers are indicated in parentheses): employee assistance and CIS, 60 (same); salvage and repair, 103 (-2); security and medical, 41 (same); support, 73 (-1); overhead, 42 (+5). Of these 319 personnel, 273 are NPS, 30 are Forest Service, 16 are from state forestry divisions, one is from Fish and Wildlife, and one is a volunteer. Contributions may be sent to Andrew Relief Fund, ENP&MA, Attention: George Minnucci, 446 North Lane, Conshohocken, PA 19428. Checks should be made out to ENP&MA with a notation that the contribution is for the relief fund. Director Ridenour has also determined that ENP&MA may also accept donations from NPS concessioners. Please note, however, that parks may not solicit donations from concessioners or from visitors for the relief fund. [Bill Gabbert, Bob Miller and Bill Pierce, ARM Team; 9/10]
Repair and restoration work continues in Everglades, Biscayne and Big Cypress. The following are highlights of yesterday's activities: * Biscayne and Coast Guard personnel picked up asbestos shingles on Adams Key and secured them for future disposal. * The underground powerline contract has been signed and work will begin next week (previous reports that work was underway were erroneous). Contractors will be working 24 hours a day, seven days a week to complete the project, and expect to finish it within 60 days. * Roofing installation continues on quarters at Elliott Key, Pine Island and Tamiami. * The destroyed prefab buildings at Convoy Point in Biscayne are being prepared for demolition. Temporary office trailers are being rented for interim use until the building under construction is completed. * A hazardous materials firm is being contracted to remove all hazardous materials from the parks. * A stress management contract is being negotiated with a local firm to provide on-site services at south Florida parks for the next two years. They will begin making contacts with park employees next week. As of yesterday, a total of 320 personnel were committed to the recovery operation (changes in numbers are indicated in parentheses):
Contributions may be sent to Andrew Relief Fund, ENP&MA, Attention: George Minnucci, 446 North Lane, Conshohocken, PA 19428. Checks should be made out to ENP&MA with a notation that the contribution is for the relief fund. Director Ridenour has also determined that ENP&MA may also accept donations from NPS concessioners. Please note, however, that parks may not solicit donations from concessioners or from visitors for the relief fund. [Bill Gabbert, Bob Miller and Bill Pierce, ARM Team; 9/11]
Repair and clean-up work continues at many locations throughout the three parks. Demolition has begun on the badly damaged visitor center at Convoy Point in Biscayne. The roof of the Tamiami ranger station is now being repaired. Work is continuing on the Royal Palm visitor center and on park housing at Elliott Key, Pine Island and Tamiami. The NPS lands office in Naples has found 45 housing units within 45 minutes of Convoy Point and Pine Island that employees can rent from the Service as temporary quarters while rebuilding. Efforts are now underway to place employees in these units. Two teams of specialists arrived in south Florida over the weekend. The larger group is a resource assessment team, headed by Gary Davis of Channel Islands. Many of the members of the group have a long association with south Florida resources; they will examine both natural and cultural resources to determine both the immediate effects of the storm and to make recommendations for long-term monitoring and recovery programs. The second team, headed by Cordell Roy, will begin documenting the impacts of Hurricane Andrew for future reference and review. Members of this team have completed similar documents on the Yellowstone and Yosemite fires and the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Approximately 120 generators (100 large and 20 small) with a combined capacity of 2.2 megawatts are now being employed on the incident. The satellite phone system is working well - 24 of its 44 lines are now in service. As of yesterday, a total of 372 personnel were committed to the recovery operation - an overall increase of 52 since last Friday (changes in numbers are indicated in parentheses):
Please note that the ARM Team is seeking temporary and seasonal maintenance employees who are interested in short term appointments with the cleanup crews in the Everglades and surrounding parks. Full details appear below under "Operational Notes". Contributions may be sent to Andrew Relief Fund, ENP&MA, Attention: George Minnucci, 446 North Lane, Conshohocken, PA 19428. Checks should be made out to ENP&MA with a notation that the contribution is for the relief fund. Director Ridenour has also determined that ENP&MA may also accept donations from NPS concessioners. Please note, however, that parks may not solicit donations from concessioners or from visitors for the relief fund. [Bill Gabbert and Bob Miller, ARM Team; 9/12-9/15]
The badly damaged visitor center at Biscayne has been demolished and removed. Repair activities continue throughout the three parks, with current emphasis in Big Cypress on roof repairs. Four semi-truck loads of material were scheduled to arrive yesterday; they carried plywood, sheetrock, rolled roofing, roofing tar and similar items. A total of 377 people are now working under the ARM team, up five from yesterday. Many personnel are reaching the end of their 21-day maximum assignments, and are being rotated out and replaced. Recovery operations have cost $3.1 million to date; the total cost of operations through the end of the month is expected to be $4.3 million. The ARM team is seeking temporary and seasonal maintenance employees who are interested in short term appointments with the cleanup crews in the Everglades and surrounding parks. Full details appear below under "Operational Notes". Today is the last day to submit names. Contributions may be sent to Andrew Relief Fund, ENP&MA, Attention: George Minnucci, 446 North Lane, Conshohocken, PA 19428. Checks should be made out to ENP&MA with a notation that the contribution is for the relief fund. Director Ridenour has also determined that ENP&MA may also accept donations from NPS concessioners. Please note, however, that parks may not solicit donations from concessioners or from visitors for the relief fund. [Bill Gabbert, ARM Team, 9/15]
Temporary office trailers arrived at Everglades yesterday. They will be used by the ARM team, thereby freeing up the headquarters building for returning employees. Reroofing continues. Numerous dump trucks are being employed to haul away debris, and chippers are being used to reduce the volume of downed trees and limbs. Research teams are fully involved in large-scale documentation of the hurricane's effects and changes which have since occurred in the parks. A total of 358 people are now working for the ARM team, down 19 from yesterday. Contributions may be sent to Andrew Relief Fund, ENP&MA, Attention: George Minnucci, 446 North Lane, Conshohocken, PA 19428. Checks should be made out to ENP&MA with a notation that the contribution is for the relief fund. Director Ridenour has also determined that ENP&MA may also accept donations from NPS concessioners. Please note, however, that parks may not solicit donations from concessioners or from visitors for the relief fund. [Bill Gabbert, ARM Team, 9/17]
The ARM team moved into trailer facilities over the weekend, and Everglades park staff will return to their offices this morning. Trailers and other structures at Chikika in the East Everglades are being demolished and removed with the assistance of the military. Efforts are being made to contract a helicopter sky crane to remove a sailboat which was marooned at Biscayne. Facilities at Everglades City reopened yesterday. The concessioner resumed boat tours, and the backcountry was opened for day use only. Opening Shark Valley will be the next objective, but no target date has yet been announced. The NPS resource assessment team has devised a way to measure the ecological "vital signs" of south Florida parks to determine their health. A group of 23 scientists has begun to assess the geographic limits of the storm's influence on coral reefs, seagrass beds, hardwood hammocks, mangrove forests, sawgrass marshes, pine forests, historic shipwrecks, and archeological sites. They will attempt to determine the status of populations and habitat of both endangered species, such as panthers, crocodiles and bald eagles, and the more common species that reside in the parks. They will examine the quality of air and water, and measure organic debris and sediments that shape biological communities. The scientists will also identify immediate actions required to stabilize threatened resources and long-term activities which will have to be undertaken to assure the continued health of park ecosystems. Donations to the relief fund managed by ENP&MA have been considerable - about $100,000 to date. The superintendents of the south Florida parks and the ARM Team management have passed on the following regarding your gifts: "The contributions to the Hurricane Andrew Relief Fund are greatly appreciated by the more than 300 employees in the four south Florida parks. To date, the fund has been used for funeral expenses, to fly an employee to see a newborn child for the first time, to cash checks, for employee loans, and for a variety of needs. In the next few weeks, the superintendents expect to receive a large number of requests to cover initial needs as employees begin to move out of temporary housing. Many employees are not yet able to accurately assess all of the effects of the hurricane on their lives and property. Unfortunately, many of the needs will likely be significant. A system to distribute relief funds over the next year is in place. A portion of the fund will be made available on an equal basis to all employees of the south Florida parks who were affected by the hurricane. The remainder will be distributed on the basis of specific needs identified by the individual employees. The National Park Service family's continued support of the fund is greatly appreciated." Because needs will likely exceed even the substantial amount donated to date, contributions are still being accepted. Checks may be sent to Andrew Relief Fund, ENP&MA, Attention: George Minnucci, 446 North Lane, Conshohocken, PA 19428; they should be made out to ENP&MA with a notation that the contribution is for the relief fund. [Pat Tolle, Bill Gabbert, Rick Gale, ARM Team; 9/19-9/21]
Commercial electricity has been restored to Convoy Point in Biscayne and to the headquarters area and Pine Island in Everglades. Efforts are continuing to open the Loop Road in Everglades and to rehabilitate employee quarters. A major transition is underway in the staffing of the ARM team - 224 people have been demobed to date, but others have replaced them (90 on September 21st alone). As of yesterday, there were 344 people assigned to the team. Contributions to the relief effort are still being accepted. Checks may be sent to Andrew Relief Fund, ENP&MA, Attention: George Minnucci, 446 North Lane, Conshohocken, PA 19428; they should be made out to ENP&MA with a notation that the contribution is for the relief fund. [Rick Gale, ARM team, 9/23]
The following significant developments were reported over the weekend by the ARM team working in Biscayne, Big Cypress and Everglades: * Repairs to the utility system and power lines at Biscayne are underway, a roof has been installed on the generator building, and crews are constructing a boat repair building. * Roof repair is beginning on quarters at Flamingo and new pumps are being installed at the Flamingo sewage treatment plant. * Utilities have been hooked up on trailer units at the Beard Center. Boardwalks are being constructed between the units. * Employee property being stored at the missile site has been put on pallets to help with air flow ventilation. * Army engineers are continuing removal of storm damage and exotic vegetation from campground areas. * Navy Sea-Bee construction personnel are working on the leach field at Shark Valley. * Repair and reconstruction of park quarters at Tamiami is continuing. A fax number has been established specifically for those of you who would like to communicate with employees in the three parks. If you have a note to send, address it to the individual care of the all-risk team and telefax it to 1-800-525-3037. Although monetary donations are still preferred to material contributions, those of you with packages to send to an employee in one of the affected parks should send it to the person care of the all-risk team and ship it to Oasis Ranger Station, Big Cypress NP, 53553 East Tamiami Trail, Highway 41, Ochopee, FL 33943. According to the Conference of National Park Cooperating Associations, books are being sought for the environmental education center at Biscayne. You can help by sending books dealing with marine resources, islands, birds and/or environmental stories to the Biscayne Environmental Education Project, care of the above address. Contributions to the relief effort may be sent to Andrew Relief Fund, ENP&MA, Attention: George Minnucci, 446 North Lane, Conshohocken, PA 19428; they should be made out to ENP&MA with a notation that the contribution is for the relief fund. [Bill Adams, ARM Team; CNPCA; 9/29-9/30]
There are currently just under 300 people (233 from the NPS) working on recovery operations under the management of the ARM team. The following are highlights from yesterday's incident status summary: * Sea-Bees completed work on the leach field at Shark Valley. * Repair and reconstruction of park quarters in Tamiami are continuing. * Roofs on quarters in Flamingo are being repaired. * Repairs to HVAC equipment are underway at park quarters and on headquarters buildings in Everglades. * The water main to the fire cache in Everglades is being repaired. * Construction is continuing on the boat repair building, administration office and quarters at Biscayne. Here's what you can do to help: * Notes and Letters - These can be faxed to employees at 1-800-525-3037. * Material Contributions - These should be sent to the person care of the all-risk team and shipped to Oasis Ranger Station, Big Cypress NP, 53553 East Tamiami Trail, Highway 41, Ochopee, FL 33943. Books dealing with marine resources, islands, birds and/or environmental stories can be contributed to the Biscayne Environmental Education Project, care of the above address. * Donations - Monetary contributions to the relief effort may be sent to Andrew Relief Fund, ENP&MA, Attention: George Minnucci, 446 North Lane, Conshohocken, PA 19428; checks should be made out to ENP&MA with a notation that the donation is for the relief fund. [Bill Adams, ARM team, 9/30]
There are currently 282 people (217 from the NPS) working on recovery operations under the management of the ARM team. Work is continuing on previously reported projects, including reroofing structures, clearing brush, restoring power, and constructing facilities. Over 80 ICS trainees are now working on assignments in the three park units. As of this date, there have been no lost time accidents or injuries related to the recovery operations. Preliminary reports from the resource assessment team headed by Gary Davis have been completed and presented to the superintendents of the three parks. Some of the highlights follow: * Trees - Virtually all large hammock trees were affected by the storm, and 20-30% are down or broken. From 20-25% of royal palms, 25-40% of pines, and about 90% of known red-cockaded woodpecker nest trees were felled by the storm. Approximately 70,000 acres of mangrove forests in the parks were knocked down; from 85-90% of the mature mangroves at Highland Beach on the west side of Everglades are down. Most surviving trees are starting to re-leaf, particularly the hardwoods. * Wildlife - Very little evidence of direct mortality was seen, but recruitment may suffer for several years. One deer and 200 wading birds were found dead in Biscayne Bay, but hundreds more were found alive. Adult alligators were unaffected; the fate of nests and young is unclear because hatching was taking place as the storm hit. Coastal rookeries in mangroves were severely altered, but many in interior marshes were unaffected. Deer seem to be doing well - all 32 radio-collared deer survived, but about a third shifted their home ranges. * Fish - Freshwater fish and macroinvertebrate populations seemed relatively unaffected. Historical data, however, only permits detection of ten-fold changes in populations. * Interior Waters - The storm had little impact on the park's hydrology or interior water quality. * Marine Environments - Marine environments fared well in comparison with terrestrial areas. The major effect seems to be increased and persisting turbidity. There was some patchy bottom scouring, but submerged areas appeared to be intact, particularly in comparison to adjacent uplands. A few reef tops were scoured, and 200-year-old corals were rolled over, but the distribution of effects was patchy and reefs naturally grow by breaking up and regrowing after storms. Sponges in Biscayne Bay were heavily impacted - about 50% are gone from fixed plots and others were killed. More manatees were counted in a census than had been counted since monitoring began. Sea turtle nesting beaches were probably improved by overwash. * Marine Archeology - Fourteen of 40 known wreck sites were resurveyed and searches were conducted for new sites. Some vessels showed erosion. The storm showed that hurricanes do not jumble wrecks as has been suggested by looters. * Air and Water Resources - The storm generated between 20 and 40 million cubic yards of debris throughout south Florida - equivalent to a football field stacked from three to five miles high. If burned, it will enter the parks by air; if stored in the ground, it will leach into the water. No air monitoring is being conducted anywhere in Dade County because the storm blew all the equipment away. Here's what you can do to help your fellow employees in the three parks: * Notes and Letters - There is a new fax number for sending messages to employees - 305-242-7716. * Material Contributions - These should be sent to the person care of the all-risk team and shipped to Oasis Ranger Station, Big Cypress NP, 53553 East Tamiami Trail, Highway 41, Ochopee, FL 33943. Books dealing with marine resources, islands, birds and/or environmental stories can be contributed to the Biscayne Environmental Education Project, care of the above address. * Donations - Monetary contributions to the relief effort may be sent to Andrew Relief Fund, ENP&MA, Attention: George Minnucci, 446 North Lane, Conshohocken, PA 19428; checks should be made out to ENP&MA with a notation that the donation is for the relief fund. [Bill Adams, ARM team, 10/2]
There are currently 291 people (204 from the NPS, 55 from the USFS, the remainder from other state and federal agencies) working on recovery operations under the management of the ARM team. Work is continuing on previously reported projects, including reroofing structures, clearing brush, restoring power, and constructing facilities. Regular phone service was restored to much of Everglades last week, and limited phone service began at Biscayne on Saturday. Rotation of team members also continues; Bill Blake, chief ranger at New River Gorge, will replace Rick Gale as IC later this week. The ARM team has an urgent need for a contracting officer with a level III warrant, as the contracting officer who was working with the team had to leave on short notice due to a family emergency. Anyone who is qualified, interested and available should call Betsy Rossini (305-247-6211, ext. 7370) for details. [Bill Adams, ARM team, 10/5]
There are currently 283 people (195 from the NPS, 56 from the USFS, the remainder from other state and federal agencies) working on recovery operations under the management of the ARM team. Work is continuing on all previously reported projects. The status of the parks as of yesterday was as follows: * Everglades - The Everglades City ranger station is open and concession boat tours at that location are running. The park's backcountry is open to boats, but only for day use. Shark Valley will reopen within 30 days. The main park entrance and access to Flamingo facilities will open for the winter season in early to mid-December. Here's what you can do to help your fellow employees in the three parks: * Notes and Letters - There is a new fax number for sending messages to employees - 305-242-7716. * Material Contributions - These should be sent to the person care of the all-risk team and shipped to Oasis Ranger Station, Big Cypress NP, 53553 East Tamiami Trail, Highway 41, Ochopee, FL 33943. Books dealing with marine resources, islands, birds and/or environmental stories can be contributed to the Biscayne Environmental Education Project, care of the above address. * Donations - Monetary contributions to the relief effort may be sent to Andrew Relief Fund, ENP&MA, Attention: George Minnucci, 446 North Lane, Conshohocken, PA 19428; checks should be made out to ENP&MA with a notation that the donation is for the relief fund. [Bill Adams, ARM team, 10/6]
Work is continuing on all previously reported projects. Bill Blake takes over command of the ARM team from Rick Gale this morning. More than $160,000 has been donated to the Hurricane Andrew relief fund which is being administered by ENP&MA. Donations have come from employees in virtually every NPS unit, many conservation groups, cooperating associations and private individuals. The fund is being managed by the superintendents of the three parks. They are providing $200 to every employee affected by the hurricane, and will disburse the balance to those needing aid based on applications for assistance. Criteria will include medical needs, child care, care of elderly dependents, transportation needs, housing needs and lack of or insufficient insurance. Your assistance is greatly appreciated. Monetary contributions to the relief effort may be sent to Andrew Relief Fund, ENP&MA, Attention: George Minnucci, 446 North Lane, Conshohocken, PA 19428; checks should be made out to ENP&MA with a notation that the donation is for the relief fund. You can also make a contribution by purchasing a Hurricane Andrew t-shirt which has been produced by Florida National Parks and Monument Association and is being distributed through ENP&MA. All proceeds from the sale of the shirts will go to the relief fund. Shirts are $10 each and can be ordered from ENP&MA, 1100 East Hector Street, Conshohocken, PA 19428. Checks should be made out to ENP&MA Andrew Relief Fund. Credit card orders can be called in to 215-832-0363. [Bill Adams, ARM team, 10/7]
Management of all further recovery efforts at Big Cypress has been turned over to the park, so the ARM team is now focusing on repair and rehabilitation of facilities at Everglades and Biscayne. Important information regarding payment of employees who worked on the incident appears in operational notes below. [Bill Adams, ARM team, 10/8]
As of yesterday, there were 128 people (58 from the NPS) working on recovery efforts under the all-risk team. The ARM team will begin demobilizing this coming weekend and will turn over operations to the two parks - Everglades and Biscayne - it is still assisting. A task force comprised of logistical and financial people will remain in the parks, however, to support individual park operations pertaining to Hurricane Andrew recovery efforts. Please note the special request below regarding information on costs which your area may have incurred in supporting the recovery operation. [Bill Blake, ARM team, 10/18]
As of yesterday, there were 121 people (55 from the NPS) working on recovery efforts under the all-risk team. Several projects were completed yesterday, including cleanup of Long Pine Key Campground, landscaping of the Royal Palm Visitor Center, repair of the Shark Valley entrance station, and repairs to the well house at Everglades headquarters. Please note the special request below regarding information on costs which your area may have incurred in supporting the recovery operation. [Bill Blake, ARM team, 10/19]
At 2 p.m. on October 24th, control of the Hurricane Andrew recovery effort was transferred back to Everglades and Biscayne. At that time, there were 64 people (18 from the NPS) still working on recovery operations under the management of the ARM team. [Doug Riley, ARM team, 10/28]
On the afternoon of November 8th, W.W., 58, was travelling north near Rabbit Key when he lost control of his 17-foot open boat. The boat took a violent turn to the right, ejecting six-year-old B.D. over the boat's left side, then circled around and ran over him. B.D. was hit by both the hull and propeller, and sustained lacerations to the right side of his torso, broken ribs, a punctured right lung, evisceration, kidney damage, and a broken and partially severed right leg. The boy's father, D.D., 25, pulled him from the water. The boy was taken to Chokoloskee Island and was subsequently transported to a hospital in Naples, Florida, where he is in critical but stable condition. During an interview with W.W., rangers learned that the vessel was being steered with a make-shift tiller (an aluminum pipe attached to the motor), which slipped off its mounting while W.W. was making a turn. The accident is being investigated by rangers and Florida Marine Patrol officers. [Kevin FitzGerald, EVER, 11/10]
The main entrance to the park reopened to the public on Tuesday, December 15th, for the first time since Hurricane Andrew struck south Florida on August 24th. Although not all facilities will be open and repairs are continuing, Flamingo is now fully operational due to the restoration of commercial electrical service through the new buried cable system. With this opening, the park has met its commitment to serve visitors during the traditional winter season. Superintendent Dick Ring would like people throughout the Service to know that this goal could not have been accomplished without the support of "our park family and friends" and asks that we relay the following: "The flood of donations of money and supplies has eased the personal losses, which were staggering; the outpouring of love and concern has strengthened our resolve to recover; and the physical assistance provided by the people who came to help - frequently at great sacrifice both personally and to the home unit - shouldered the load when we could not. We would not wish this life experience on anyone, but if it is inescapable, then there is no greater support group anywhere. Please know that we are forever grateful." [Pat Tolle, EVER, 12/15]
More reports have been received regarding the impacts of the "winter hurricane" which struck the East Coast last weekend. Many parks, particularly in Southeast Region, reported minor damage, particularly downed trees. The more significant reports follow: * Everglades - Wind and storm surge damaged park facilities, most heavily impacting areas which suffered least from Hurricane Andrew. Commercial power to the park was off for more than 24 hours, which caused the sewage treatment plan to go down. The cost to pump it out is placed at $25,000. The park's backcountry was closed; all users were finally accounted for by early morning on the 15th. Some damage was inflicted on residences in Flamingo, the campground was flooded by seawater, and the concessioner's utility systems to docks and outbuildings were damaged by salt water inundation. The Buttonwood Canal dam is leaking. The park and concessioner's bulkhead, docks, boats and marine facilities at Everglades City were severely damaged. The new $14,000 aluminum marine canopy there was destroyed. Salt water overwash damaged a boat hoist, electrical equipment, lawn mowers and stored lumber. Structural damage was confined largely to marina and maintenance facilities. Employees experienced varying levels of damage to homes, including those newly repaired or temporarily stabilized since Hurricane Andrew. No injuries to employees or visitors were reported. Most normal park operations resumed on the morning of March 15th. [Bill Springer, RAD/SERO; Pat Tolle, EVER; Jason Houck, GRSM; Chuck Taylor, GUCO; 3/16]
Eight months have now passed since Hurricane Andrew came ashore in south Florida and recovery efforts are still underway. Everglades just finished its winter visitor season, during which it employed some innovative techniques and opportunistic interpretive themes. While awaiting completion of the "interim temporary visitor center", park naturalists set up an orientation table in the parking lot - much like the contact station seen in early pictures of the park. The main visitor center, which is to be demolished, was enclosed in chain link fence to protect visitors from their curiosity, and a challenging maze of fence and handrail was constructed to provide access to the bathrooms. The new, temporary visitor center is now open and serving visitors. The conceptual design for the new permanent visitor center is done, and teams are now working on other projects, including hurricane exhibit design, signing and other building modifications. Long Pine Key campground remains closed, partly due to administrative use and partly because work must still be done there. Both Long Pine Key and the Chekika area should open for the 1993-94 winter season. The Anhinga boardwalk is more than two-thirds finished and has been the site of many photos of the hurricane's impacts. The tree islands and hammocks have lots of new foliage, but reportedly look like giant bonsai because the leaves cluster at the ends of the main trunks and the few remaining branches. The Flamingo facilities were opened to visitor use when the main park entrance reopened last December 15th, but tourism in the hurricane area has dropped as much as 45 percent below previous winter seasons. Biscayne is also open. Staff moved into the new headquarters and maintenance buildings on March 25th. The furniture arrived the next day. Telephone service, however, remains limited. A&E contracts have been awarded to replace facilities. The Elliott Key harbor complex is open; all other islands remain closed. The concessioner has one boat operating for the glass-bottom, snorkel and scuba tours, but visitation was down 75 percent in the first quarter of 1993. Resource recovery appears promising, except for the red mangrove forest, which may take 15 to 20 years for regrowth from base roots. Homestead is still in bad shape. Although progress in cleaning up the area has been made, mountains of debris still line the streets. Many shopping facilities, particularly strip malls, are being demolished. Many park people have been able to move back into their homes, but others continue to live in temporary quarters. The park also passed on the following: "Sometimes (Hurricane Andrew) seems a lifetime ago, particularly when we talk of how things used to be or how we used to think and plan. Sometimes we feel as if it is still with us, especially when a howling storm awakens us in the middle of the night. Sometimes we acknowledge that we are still too close to the event to objectively assess where we are in the recovery process. To all of the people who came to south Florida as part of the emergency response team, we can say that the progress has been truly remarkable. A significant amount of the credit - especially during the early weeks when many of us were still catatonic - belongs to you. You not only did the dirty work under the worst possible conditions - August and September in the Everglades is no picnic under the best of circumstances - but you also brought spirit and shared you strength and determination to overcome when we had none of our own. The hurricane relief fund passed the $200,000 mark, and 177 people have received desperately needed help from your generosity. One of the facts we must face very quickly is the onset of the 1993 hurricane season on June 1st. Many of the lessons learned must be put into practice, but its difficult to react with any sense of urgency. It seems too soon to worry about that possibility. Yet, worry we must - and prepare. As we revise our hurricane plans to meet the present conditions, we begin with developing objectives - the basic principle of all-risk management and the incident command system. We have seen how it works and we have experienced its effectiveness. The legacy of Andrew is the institutionalization of ICS as THE management system of choice for emergency events. It worked because of the organization and the people it brought us. Thank you from the south Florida parks. So say we all!" [Pat Tolle, PIO, EVER, 4/22]
On the evening of May 2nd, rangers Dave Parker and Ben Morgan observed several men shooting an AR-15 assault rifle inside the legislative boundary of the park's East Everglades addition. When they contacted the men, they saw what appeared to be a grenade launcher in the open trunk of the vehicle. The 37 mm device, which was designed to be mounted on an assault rifle, had no serial number, manufacturer's name, or any other identifiers. The weapon was seized until its legality could be determined. Parker contacted ATF the following day; he learned that possession of such a weapon is legal, but that the explosive ammunition is controlled. The only ammunition found in the vehicle were legal riot smoke flare grenades. The subjects reported that they had purchased the weapon at a Miami gun show. [Bob Panko, DR, EVER, 5/6]
During the first two weeks of June, rangers in the park's East Everglades Subdistrict participated in an interagency task force to counter illegal dumping activities occurring in designated wetlands in and around the park. The task force, coordinated by the FBI, included rangers and agents and officers from the FBI, EPA, Metro-Dade police department, and Metro-Dade environmental resources. Four arrests were made, including one individual who was illegally operating his own Hurricane Andrew debris removal service. The operation was closely coordinated with the U.S. attorney's office, which plans to file felony charges against those arrested for filling wetlands without a permit. Operations involved 20 officers and a spotter aircraft. [Bob Panko, ACR, EVER, 6/22]
On September 10th, Pine Island rangers investigated two separate instances of persons collecting native plant fruits for commercial purposes. In the first instance, four migrant workers from Guatemala were found with 250 pounds of fruit that they'd collected from palmetto bushes. One of the four was an illegal alien. Later that afternoon, a park maintenance worker spotted another 11 Guatemalans collecting palmetto fruit in the pinelands about five miles from park headquarters. They had 350 pounds of fruit in their possession. A total of 31 mandatory appearance citations were issued in the two incidents; the Guatemalans were charged with illegal business operation (36 CFR 5.3), preservation of natural features (36 CFR 2.1), and traveling off the established roadway (36 CFR 4.10). Information on the illegal alien was forwarded to INS. Park researchers responded to the scene and positively identified the fruits; the researchers will be used as witnesses in magistrate's court to establish the adverse impacts such commercial sales operations could have on park resources. The suspects in both incidents identified the same wholesale produce dealer in Immokalee, Florida, as the intended buyer of the fruit. The suspects stated that the fruit was to be mashed and shipped to a buyer in New York for use in a cancer drug. Any information other parks might have regarding commercial use of palmetto fruit would be appreciated. [CRO, EVER, 9/16]
During late August and September, rangers investigated numerous incidents in which migrant workers were entering the park, harvesting the berries of the palmetto plant in large quantities, then selling them to produce wholesalers in Immokalee, Florida. Subsequent investigation has revealed that the harvesting of palmetto berries, locally known as "bolitas", has been going on in August and September in the Immokalee area for about 18 years. The fruits are dried and exported to European drug companies, where they are prescribed by physicians as a cure for many ailments, including liver, intestinal and pancreatic problems. Although Immokalee is the primary area where the berries are harvested, the business has been expanding in recent years to meet supply demands. Wholesalers told rangers that the size of the contracts have been increasing yearly and that another produce wholesaler in Melbourne, Florida, has also joined in the business. At the beginning of the harvest season, wholesalers contract with the drug companies to provide specific amounts of fruit. Migrant farm workers, in this case primarily of Guatemalan or Haitian descent, are paid by the pound for the fruit they pick. The harvest occurs anywhere the pickers can find the bolitas. At the beginning of the season, the workers are paid from eight to ten cents a pound. As the fruits are depleted locally and the wholesalers approach the contract date for their consignments, the price increases and pickers expand their territories. On September 24th, the berries were going for 32 cents a pound in Immokalee. While this problem appears to be local to south Florida parks, other sunbelt parks with large numbers of palmettos should be aware of the possibility that berry harvesting may expand into their areas. [Bob Panko, Pine Island DR, EVER, 10/6]
During the week of November 14th, rangers in the East Everglades were involved in a number of significant law enforcement activities typical of those experienced in the area since its recent addition to the park: * Rangers issued 32 warnings and several citations to people for illegal use of firearms in the area. One of them, a man from Homestead, was arrested on an outstanding Dade County warrant. * Four stolen vehicles were discovered in the area, bringing to 60 the number of stolen vehicles recovered in East Everglades - some on lands not yet in the park but about to be acquired - during the past six months. * A vagrant suspected in a recent area burglary was evicted from the Kendall glider port property with the assistance of Metro Dade officers. He had shot at the glider port's caretaker the previous evening, and had recently been arrested by Metro Dade for DUI in the park. [Bob Panko, Pine Island DR, EVER, 12/3]
On January 18th, D.P.W., 60, was sentenced in Florida state court for RICO violations stemming from over ten years of looting archeological sites on state and federal lands. D.P.W. and three accomplices were arrested by Florida state park rangers in July of 1992 after they were discovered illegally digging in Cayo Costa State Park near Fort Meyers. State park officials contacted Big Cypress rangers, and a joint investigation was begun which led to the discovery of a multi-state ring involved in looting public lands. One of the members of the ring, L. Frank Hudson, had been involved in hunting for "treasure" and publishing a diggers' newsletter for over twenty years. NPS rangers and investigators detailed to the case reviewed documents, maps and photographs seized during the investigation and found documentation of illegal forays into Everglades, Big Cypress, Ding Darling NWR, and other protected public areas. Statute of limitation and dual prosecution considerations led the U.S. attorney's office to recommend against federal prosecution and agree to a cooperative effort with the state. D.P.W. was sentenced to two years' community control (house arrest), three years' probation, and 300 hours of community service; he was also required to pay $3,500 in restitution. H., 75, P.S., 41, and R.W., 44, received similar but lesser sentences in earlier pleas. Agreements with the state attorney's office will allow NPS acquisition of forfeited evidence documents for use in an intelligence database and training programs. [Chip Davis, SA, RAD/WASO, 1/21]
On the morning of February 13th, rangers in the park's Northwest District (Everglades City) received a report of an abandoned commercial fishing net inside park waters near Plover Key and found approximately 300 yards of trammel net loaded with fish at that location. Species in the net included nurse sharks, black tip sharks, bonnet head sharks, lemon sharks, stingrays, skates, spotted eagle rays, cobia, black drum, pompano, catfish, horse conch, blue crabs, stone crabs, and spider crabs. Fish originally caught in the net were attracting other fish, which subsequently became entangled. Commercial fisherman unlawfully fishing in the park are known to cut their nets and flee when they believe a ranger boat may be approaching. The net apparently was cut and abandoned several days before it was discovered. [Phil Selleck, LES, EVER, 2/21]
At 1 p.m. on February 18th, T.L., 60, of Homestead, Florida, drove to the park's main entrance, intentionally struck the car in front of him, then drove off the road, around a line of waiting cars and into the park. Rangers pursued T.L. at speeds between 10 and 90 mph. T.L. threw several empty beer cans out of the window of his vehicle during the chase. Several minutes into the pursuit, he stopped; as the rangers got out of their vehicles to contact him, T.L. shifted into reverse, backed into a patrol car, then sped south, swerving at oncoming traffic and forcing vehicles to pull off onto the road shoulder. Because of these life-threatening actions, the decision was made to force him off the road. After several attempts, a ranger was able to succeed in this effort. T.L. was forcibly removed from his car. He struggled with rangers, refusing to comply with their commands, and was only brought under control through several sprays of OC-10. The state's Baker Act was used to place T.L. under 72-hour psychiatric detention in Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. Rangers learned that T.L. was a psychiatric outpatient at a local clinic, with a history of disorders dating back to the 1960s. He had been arrested on a similar offense in Pompano Beach on February 14th, and spent 13 months in the Broward county jail for felony assault and battery before being released. On February 17th, he was arrested by Homestead police for throwing rocks at traffic on U.S. Highway 1. T.L. family members said that he was a diabetic and was taking lithium, a psychiatric drug, three times a day. At the time of the incident, T.L. had been drinking heavily and had not received his lithium for about 16 hours. On the evening of February 22nd, T.L. was released from Jackson Memorial and his family was notified. Before they could arrive, however, he left the hospital, walked onto the Palmetto Expressway, and was struck and killed by a passing car. [Phil Selleck, LES, EVER, 2/24]
Around 7:20 a.m. on the morning of April 15th, park maintenance workers reported that the Pah-Hay-Okee overlook platform was on fire. The Pine Island structural fire brigade drove their Type 2 engine to the site, located about ten miles west of park headquarters, and suppressed the blaze. The fire burned out parts of the viewing platform and most of its western staircase, but the majority of the platform was saved. Total damage is estimated at $3,000. The fire was probably caused by illegal campers who had started a warming/smudge fire during the night. There are no suspects. [Bob Panko, DR, Pine Island District, EVER, 4/19]
On June 20th, ranger Jeff West of the park's East Everglades Subdistrict investigated an illegal dump site just inside the park's legislative boundary. West inspected nearly a ton of material, consisting of copier parts, shipping boxes and wooden pallets. Although most serial numbers had been removed, he was able to obtain them from some machines, and also was able to recover identifying numbers from shipping crates. West then employed these to reconstruct equipment shipments and ownership. A serial number found on a Pitney Bowes copier was traced from the manufacturer to subsequent owners to the hauling company finally hired to dispose of the machine. Through numerous telephone interviews, he established probable cause that the trash had been dumped by M.M., 23, a driver for PAPI Express of Miami, a company that commercially hauls and disposes of trash. It appears that M.M. had been selling his unused dump tickets for profit, then disposed of the trash illegally. Since the lands where the dumping occurred are not presently in NPS ownership or jurisdiction, West turned the information over to the Metro Dade dumping task force, which arrested M.M. on June 21st. M.M. was charged with felony dumping under Florida state law. [Bob Panko, DR, EVER, 7/8]
Reports have been received from two parks regarding the impacts of Tropical Storm/Hurricane Gordon: * Everglades - Gordon dropped up to 23 inches of rain on the park over a two- day period. This extraordinary rainfall, which came at the end of the wettest summer in 36 years, caused flooding in several developed areas. Shark Valley was closed to the public on Tuesday, with over a foot of water in the employee parking lot; the entrance and tram roads were also underwater in places. The employee housing area in Shark Valley was evacuated on Wednesday, and electrical and sewer systems in the area were shut down. The Chekika area was closed, and coastal flooding posed problems in the Gulf Coast District. All concession boat and tram tour operations were suspended. [CRO, EVER, 11/16; Brion Fitzgerald, CR, ASIS, 11/18]
An East Everglades subdistrict patrol ranger was about to close the Chekika day use area on the evening of May 31st when he spotted a stray, 70-pound pit bull. The ranger approached and attempted to catch it, but the dog growled at him and ran away. He followed it to the Chekika entrance gate and called to the dog in a calm voice; the dog, which was about 30 feet away, growled, then attacked. The ranger drew his weapon and shot the dog, which ran in a circle, then attacked again. The ranger again shot the animal, this time killing it. Such incidents are not unusual in the subdistrict. Other activities reported there during the first five months of the year include the confiscation of 37 firearms, the recovery of 31 stolen cars and 26 stolen license plates, and at least one encounter with a paramilitary/militia group. [Phil Selleck, LES, EVER, 6/8]
As of 5 a.m., Hurricane Erin was 290 miles east-southeast of Miami and moving toward the west-northwest at 10 mph. This track will bring the center of the storm near the southeast Florida coast by late tonight. Some slow strengthening is possible today and tonight. Storm tides of five to eight feet above normal can be expected near and to the north of the point where the center crosses the coast. Parks in south Florida have accordingly begun making necessary preparations: * Everglades - The park closed at 3 p.m. yesterday and will remain closed until the storm passes. Employees and families in park housing on Flamingo and Key Largo have been evacuated and are staying in facilities at Pine Island. Some employees and families from Biscayne will join them today. No decision has yet been made on evacuation of residents of Everglades City. The incident command system is in effect and operating out of a command post at Pine Island. The incident commander at present is Chuck Passek; deputy incident commander is Bill Kaage. [FEMA National Emergency Coordination Center advisory; reports from Bill Kaage, EVER, Larry Belles, BICY, Steve Smith, SEFO]
Hurricane Erin, now downgraded to a tropical storm, came ashore just after 1 a.m. this morning just south of Vero Beach, a point more or less midway (from a park perspective) between Everglades on the south and Cape Canaveral on the north. Present movement is to the west-northwest at about 17 m.p.h. Tides as high as three feet above normal are possible along Florida's west coast later today. Projections indicate that the storm will strike the Gulf Coast between Mobile and New Orleans if it stays on its current track. The following reports have been received from affected parks since mid-afternoon yesterday: * Everglades - The park received little if any damage. Very little rain fell, and winds did not exceed 35 m.p.h. The park will open tomorrow at 8 a.m. The staff will spend most of today undoing yesterday's preparations for the hurricane, and will transition out of incident command later in the day. [Steve Smith, SEFO; Steve Hickman, JELA; Mike Riley, Acting CR, DESO; Bill DeHart, CANA; Ben Morgan, EVER; FEMA National Emergency Coordination Center advisory]
On August 7th, four Navy SEALs embarked on a cross-country trip through the park, launching two kayaks from Pa-Hay-Okee overlook along the main park road. The SEALs, who were engaged in a non-military orientation exercise, intended to travel across the flooded sawgrass prairies of Shark Slough for two days, then connect with a coastal river at its headwaters and follow deeper salt water rivers back to Flamingo. By 1 p.m. the following afternoon, the team was suffering from heat exposure, caused by high temperatures and humidity and a high solar radiation factor, and was also finding travel via kayak difficult in this terrain. Rangers Ben Morgan and John Anthony responded to their radio call for aid by traveling to the area in separate airboats, rendering assistance, and guiding the SEALs to the main park road. GPS instruments used by the SEALs and the responding rangers helped the rangers find them. Airboat rescues are not common in the Everglades due to the fact that private use of airboats is prohibited in most areas of park. Few visitors attempt to cross this remote wilderness by other means. [Bob Panko, DR, Pine Island District, EVER]
On August 12th, W.B., 60, ran aground on Cross Bank in Florida Bay while on his maiden voyage along the Intracoastal Waterway from Fort Lauderdale to Naples in his new 40-foot Sea Ray Cruiser. Ranger Chuck Noll investigated and found that W.B. was unfamiliar with the area, had not referred to his nautical chart, and had unknowingly reversed his course and was heading back toward the east coast. Two commercial tow boats worked together for three hours to refloat the boat. W.B. ran aground again the next day, this time about five miles southwest of the site of the first grounding. Ranger Jennifer Noll investigated this time, and discovered that W.B. had passed to the wrong side of a Coast Guard day beacon which marked a passage through Shell Key Bank. W.B. was charged in each case with negligent vessel operation and disturbing natural features. A preliminary environmental damage assessment of the Cross Bank site revealed that more than 4,000 square feet of a lush turtle grass bed had been destroyed during that incident alone. Civil charges under 16 USC 19jj are pending. In a civil grounding case successfully concluded in 1994, the NPS received $22,800 in payment for damage to about 2,400 square feet of sea grass habitat in Florida Bay. [Dave King, DR, EVER]
Former President George Bush fished the waters of Florida Bay during the Second Annual George Bush Bonefish Tournament on August 22nd and 23rd. The tournament raised an estimated $40,000 for the Everglades Trust, a private fund used for restoration of the greater Everglades ecosystem. Rangers assisted the Secret Service with security throughout the event. [Dave King, DR, EVER]
Some time during the night of October 19th, thieves entered and burglarized the Key Largo ranger station. They broke open locked cabinets and stole two sets of night vision equipment, a .357 pistol, and a camcorder. They also took three sets of body armor, two maglites, a VCR, a uniform badge, and a badge with credentials from the office. Cameras, radios, computers and a fax machine were left untouched. Two nights later, thieves burglarized the Reefcomber motel, a property next to the ranger station which the park has acquired; they broke into a room used to store maintenance supplies and took NPS issue green coveralls, a Goretex parka, and a yellow nylon initial attack pack. All serial numbers have been entered into NCIC and information on the break-in has been provided to local, state and federal agencies in the Keys and the Miami area. The investigation is continuing. [LES, EVER]
Additional reports regarding the impacts of the three-week shutdown have been received. If the shutdown had significant consequences at your area, please send along a brief report: * Everglades/Dry Tortugas - Both government shutdowns were managed by an in-park incident management team. The second shutdown occurred during one of the peak weeks of south Florida's prime visitation season and significantly affected the economies of surround communities. It's estimated that a minimum of about 80,000 visitors were denied access to the park during the shutdown. Other impacts: o Since the closure order did not discriminate between land and water access, all land and water areas of both parks were closed. Enforcing the closure for an area of over 500,000 acres with numerous access points proved to be a law enforcement and public relations challenge. Visitors were initially advised verbally and voluntary compliance was requested. This became more difficult as the closure continued and it became necessary to issue warnings. A total of 175 warnings and two citations were issued. o In addition to 30,000 visitor center contacts lost, at least 600 public educational programs (with attendance estimated at 24,000) were canceled. o Flamingo Lodge and Marina, managed by TW Services, estimates a loss of close to $60,000. Sammy Hamilton Boat Tours, a concession operated out of Everglades City, lost an estimated $300,000. Shark Valley Tram Tours calculated that they lost $80,000. o Florida National Parks and Monuments Association lost about $60,000 during the two shutdowns. o Several media events were staged by commercial use licensees to express concern over the financial impacts of the closures, two of them worth particular mention. The Conch Republic, a private group which claims to have seceded from the United States, planned to present a check to Dry Tortugas to open the park for a day and hold a protest demonstration on December 30th. Other tour operators decided not to join, expressing concern that they might lose their commercial use licenses. A representative of the Conch Republic flew to the park on the 30th and attempted to present the check. He was informed of the closure and asked to leave; when he refused to comply, he was cited. The event, however, was conducted in a spirit of humor and understanding. The protestor opted not to bombard historic Fort Jefferson with stale bread, a Conch Republic form of protest. On January 1st, commercial fishing guides led a flotilla of about 65 boats into Florida Bay to protest the shutdown and the resulting financial impact. The guides were met by park representatives. Much frustration was vented at Washington, but the event went well and received favorable coverage from local media. o Overall economic impacts are still being determined. According to a draft economic study being completed for the park, Everglades was responsible for $120 million in combined sales benefits, $8 million in combined tax revenues, and 5,000 jobs in 1994. Impact calculations will be assessed against these figures. [Roberta D'Amico, PIO, EVER; Brian Carey, ACR, LYJO]
Additional reports regarding the impacts of the three-week shutdown have been received. If the shutdown had significant consequences at your area, please send along a brief report: * Everglades - Yesterday's Morning Report stated that Flamingo Lodge and Marina, managed by TW Services, had estimated a loss of close to $60,000. That figure should have been $600,000. [Jon Shrum, AOD/WASO; Paula Rooney, CR, SAGU; Roberta D'Amico, PIO, EVER]
Vice President Gore visited the park on February 19th to announce the Administration's FY 97 budget request of $100 million to restore the natural flow of fresh water across the Everglades. Gore was joined by Secretary Babbitt, Assistant Secretary Frampton, Florida Lieutenant Governor Buddy McKay, EPA Administrator Carol Browner and others. Upon leaving, the vice president shook hands with about 100 park employees and their families. The park employed incident management to facilitate the visit, which was organized by White House staff. [Roberta D'Amico, IO, EVER]
On the afternoon of March 13th, the park's communication center was contacted by the Marathon Key airport and advised that a private plane with engine trouble was going to be making a forced landing about five miles west of the Flamingo radio antenna. Rangers and Coast Guard personnel were notified and headed for the area. Meanwhile, controllers at the airport in Homestead reported that another pilot had spotted the aircraft lying upside down about a half mile west of Flamingo, but that the pilot was walking around and had waved to him. Responding parties confirmed that the pilot, B.K., 30, of New York, was okay. Although the two-seat Cessna 152 had about 30 gallons of aviation fuel on board, there was no leakage into the surrounding area. Arrangements are being made to remove the plane by helicopter, as it is in a wilderness area. Investigation revealed that B.K. was a student pilot with about 40 hours flying time. He was returning to Fort Myers from Marathon when he lost power and set the plane down. B.K. crossed about 30 miles of open water before he made landfall at Flamingo. [Flamingo District, EVER]
On the afternoon of Saturday, May 11th, a DC-9 airliner with 109 people on board crashed about eight miles north of Everglades NP and about 20 miles west of Miami International Airport. Everglades received an initial request for a helicopter from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), but a local aircraft operator was able to fill the request. On the morning of May 12th, an interagency meeting was held to coordinate response to the accident. The Florida Freshwater Fish and Game Commission asked the NPS for airboats and operators to help with the transportation of personnel to and from the crash site. Everglades provided two airboats with three operators; Big Cypress provided another two airboats with two operators. The commission expressed its thanks, as its personnel had been on duty at the site for over 24 hours. Park employees were to remain on duty at the site until 6 a.m. this morning, then be replaced by commission employees. No further requests for NPS assistance have been received, but the parks are standing by to help as needed. The communications center at Everglades, which serves the south Florida parks, has been coordinating communications and resource orders for both parks. Calls requesting information about the crash and its impacts on the Everglades environment have been coming in from as far away as Australia. Requests for information about the crash are being referred to NTSB, the designated contact point. [Phil Selleck, EVER]
On the afternoon of May 18th, park fire units discovered a fire just outside the park's east boundary in an area designated as a "mutual threat zone" for the park, Metro-Dade fire department, and state department of forestry. Windy weather and dry, heavy fuels caused a fast rate of spread and extensive spotting. The fire escaped initial attack and spread into the park, eventually burning about 1,000 acres (600 - 700 inside the park). It also threatened private and park residences and destroyed a research plot, derailing an extensive research project by Rutgers University. Suppression costs for the park alone exceeded $17,000. Investigation by ranger Ben Morgan and a city fire investigator revealed that the fire spread from a pile of debris and vegetation which was being illegally burned by a property owner. The owner was cited by the city for burning without a permit. The investigation continues, with civil and criminal action by the park pending. [Phil Selleck, EVER]
Denver Service Center architect William J. Cahmann, 26, was killed in a head- on collision involving three motor vehicles just a few minutes before midnight on May 29th. The accident occurred at a spot on U.S. 1 about four miles south of Florida City where the road is only two lanes wide. He was the project supervisor for the construction of the main visitor center at park headquarters, and was living in Key Largo while on assignment. He was headed in that direction at the time of the accident. The Florida highway patrol is investigating. [Phil Selleck, LES, EVER]
Funeral services for Denver Service Center architect and project supervisor Billy Kahmann were held yesterday morning in Independence, Missouri. Contributions in his memory may be made to the Billy Kahmann Memorial at Nativity of Mary Catholic Church, 10017 East 36th Terrace, Independence, MO. Condolences should be sent to his parents: Mr. and Mrs. William Kahmann. [Phil Selleck, LES, EVER]
Some early reports have been received of the hurricane's impacts on Virgin Island and Puerto Rico parks, along with notifications regarding preparations underway on the mainland: o Everglades - Park employees began preparing offices, buildings and other park resources yesterday for the possible arrival of Bertha later this week. Visitors are being told that the park and all facilities - including visitor centers, trails, boat ramps and other access areas - are open until further notice, but that the status of backcountry areas may change today. Park campgrounds at Pine Key and Flamingo and privately operated concessions in Shark Valley, Flamingo and Everglades City remain open. [Mark Woods, VIIS; Mark Hardrove, SAJU; Steve Smith, SEFDO; Gary Bremen, PIO, BISC; Roberta D'Amico, IO, EVER; Bill DeHart, CR, CANA]
Preparations for Hurricane Bertha continue along the Eastern seaboard: o Everglades - Although the hurricane is not expected to make landfall in south Florida, the park is continuing to take precautionary measures. Employees were directed to shut down operations yesterday, but will be returning to work as normal today. No evacuations have been scheduled, and all park facilities remain open. [Chuck Dale, CASA/FOMA; Bill DeHart, CR/IC, CANA; Roberta D'Amico, PIO, EVER; Gary Bremen, PIO, BISC; Wayne Landrum, Chief of Ops, DRTO; Mike Tennent, Superintendent, FOFR; Kent Cave, CR/IC, FOPU; Bob Woody, CI/VS, CAHA; Steve Smith, SEFDO]
Parks from Florida to North Carolina accelerated preparations for Hurricane Bertha yesterday, with the anticipation of at least tropical storm level winds along the Florida coast and hurricane winds at more northerly locations. A follow-up report has also been received from the Virgin Islands. Please note that reports were received at different times. The balance were submitted late yesterday before the hurricane's shift to a more northerly course: o Everglades - The park began standing down from storm preparations yesterday, effective at 6:30 a.m. All employees returned to work. [Kent Cave, CR, FOPU; Bob Panko, IC, EVER; Bill DeHart, IC/CR, CANA; Wendell Simpson, Superintendent, CANA; Ray Morris, CI&RM, FOFR; Gary Bremen, PIO, BISC; John Tucker, FOSU; Mark Woods, VIIS; Bob Woody, CI&VS, CAHA; Chuck Harris, CR, CALO; C. Dale, CR/IC, CASA/FOMA; Suzanne Lewis, FOCA/TIMU; CRO, CUIS; Steve Smith, SEFDO]
A.T., 7, of Sao Paulo, Brazil, was injured by an alligator on the afternoon of Saturday, July 13th. The boy was bicycling with his parents and two siblings on Shark Valley Road west of the visitor center when he fell off his bicycle into a canal along the roadside. His parents, H.T. and M.T., jumped in the canal to rescue Alexandre, who had been grabbed around the chest by the alligator. As H.T. approached his son, he saw the alligator lift its head in an attempt to move the boy to the back of its mouth. H.T. reached around the head of the gator and attempted to pry open its jaws; M.T. placed her arm between the mouth and her son. After a brief struggle, the alligator released its grip and moved back. The parents then pulled the boy to the bank of the canal, where a tram tour employee came to their assistance. A.T. was brought to the visitor center immediately, where Christine Larue, an entrance station employee who'd been trained as a First Responder, provided initial aid. She was soon joined by rangers Larry Anderson and Jeff Serbernak, both EMTs, then by a Metro Dade rescue squad. The boy was medevaced to Miami Children's Hospital with two broken ribs, a pneumothorax, and puncture wounds in his shoulder and chest. Rangers took the mother to Kendall Hospital, where she was treated for puncture wounds in the hand and released. This is believed to be the first visitor-alligator incident since the park was established in 1947. Visitors are routinely advised about safety precautions regarding wildlife within the park, and admonished to stay at least 15 feet away from alligators. On Sunday, A.T. was listed in stable condition, and was reported to be up out of bed, playing Nintendo. District ranger Mike Mayer is heading up the investigation. [Roberta D'Amico, IO, EVER]
On the morning of July 18th, E.S., 16, and J.S., 15, were returning to Miami from a fishing trip to Flamingo via the main park road. E.S. lost control of the vehicle at the Taylor Slough bridge about two miles from park headquarters; it skidded, rolled over on the bridge, and slid over the guard rail into about four feet of water. J.S. was ejected from the vehicle onto the bridge, while E.S. remained within. E.S. sustained only minor injuries, but J.S. suffered a potentially serious skull fracture. Off-duty park medic and Flamingo subdistrict ranger Lane Baker arrived on scene shortly thereafter, quickly assessed J.S.'s injuries and provided a high level of patient care until he could be stabilized and flown to a hospital. He is expected to fully recover. [Phil Selleck, LES, EVER]
The National Weather Service this morning projected that Hurricane Fran will most likely make landfall along the Carolina coastline within 72 hours. Areas further to the south are nonetheless making necessary preparations in case the storm should change direction: o Everglades - The superintendent ordered that the park begin preparations for Fran yesterday afternoon. The hurricane IMT was established and began work; IC is district ranger Bob Panko. Most preparations will be completed by 7 p.m. today, at least partly because of some work done last week in anticipation of the possible arrival of Edouard. Most park staff will then be released to attend to personal matters. [Bob Panko, DR, EVER; Gary Bremen, IO, BISC; C.L. Dale, CR, CASA]
Hurricane Fran, now a powerful category III storm, continues its steady progress toward the East Coast. Current projections call for land fall between northern Florida and North Carolina, most likely just south of Fort Sumter. Parks north of central Florida are continuing to complete necessary preparations; parks to the south have reopened: o Everglades - The park closed yesterday afternoon, but reopened this morning due to the northward passage of the hurricane. [Bill DeHart, CR, CANA; C.L. Dale, CR, CASA; Newt Sikes, CR, CUIS; John Tucker, Superintendent, FOSU; Roberta D'Amico, IO, EVER; Gary Bremen, IO, BISC]
On September 21st, rangers Jim Nuesmeyer and John Anthony investigated a dumptruck-size pile of debris which had been freshly deposited on park lands in the East Everglades subdistrict. They determined that the trash consisted primarily of materials used in hydroponic marijuana cultivation, and found about ten pounds of marijuana stems and detritus within the debris. A cooperative investigation was begun with Metro Dade narcotics detectives to follow-up on numerous leads developed from the contents of the pile. Similar dumps have been found in this area of the park in the past, but this is the largest to date. [Bob Panko, DR, EVER]
A Department of Interior owned helicopter operated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service crashed in the park about ten miles southeast of headquarters just after noon on September 30th. The pilot and sole passenger were unhurt and were picked up by a Coast Guard helicopter that afternoon. The Bell 206 went down in an area of mangroves in a shallow, seasonally flooded area several miles north of Florida Bay. Water depths at that location ranged from several inches to a foot. The cause of the accident is unknown, and an investigation is underway. The helicopter was being operated by FWS under an agreement with the U.S. Geologic Survey. [Phil Selleck, Acting CR, EVER]
Ranger Jim Nuesmeyer was on patrol in the East Everglades on October 4th when he saw a juvenile bicycling along a paved roadway. The juvenile, an illegal alien, mistook the marked Bronco as a Border Patrol vehicle and attempted to flee by riding his bicycle off-road. The bike hit a tree, but the juvenile continued on foot. He attempted to cross what he thought was a shallow canal, but quickly discovered the water was 15 feet deep. The boy, a non- swimmer, began to struggle. Nuesmeyer through a torpedo buoy to him, but he refused to take it until almost drowning. Nuesmeyer got him to shore and rendered first aid. The boy, who was intoxicated, told rangers that he would have drowned without Nuesmeyer's actions. He was interviewed, arrested and turned over to the Border Patrol. Rangers Jim Sanborn and Jon Holter and fee collector Luis Colon assisted in the incident. [Bob Panko, DR, Pine Island District, EVER]
A number of reports were received from south Florida late last week regarding the approach of Hurricane Lili. The following summaries were prepared from reports sent in between Wednesday and the weekend: o Everglades NP - The park implemented its hurricane plan last Wednesday morning. The backcountry was closed immediately, and the remainder of the park was closed by dusk. The park's primary concern was the possibility of flooding, as large amounts of rain had fallen on southern Florida over the previous two weeks. A tropical storm warning was issued for the area on Thursday evening, so employees were advised to stay home on Friday and prepare for bad weather. Some areas of the park reopened on Friday, and the rest of Everglades opened on Saturday. [Deborah Nordeen/Roberta D'Amico, EVER; Stephanie Bagozzi, BICY; Gary Bremen, BISC]
Park dispatch received an alarm from the automated fire alarm system at the South Florida Natural Resources Center around 7 p.m. on October 19th. Rangers Albert Faria and Ben Morgan, the fire brigade chief, responded and found smoke coming from the building. One park and three Metro-Dade fire units were dispatched to the site. Firefighters found that a floor fan had shorted out in the unoccupied building and that carpeting and nearby equipment had been burned. The park presently estimates the damage from smoke and fire at $5,500. The tightly-sealed computer room prevented the fire from getting additional oxygen and spreading through the building. The Metro-Dade fire captain on scene credited the recently installed fire alarm with saving the contents of the room from destruction and the building from serious damage. The contents of the room were valued at $200,000. [Phil Selleck, EVER]
On November 13th and 14th, rangers assisted Secret Service agents in the protection of former President George Bush as he hosted and participated in the third annual George Bush Bonefish Tournament in Islamorada, Florida. Guests included broadcaster Curt Gowdy and General H. Norman Schwarzkopf. Most of the areas fished by tournament anglers were within park waters in Florida Bay. Proceeds from registration fees benefit the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy and the Florida Conservation Fund. The latter is earmarked for conservation efforts within the Everglades and Florida Bay. Florida Bay District DR Dave Fowler coordinated operations with the Secret Service. [Dave King, DR, Key Largo District, EVER]
On December 6th, the park dedicated and opened its new visitor center - the last major step in rebuilding and recovering from the devastation of 1992's Hurricane Andrew. The new visitor center, which replaces one seriously damaged by the storm, has been named for Ernest F. Coe, widely regarded as the "father" of Everglades NP. The dedication also marked the beginning of a year-long series of events which will take place in 1997 to commemorate the park's 50th anniversary. The ceremony concluded with the presentation of the annual Ernest Coe award to Dante Fascell, who represented south Florida in the House of Representatives for 38 years and was instrumental in enlarging and enhancing the protection of Everglades NP and creating Biscayne NP, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and Key Deer National Wildlife Refuge. Fascell also led efforts to restore the greater Everglades and south Florida ecosystems, and to obtain emergency funding for the post-hurricane recovery effort in south Dade County, including the funds to build the new visitor center. Over 300 people attended the dedication, which was followed by a reception and open house tour of the new facility. The event was run under ICS; Bob Panko was IC. [Deb Nordeen, IO, ICS Team]
The park received a request from the Coast Guard for assistance in a search on the evening of March 20th. C.K., 70, of Sawyer, Michigan, had gone out on Florida Bay in his 22-foot boat that afternoon and had not returned as scheduled. Ranger Dave Fowler worked with the Coast Guard and Florida Marine Patrol on a search of the eastern third of the bay throughout that evening and the next day. C.K.'s boat was found just after 8 a.m. The ignition was in the off position, the throttle in neutral, a boat ladder went down into the water, and a pair of shorts lay on the closed engine compartment. Shortly thereafter, Fowler found C.K.'s nude body face down in the water against the shore about 600 yards from the boat. An autopsy revealed that C.K. had drowned. The incident has been ruled a boating accident. [Dave King, DR, EVER, 3/24]
Vice president Al Gore visited the park on June 17th to announce a $25 million federal grant for land acquisition as part of the continuing federal- state partnership for the restoration of the Everglades. The park's incident management team managed the event. The vice president took an interpretive walk, guided by ranger Toni Dufficy. The announcement itself was made on the back deck of the Coe visitor center. About 150 invited guests attended the ceremony. [Roberta D'Amico, IO, EVER, 6/17]
On December 31, 1996, rangers Gene Wesloh and Craig Thatcher came upon an unoccupied commercial fishing boat in a hidden cove in the Ten Thousand Islands area of the park. Thatcher boarded the vessel and waited for the owners to return while Wesloh positioned the park vessel out of sight. Commercial fisherman M.B. soon returned to the vessel and dropped off boat operator C.D. Jr. Both men were stopped and charged with possession of illegal commercial fishing gear, a 600-yard-long gill net. M.B., who has a history of 13 previous resource violations in Everglades and Big Cypress, was found guilty of commercial fishing in the park on June 25th. M.B. was sentenced to one month in jail, a one year ban from the park, a $5,000 fine, forfeiture of his commercial net, and a year of supervised probation. Thatcher and Wesloh worked closely with the environmental crimes section of the U.S. attorney's office for six months in preparation for the court appearance. [Reed Detring, CR, EVER, 7/11]
W.W., 47, and S.B., 40, left Adel, Georgia, in a rented 1967 Piper Cherokee 180 on the afternoon of December 22nd with the intention of flying non-stop to Marathon, Florida - a distance of about 465 miles. W.W. regulated the fuel flow from the tanks in each wing, switching back and forth to keep the weight balanced. While flying at an altitude of 10,000 feet south of Everglades City later that afternoon, the engine stopped. W.W. switched to the opposite fuel tank and restarted the engine, but it quit again about 15 seconds later. He declared an emergency to the FAA and made a turn north to glide back toward Everglades City. The plane crash- landed, right-side up, in high vegetation on a mangrove key in the park's wilderness area about six miles south of the city. W.W. sustained a cut over his eye, and S.B. received a bruise on her arm. W.W. used his cell phone to call the county sheriff's office, which in turn notified the Coast Guard. District ranger Mike Mayer and rangers Greg Podany and Gene Wesloh responded along with a county deputy and a Florida Marine Patrol officer. Although the Coast Guard helicopter located the plane, it could neither land nor extract W.W. and S.B.. Using the hovering helicopter as a reference point, rescuers boated to the key, walked to the plane, and brought the pair out to safety. The rescue by chance coincided with high tide in the area, which was the only time the key was accessible. The FAA and NTSB are investigating. The aircraft is salvageable, and plans are being made to remove it by helicopter under NPS supervision. [Phil Selleck, ACR, EVER, 12/23]
The park concluded a year-long celebration of its 50th anniversary with a series of special events during the weekend of December 5th to the 7th. An employee reunion brought together about 300 present and former Everglades NP employees, including former superintendents Joe Brown, Jack Stark, John Good, Jack Morehead, Mike Finley and Bob Chandler. The latter also took part in a panel discussion on the issues and decisions they faced during their tenures. The official celebration included events in local communities. Exhibits, demonstrations, food and entertainment highlighted the natural, cultural and recreational features of the area. It's estimated that 8,200 people attended the Homestead/Florida City event, with about 200 on hand for a program of remarks by local, state and national dignitaries, including director Bob Stanton. A crowd of 2,600 attended the rededication ceremony which was the culminating event of the weekend. Among the speakers were the director, EPA administrator Carol Browner, senator Bob Graham, governor Lawton Chiles, and vice president Al Gore. Superintendent Dick Ring presented Gore with the 1997 Ernest Coe award, the vice president announced the government's agreement to purchase more than 50,000 acres of sugar farmland considered critical to restoring clean freshwater to the "river of grass," and senator Graham formally dedicated the park's 1.3 million acre wilderness area, named for conservationist Marjory Stoneman Douglas. The anniversary celebration was handled under ICS. Due to the geographic distribution of events, the organization reflected a "mini" area command to assure coordination of resources among the various incident management teams. Phil Selleck was overall IC and area commander, Bob Panko was IC for the rededication event, Roberta D'Amico was division supervisor for the Homestead/Florida City events, and Sandy Dayhoff was division supervisor for the reunion. [Candace Tinkler and Deb Nordeen, IOs, EVER, 12/23]
Around 10 p.m. on January 2nd, S.M., 20, of Miami made a forced landing in the park's wilderness area. He and passenger Tony Navarro were returning to Miami from a flight to Key West in a rented Cessna 150 when the engine stopped. S.M. said that Navarro pointed out that both fuel gauges were reading empty, but added that he had flown fewer than three hours when that happened. The airplane landed right side up in an area of rocky, wet sawgrass prairie about four miles southwest of the South Florida Natural Resource Center. The aircraft's nose gear broke off in the process, but the plane remained relatively intact. The only injury was to S.M.'s wrist. S.M. was able to radio his emergency to FAA Flight Service; they in turn contacted Miami-Dade Air Rescue. Customs assisted in locating the downed plane, and Air Rescue retrieved the pilot and passenger. On January 3rd, ranger Ben Morgan and an FAA inspector went to the crash site to begin an investigation of the incident. The aircraft was to be removed in a single helicopter lift on January 9th under Morgan's supervision. Investigation into the cause of the accident continues. [Phil Selleck, LES, EVER, 1/9]
On Monday, January 12th, a 24 foot vessel which was transporting narcotics through the park crashed and burned on shore in Blackwater Sound in Everglades NP. Earlier that evening, two Florida Marine Patrol officers stopped two boats in Barnes Sound just east of the park. The 24 foot boat, which was occupied by two men, sped off west toward the Everglades, dumping bails of marijuana in the sound. The officers pursued. The two smugglers jumped overboard just before the boat entered the park, but were captured and arrested. The boat continued onward until it ran aground at high speed on the northwest shore of the sound, traveling 150 feet before stopping. The bought caught fire and burned nearly to the waterline. Customs agents intercepted the second, larger vessel (32 feet) in Biscayne Bay in Biscayne NP. Thirteen bails of marijuana weighing 800 pounds - all of which came from the 24 foot boat - were recovered from the sound. A GPS plotter on board the 32 foot boat contained the "waypoints" for the smuggling route through Biscayne NP prior to the initial contact. Salvage of the crashed vessel is on-going. Federal charges for destruction of natural features are pending, with probable inclusion of civil penalties for the same offense. Rangers from the Florida Bay District of Everglades NP are investigating. [Dave King, DR, EVER, 2/11]
While returning to Key West from Dry Tortugas NP on January 15th, the crew of the park's 65-foot motor vessel "Activa" received a radio call from the commercial tour boat "Yankee Freedom" just after the two boats passed each other. The crew of the "Yankee Freedom" reported that they'd spotted an individual on an inner tube who was waving to attract their attention, and said that they felt the "Activa" was better positioned to assist. It appeared that this was the man the Coast Guard had begun a search for by boat and helicopter on the previous afternoon. When they failed to find him, they broadcast a notice to mariners to be on the lookout for a man on an inner tube. The "Activa," which was about ten miles west-northwest of the Marquesas Islands (35 miles west of Key West) at the time, turned and picked up the man, identified as R.V., 45, of Orlando. =, who spoke only Spanish, was carrying snorkel gear, a fishing pole, and food and water on his tube. He was in good health. The "Activa" notified the Coast Guard that they'd picked him up, then turned him over to the crew of a Coast Guard 41-foot boat in Key West Harbor. R.V. explained to a Spanish-speaking passenger on the "Activa" that he was swimming to Cuba for the Pope's visit. What R.V. did not know was that the eastern flow of the Gulf Stream would have prevented him from crossing the Straits of Florida and reaching Cuba. He was turned over to Key West police, who took him to a local hospital for psychiatric evaluation. [Report from M/V "Activa", via Phil Selleck, EVER, 2/11]
Just after 8 p.m. on the evening of March 14th, rangers received a report of a chlorine gas leak at the water treatment facility in Flamingo. The location of this facility blocked two groups of employees and visitors from leaving the area. Concession and NPS residents were evacuated to a building about a half mile from the facility; visitors were evacuated from the hotel and campground and moved to the far end of Flamingo campground about a mile and a half from the facility. Metro Dade fire, rescue, hazmat and police units responded along with county deputies. The hazmat team employed breathing equipment to enter the area. They determined that a single chlorine gas cylinder was leaking at the bottom of the tank due to rust and corrosion around the weld. Allied Chemicals employees utilized a chlorine gas coffin to contain and remove the cylinder. The area was declared safe around 3 a.m. About 900 people were evacuated during the incident. Resource damage and damage to the water treatment facility are still being assessed. [Kris Bardsley, EVER, 3/16]
Around 10 p.m. on January 2nd, S.M., 20, of Miami made a forced landing in the park's wilderness area. He and passenger Tony Navarro were returning to Miami from a flight to Key West in a rented Cessna 150 when the engine stopped. S.M. said that Navarro pointed out that both fuel gauges were reading empty, but added that he had flown fewer than three hours when that happened. The airplane landed right side up about four miles southwest of the South Florida Natural Resource Center and was subsequently removed by helicopter. S.M. submitted a report to the FAA the next day stating that the landing had occurred because of bullet holes in the Cessna's wing which had pierced the gas tank and let the fuel out; in other words, that he'd been shot down. The FBI was notified because of the grave nature of S.M.'s assertion and the agency's jurisdiction over damage to aircraft. Ranger Ben Morgan visited the crash scene on January 3rd; he confirmed the holes in the wing, but noted that their size matched that of a long bolt from a lock on board the plane. He advised the FBI evidence response team which examined the Cessna on January 9th. They determined that the holes in the wing had not penetrated the tank, but sent the evidence to their national lab for analysis. FBI agents interviewed S.M. on January 15th. When confronted with the evidence, S.M. confessed to making the holes with the bolt, but subsequently recanted this confession in an interview with the FAA, contending that the holes were in the wing before the accident. The FBI has charged S.M. with deliberately damaging the aircraft (18 USC 1001) and with making false statements and is working on an indictment. The FAA made an administrative determination that the cause of the crash was fuel starvation. If S.M. hadn't made his allegation, the incident would probably have resulted in minimal administrative action by the FAA. [Phil Selleck, LES, EVER, 5/11]
The owners of Everglades National Park Boat Tours closed the concession office at 9:02 p.m. on April 27th. The building's security camera recorded a single person entering the cashier's office at 9:07. The camera quit recording six seconds later. The next morning, district ranger Mike Mayer investigated and determined that the system stopped recording because someone had turned it off. The person or persons who entered the facility pried open cash register drawers and removed the concession safe. A total of about $550 in cash was taken along with the $300 safe and a $40 dolly. The burglars entered the building and each locked office by pushing back the door latch striker with a sharp instrument, such as a pen knife. The video image is not clear, so the security tape is being sent to the FBI for video enhancement. The investigation continues. [Phil Selleck, LES, EVER, 5/11]
A 44-foot motor-sail ketch belonging to A.B. of Key West, Florida, caught fire while anchored near the mouth of the Broad River on the Gulf Coast around 10 p.m. on Tuesday, May 5th. A.B. said that the fire started below deck while he was refilling two large kerosene lamps. He had filled and lit one, and accidentally knocked it over while filling the other. Within minutes, flames spread up the companionway to the cockpit and ignited the cloth bimini top. A.B. and his passenger, both uninjured, left the burning vessel in his 16-foot power boat and radioed the Coast Guard. A Coast Guard helicopter from Miami responded; rangers Gene Wesloh and Greg Podany made the 30-mile boat trip to the scene from the Everglades ranger station, arriving two hours after the fire began. The sailboat burned for another 90 minutes before it sank. Recovery and removal of the burned vessel, which was monitored by rangers, began on the afternoon of May 6th and was completed on the 10th. [Gene Wesloh, ADR, Northwest District, EVER, 5/13]
A memorial tribute to the late Marjory Stoneman Douglas, who died at the age of 108 on May 15th, was held at Royal Palm visitor center on the evening of May 23rd. Among the attendees and speakers were the state's lieutenant governor and attorney general, county and state representatives, and close friends. Messages were sent by the president, vice president and secretary and were read by superintendent Dick Ring. About 600 people attended the public ceremony. Douglas was a powerful, persuasive and untiring advocate for the creation of the park. Her book on the Everglades, "River of Grass," was published in 1947, the same year that the park was dedicated. Douglas received the medal of freedom in 1993 and had a wilderness area in the park named after her in 1997. The memorial tribute was planned, organized and executed under the incident command system. [Reed Detring, EVER, 5/28]
Some parks in Southeast Region began preparations for the possible arrival of Hurricane Bonnie on Friday afternoon. Here's where things stood as of yesterday evening: o Everglades NP (FL) - The park's hurricane plan was put into effect on Friday evening, and staff began the process of buttoning things up on Saturday. The shifting track of the hurricane reduced the probability of a landfall in south Florida, though, so there was a stand down on Saturday evening. Normal operations have resumed. Parks along the coast in Georgia and the Carolinas are awaiting further developments before implementing their hurricane plans. [Ken Garvin, SERO, 8/23]
Hurricane Georges passed over the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico yesterday and is now bearing north-northwest at about 15 mph toward the southern tip of Florida. As of this morning, it was 620 miles southeast of Miami, with winds down to 75 mph due to its passage over Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The highest probability area for landfall on the U.S. mainland on Friday morning stretches from Miami west to the Keys. A hurricane watch for that area has been issued. Some strengthening is expected when Georges again passes over warm ocean waters. The following reports were received yesterday: o Everglades NP (FL) - The park began full hurricane preparations at 7 a.m. yesterday morning. All preparations should be completed by noon today, at which time employees will be released to ready their homes. [Ken Garvin, SERO, 9/22; Ben Morgan, EVER, 9/22; Rob Shanks, PIO, IMT, BISC, 9/22; Larry Belles, IC, BICY, 9/22]
Hurricane George continues to bear down on southern Florida, with landfall expected as early as tomorrow morning. The storm had winds of 75 mph this morning, but is expected to strengthen over the next 24 hours. It is about 400 miles southeast of Miami and moving west-northwest at 12 mph. Hurricane warnings extend from Fort Myers on the Gulf coast around the tip of Florida to Fort Lauderdale on the Atlantic coast. Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for the Keys; voluntary evacuations for Key Biscayne and Miami Beach. Today's updates from affected parks: o Everglades NP (FL) - The entire park was shut down yesterday afternoon. Concession employees, any remaining overnight guests in Flamingo, and contractors will leave by 10 a.m. this morning. Most park employees were released yesterday afternoon; those who reside in the Keys were released on Tuesday afternoon, since evacuations were already beginning there. Highways to the Keys closed yesterday. The incident management team has transitioned to the team that will remain in the park for the duration of the storm. Bob Panko is IC. [Ken Garvin, SERO, 9/23; Bob Panko, IC, EVER, 9/23; Larry Belles, BICY, 9/23; Rob Shanks, BICY, 9/23]
Hurricane Georges was 50 miles southeast of Key West this morning and expected to make landfall in the keys by mid-day. Highest sustained winds are around 100 mph. The current forecast is for the hurricane to reach the main coastline between Florida and Louisiana this weekend. It will likely be a Category III storm by that time: o Everglades NP (FL) - All facilities at the park were shut down by 6 p.m. yesterday and all non-essential employees were released to prepare their homes. Final sweeps of the park were to be conducted yesterday afternoon; all required occupants were to be checked into designated shelters by 6 p.m. A total of 33 people are assigned to the incident. [Ken Garvin, SERO, 9/23; Brian Loadholtz, CR/Acting Superintendent, DESO, 9/24; Maureen McGee-Ballinger, IO, EVER, 9/24; SEFA Public Affairs, 9/25]
A number of parks in Southeast Region are either recovering from the hurricane's impacts or are still weathering it as it slowly moves inland: o Everglades NP (FL) - The park's northwest districts began to return to full operations (with limited interpretive and concession services) on Saturday. The main park road and entrance remains closed due to an extensive amount of vegetation blocking the roadway and over 100 trees down in Flamingo. Access to the Florida Bay district offices is limited because of the closure of highways to the Keys, although patrols of the bay and other areas of the park continued throughout the storm's passage. All employees are safe and report only minimal property damage. Both Everglades and Dry Tortugas continue to function under ICS. It's expected that full operations will resume in both areas by the end of the week. [Ken Garvin, SERO, 9/25-28; Joe O'Haver, BICY, 9/25-26; JR Tomasovic, GUIS, 9/25-26; Rob Shanks, BISC, 9/26; Maureen McGee-Ballinger, EVER, 9/26; Roberta D'Amico, EVER, 9/27; Jim Carson, JELA/JAZZ, 9/27; Rick Black, SAJU, 9/27]
Reports have been received from several parks which have been or are being affected by the hurricane: o Everglades NP (FL) - Park staff cleared and opened the two-lane road to Flamingo on Sunday, allowing park and concession employees to return to their homes. Over 100 trees were blown down in the Flamingo area. Thirty people have been assigned to the cleanup of that area. The park also reports some roof damage, loss of a wall in a bathroom in Flamingo campground, and loss of about 60% of park-maintained channel markers. The NPS is also providing critical incident stress counseling for employees at Caribbean National Forest in Puerto Rico. The hurricane caused major damage to forest resources and facilities and affected numerous employees. The Forest Service requested a Spanish-speaking CISM team. Four NPS peer supporters, most of whom speak Spanish, are en route; Gus Martinez of Big Bend NP is the team leader. [JR Tomasovic, GUIS, 9/27-28; Brian Loadholtz, DESO, 9/28; Pat Buccello, CISM Coordinator, NPS, 9/28; Ken Garvin, SERO, 9/28; Kris Stoehr, EVER, 9/28; Larry Belles, BICY, 9/27; Jim Carson, JELA, 9/29; Monika Mayr, BISC, 9/30]
Reports have been received from three parks which were affected by the hurricane: o Everglades NP/Dry Tortugas NP (FL) - Repair, recovery and restoration efforts continued through last week. Most of the work was done in the Flamingo area, where numerous trees were blown down. Teams were also working with staff at Dry Tortugas whose homes in the Keys were damaged by the storm. Damage assessment and repair work were underway at Fort Jefferson. Dry Tortugas reopened fully on October 1st; Everglades reopened fully on October 2nd. [Ken Garvin, SERO, 9/30 and 10/2; EVER, 9/30 and 10/2; Nina Kelson, GUIS, 10/2]
Late on the evening of December 5th, ranger Jon Holter saw two vehicles speeding north toward an area of the East Everglades District where stolen cars are often dumped. Moments later, Holter heard voices, an engine racing, then what sounded like a vehicle collision. Immediately thereafter, he saw one of the two vehicles heading south. Holter stopped it and detained the three occupants at the request of Miami-Dade police. Ranger Allen Etheridge investigated and found the other car submerged in a canal along the roadway adjacent to park land. Its taillights were still glowing. The trio had removed parts from the car and had them in their possession when stopped. Miami-Dade officers arrested all three, charging them with conspiracy to commit insurance fraud. Federal charges are pending for violation of the Clean Water Act due to introduction of gasoline and oil into the canal. [Reed Detring, CR, EVER, 1/21]
On April 5th, ranger Allen Etheridge found an illegal dump of paint products and equipment along a road within park boundaries in the East Everglades. The dump was immediately adjacent to park wetlands. He found hydraulic hoses, nozzles, tarps, and more than 200 gallons of paint, primer, acrylics, thinners and other unidentified chemicals. The material had been dumped there during the previous 24 hours. Rangers and FBI agents investigated and determined that the dump was on lands not yet acquired within the park's boundary, so a Miami-Dade environmental crimes unit has taken the lead on the investigation. Site clean-up was completed on April 7th. Fortunately, none of the material had leaked or spilled from the containers. Several leads have been obtained from the evidence recovered at the scene and suspects may soon be identified. [Jim Sanborn, DR, EVER, 4/20]
The partially burned remains of a woman were found on park lands about two- and-a-half miles south of the Chekika entrance station on the morning of May 25th. The victim, identified by Miami-Dade police as M.A., 37, of Miami, had been listed as missing on May 22nd and last seen by friends two days previously. She was murdered at the location where she was found, but the exact cause of death has not yet been determined. M.A. had a lengthy police record which included violent crimes; she was last arrested by Miami- Dade officers on a fugitive warrant on May 11th. Miami-Dade homicide is pursuing the investigation. [Jim Sanborn, DR, East Everglades District, EVER, 6/1]
On August 2nd, ranger Kent Looney noted that a vehicle parked near the Coastal Prairie trail had been there for a few days. A check of the registration led to the discovery that the owner, K.E., was suicidal and had been reported missing on July 28th. K.E. has a condition that requires daily medication. An air and water search was begun. K.E.'s shirt was found on the trail. The search was expanded on August 3rd and dogs were brought in. No further clues have yet been found. The IC is Bob Panko. [Maureen McGee-Ballinger, Incident IO, EVER, 8/4]
The search for K.E. expanded on Wednesday and Thursday. Assisting the NPS are representatives from the Florida Department of Corrections, FBI, Collier County Sheriff's Office, and Monroe County Sheriff's Office. Staff from Big Cypress NP and Biscayne NP are also providing support. The search area has been expanded beyond the Coastal Prairie trail to Bear Lake in the east and Northwest Cape in the west. Scent dogs have been transported by boat to nearby islands in Florida Bay; specialty dogs are being used to again check areas searched by primary coverage teams. Thirty-eight people have been committed to the search. Investigators have also linked K.E.'s disappearance to a stolen 36-foot vessel located in the marina at Flamingo. The person with the vessel has been arrested. [Gregg Smith, EVER, 8/5]
The search for K.E. has been scaled back due to the lack of clues. Article-scenting dogs have completed searching all areas, and a body-scenting dog was employed in the primary search areas. Aerial searches have also been completed. Numerous investigative leads were and are being pursued. An NPS criminal investigator will lead the continuing interagency investigation. [Maureen McGee-Ballinger, IO, EVEr, 8/6]
Parks in Southeast Region are preparing for the imminent and probable landfall of Hurricane Floyd somewhere between southern Florida and the Outer Banks. Should Floyd make landfall as a Category V hurricane, it will be only the third Category V storm to strike the United States this century, the other two being the Florida Keys Hurricane in 1935 and Hurricane Camille in 1969: o Everglades NP (FL) - The park began limited preparations for the hurricane yesterday and moved into full preparations this morning. The park should be closed by 5 p.m. Bob Panko is IC. [Gary Bremen, PR, BICY, 9/12; CRO, CANA, 9/12; Bob Panko, EVER, 9/13; Larry Belles, BICY, 9/12]
Parks in the potential path of Hurricane Floyd have largely completed preparations for its arrival. The current highest probability track would take the storm almost directly over parks from Canaveral NS to Fort Frederica NM, including FLETC in Glynco, Georgia: o Everglades NP (FL) - The park has completed preparations and is now closed. The backcountry has been closed and a flight was made to assure that all boaters and backcountry users had left the area. Contacts have been made with adjoining counties and with other Interior agencies in the area. A shelter has been activated; most staff will move in this morning. A 24-hour security detail has been established at the park boundary. [Ben Morgan, Liaison Officer, IMT, EVER, 9/13; Gary Bremen, IO, BISC, 9/13; Ken Garvin, SERO, 9/13; Denis Davis, CUIS, 9/13; Chuck Dale, CR, CASA/FOMA, 9/13; Bob Panko, EVER, 9/14; Mike Tennant, FOFR, 9/13; Paul Henry, FLETC, 9/14]
As Hurricane Floyd wends its way north, parks and regional office staff in SER are making necessary preparations. Bob Panko's Type II team will arrive in Atlanta tomorrow to begin planning for post-hurricane natural and cultural resource damage assessments in conjunction with regional staff. All National Park Service Type I and Type II teams have been contacted by SERO and are prepared to respond as needed to recovery operations. SER staff will be contacting DOI emergency operations personnel this afternoon to work out procedures for mutual aid to other Interior agencies in the storm's path. Regional staff are also directly contacting refuges and other DOI offices in the Southeast and maintaining communications links with them. Meanwhile, in the parks: o Everglades NP (FL) - The park reopened at midnight last night, but storm shutters are being left in place until Hurricane Gert's direction is determined with certainty. [Ken Garvin and Darryl Rhodes, SERO, 9/15; John Tucker, Superintendent, FOSU/CHPI, 9/14; Jim Zahradka, IC, CALO, 9/14; Roy Wood, IO, EVER, 9/15; Stephanie Bagozzi, IMT, BICY, 9/15; Bob Woody, IO, IMT, CAHA, 9/15; Barbara Goodman, TIMU/FOCA, 9/14-15]
Hurricane Irene had varying effects on parks in the Southeast as it made its way northward: o Everglades NP/Dry Tortugas NP (FL) - Everglades NP closed last Thursday afternoon. The hurricane made landfall in the Flamingo/Cape Sable area of the park on Friday afternoon with sustained winds of 75 mph and very heavy rain. The IMT managing the incident contacted all 200 plus park employees after the storm passed and determined that all were okay and that none of their homes had been seriously damaged (ranger Dave Fowler and his wife Shelley had a baby daughter on Friday as the hurricane blew through). Initial assessments indicate minor damage to park facilities, primarily from water. Severe flooding occurred in Shark Valley and the East Everglades/Chekika areas. A team of park scientists began a survey of natural resource conditions on Sunday; that report is pending. All areas except for Shark Valley and East Everglades/Chekika had reopened by yesterday. Dry Tortugas NP closed last Wednesday. Employees weathered the storm within the large masonry fort. Only minor damage has been reported. Little or no damage was reported at the other half dozen or so parks along the Southeast coast. [Ken Garvin, SERO, 10-16-18; Jim Zahradka, IC, CALO, 10/16; Steve Harrison, IC, CAHA, 10/16-18; Larry Belles, BICY, 10/18; Chuck Dale, CR/IC, CASA/FOMA, 10/16; Gary Bremen, IO, BISC, 10/18; Deb Nordeen, IO, EVER, 10/17
Stanley Holland, 34, of Miami, was charged with four violations of CFR after rangers from Everglades NP saw him kill a deer on park lands on October 31, 1998. On October 1, 1999, Holland entered guilty pleas on two counts - illegally taking wildlife and discharging a firearm inside the park. The other two violations were dismissed as part of the plea agreement. Holland will pay a $2,500 fine, forfeit the rifle he used to shoot the deer, be banned from Everglades NP and Biscayne NP for a year, and permitted to enter Big Cypress NP only to travel to property he owns on an inholding there. He has also been placed on a year's probation. [Jim Sanborn, DR, EVER, 1/3]
Lt. Col. G.H., husband of park management assistant E.D.H., died suddenly of a heart attack in Key Largo on December 29th. G.H. was retired from the Air Force and was a Vietnam veteran. Funeral services were held on January 4th. He is to be buried with full military honors at Barrancas National Cemetery in Barrancas Naval Air Station in Pensacola. He is survived by E., a son and daughter, and six grandchildren. Condolences may be sent to the family. Donations in G.H.'s name may be made to the American Heart Association in lieu of flowers. [Deb Nordeen, EVER, 1/3]
A single-vehicle accident occurred on the main park road in Flamingo around 2:50 a.m. on December 27th. A Chevy Camaro driven by B.N., 24, of Flamingo struck a 15-inch diameter tree. Rangers Tony Terry, Kent Looney, Bill Raften and Bruce Gantt responded. They found that both B.N. and his passenger, J.E., also of Flamingo, had sustained severe traumatic injuries, and that J.E.'s dog had been killed. Miami-Dade Fire Air Rescue flew both men to Miami's trauma center, where both were admitted to intensive care. Florida Highway Patrol officers assisted in the accident investigation. It appears that neither B.N. nor J.E. was wearing a seatbelt. The car spun several times before hitting the tree, entering the spins at a minimum speed of 92 miles per hour and striking the tree at a minimum speed of 73 miles per hour. Charges and pending; the investigation is continuing. [Phil Selleck, EVER, 1/14]
Governor Jeb Bush held a press conference in the park on January 18th to announce the state's plan to finance its half of the estimated $7.8 billion cost of Everglades restoration and its commitment to a strong state/federal partnership throughout the process. The governor's plan commits $1.25 billion in state resources over the next ten years, to be matched locally in south Florida. The federal government will pay the remaining half of the total; Congress will address authorization and funding of the comprehensive restoration plan this year. The event was attended by about 40 people from the media, state and federal government, and local and national environmental groups. The park managed the event under ICS. Phil Selleck was IC. [Deb Nordeen, IO, EVER, 1/18]
On the afternoon of February 7th, rangers John Goodwin, Kent Looney and Steve Martin responded to a report of an unspecified medical emergency in the Flamingo Marina. They found park volunteer J.K., 57, suffering from an apparent heart attack on the boat he lived on. J.K. said that he'd begun experiencing discomfort at noon after performing his work in exotic plant control, and that he had already taken two Nitrostat tablets. Rangers summoned Metro-Dade Air Rescue, administered oxygen, and transported J.K. to the Flamingo helispot. He was flown to Baptist Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 3:30 p.m. (Dave King, Acting CR, EVER, 2/9)
Last August 15th, ranger David Hubbard stopped a vehicle in Shark Valley and arrested the driver - G.N. of Miami - on two outstanding county warrants. During an inventory of the vehicle prior to impoundment, Hubbard found a duffel bag containing four live alligators, each two- to three-feet long. They were released back into the park. Pictures were found in the truck showing G.N. in the park with the same duffel bag on numerous prior occasions, indicating that this may not have been the first time he's collected alligators in the park. On January 28th, G.N. was found guilty of poaching/illegal taking of wildlife in magistrate's court; he was fined a total of $600 and banned from all four south Florida parks until payment is received. [Craig Thatcher, DR, EVER, 2/22]
Two park visitors found the body of E.R., 46, of Miami, in his vehicle in the parking lot of the Long Pine Key picnic area late on the morning of April 8th. They notified park maintenance workers, who contacted park dispatch. Ranger Les Seago confirmed that E.R. was deceased. FBI agents and Miami-Dade homicide detectives joined Seago at the scene. The preliminary investigation indicates that E.R. took his own life. The cause of death was a gunshot wound, and a pistol was still in his hand. A typed suicide note with instructions for family notification and burial wishes was found beside him. [Phil Selleck, EVER, 4/20]
On the morning of April 16th, the Collier County Sheriff's Office notified the park that a body had been discovered in the Chatham River area. Rangers Kiefer Gier and Ryan Levins found the body of P.M., 39, of Naples, Florida, face down in the water, almost completely out of his canoe. P.M., an inexperienced canoeist, had started a backcountry wilderness trip from Everglades City on April 15th. His body was found off the marked wilderness waterway route. The county medical examiner has ruled the cause of death as drowning. [Ryan Levins, PR, EVER, 4/26]
NPS investigators pursuing a lead that Native American remains had been looted from the Everglades area earlier this year arrested a Virginia man for selling the remains. C.S. was indicted for allegedly violating provisions of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). C.S., who operated a shop in Great South Arsenal, sold federal agents two human skulls, a pair of human feet, and trade bead necklaces. Following the purchases, NPS, FWS, ATF, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, and Henrico PD agents and detectives executed a search warrant at C.S.'s shop. Several other items were seized, including additional human remains and items crafted from endangered species. C.S. has also been indicted on several counts of violating federal wildlife laws. Further investigation revealed that the stolen human remains were not taken from the Everglades. Experts at the Smithsonian have identified the remains as being Hopi and Navajo in origin. [Clark Guy, SA, NERO, 5/26]
The park's hurricane IMT (Bob Panko, IC) met on Tuesday morning to assess the threat from Hurricane Debby and begin preparations as needed. Tropical storm force winds are expected on the eastern side of the park by 10 a.m. on Friday. The hurricane may strengthen considerably before reaching Florida, should it continue in that direction. Full preparations will begin this morning. The goal is to have all preparations completed by Thursday morning in order to release the majority of park staff a full 24 hours before expected land fall. Although a number of park staff members are on fire assignment (including several IMT overhead members), their absence hasn't had a significant impact on planned operations. Park staff are assisting the families of employees who are on fire assignments with preparing their homes for the storm. [Bob Panko, IC, EVER, 8/22]
Hurricane Debby has largely dissipated and no longer presents a threat to any NPS areas. Reports have been received from several areas on impacts, preparations, and resumption of normal operations: o Everglades NP (FL) - The park closed at 5 p.m. on Wednesday in anticipation of the hurricane's arrival. Only limited services were available on Wednesday. Visitor facilities reopened on Thursday and normal operations resumed. [Judy Shafer, VIIS, 8/23; Paul Hartwig, SAJU, 8/23; Larry Belles, IC, BICY, 8/23-24; Toni Dufficy, IO, BISC, 8/23-24; Bob Panko, EVER, 8/23-24]
On April 27th, a park neighbor reported that an extremely large pile of domestic trash had been dumped in the park in the East Everglades District. The pile, which contained between 40 and 50 cubic yards of trash, was processed for evidence. Rangers recovered addresses of several local residences and businesses. The orderly sequence of addresses, the size of the piles and the fact that the trash had evidently been compacted pointed to a commercial collection company. On May 2nd, rangers discovered a second pile of about the same size adjacent to the first pile. On May 4th, rangers Jim Sanborn and Mike Foster began surveillance of a neighborhood identified through addresses found in the trash. They watched and videotaped a trash compactor truck operated by Faircloth Sanitation collecting from many of the identified addresses. The rangers then returned to the park and set up concealed surveillance of the previous dump sites. Late that afternoon, the same compactor trunk entered the park and dumped a third pile next to the first two. Sanborn, Foster and ranger Doug Murphy intercepted the vehicle and arrested J.C. and L.F. In videotaped interviews, J.C. admitted that he and L.F. had dumped all three loads, then split the cash dumping fee that would have been paid to the regular landfill. On May 23rd, an "outraged" grand jury watched the videotape, then indicted each man on three counts of violations of the Clean Water Act and three counts of degradation of park property. The two men pled guilty to a one count of Clean Water Act violations in federal district court on August 17th. They will be sentenced in October. Each faces a fine of up to $50,000 and three years in prison. Faircloth Sanitation was cleared of any involvement in the dumpings. As a gesture of good faith to the park, they cleaned up all three dump sites at considerable expense. [Jim Sanborn, DR, East Everglades District, EVER, 9/5]
Contract specialist M.C. passed away suddenly on October 31st. Monte had worked at the park for the past 17 years; prior to coming to Everglades, he'd worked for other Department of Interior agencies in Washington, Denver and Albuquerque, and had worked with NOAA as a computer specialist. He began his federal career in the Department of the Army in 1968. M.C. touched many lives and will be missed greatly by his family, friends, co-workers and all who knew him. His dedication to his job was well known, but his sense of humor, cheerful personality and kindness will be remembered most of all. Condolences may be sent to his wife, MA.C., and family. Services were held Saturday, November 4th, at the Stanfill Funeral Home, 10545 S. Dixie Highway. [Walter Chavez, AO EVER]
On May 4th, rangers Jim Sanborn, Mike Foster and Doug Murphy arrested J.C., 33, and L.F., 30, both from Homestead, for violations of the Clean Water Act. The two men were caught in the act of dumping domestic trash in a wetland area of the park. They were indicted by a federal grand jury and plead guilty to one felony count each of violation of the Clean Water Act on August 17th. On October 27th, they were sentenced federal court in Miami. J.C. was sentenced to one year and one day in federal custody, and L.F. was sentenced to fifteen months in jail. Each was given one year of supervised release after his imprisonment and ordered to pay $1,200 each to their former employer, Faircloth Sanitation, which voluntarily took on the work and expense of cleaning up the dump site. [Jim Sanborn, DR, EVER, 11/7]
On the afternoon of November 17th, rangers Phil Selleck and Tim Thompson were investigating a car burglary in the main visitor center parking lot when they were approached by a visitor who reported a serious medical problem. The woman, who spoke only Spanish, said that her husband, R.G., 76, was allergic to bee stings and had just been stung. She said it had happened before and that her husband had been given medication as treatment. R.G.'s condition began to deteriorate rapidly, so Thompson requested EMS assistance from Miami-Dade Fire and Rescue through park dispatch. Ranger Ben Morgan arrived shortly thereafter and joined Selleck and Thompson in treating R.G., who soon went into respiratory arrest. The rangers were unable to find a pulse, so an airway was inserted and CPR was begun. At the same time, a doctor from Holland and a registered nurse came to their assistance. The nurse, who was also allergic to bee stings, offered an Epi-Pen, which Morgan quickly administered. Selleck and Thompson continued artificial respiration while Morgan and fire and aviation personnel set up a landing zone for Miami-Dade Air Rescue on the main park road. R.G. began to breathe on his own shortly before the helicopter arrived. Miami-Dade Air Rescue took R.G. to a local hospital, where he was treated and released on the following day. [Phil Selleck, ACR, EVER, 12/16]
On January 9th, ranger Kent Looney was contacted by AMFAC, a concession in the park's Flamingo District, regarding a missing employee. W.J. of Seward, Alaska, had recently been hired by AMFAC as a tour boat captain. His wife, who lives in El Paso, Texas, reported that she'd last heard from him on January 6th, when he told her he was going out for a motorcycle ride. AMFAC contacted Looney when W.J. failed to appear for work. Rangers searched the Flamingo area and began a missing persons investigation. The NCIC entry that they filed received responses from the Florida Highway Patrol and Miami-Dade and Hialeah police. The subsequent inquiry led to the determination that W.J. had been killed in a single-vehicle motorcycle accident on a major expressway in Miami-Dade County. [CRO, EVER, 1/11]
Rangers Mike Foster and Mike Michener investigated reports of shots fired in the East Everglades District last December 3rd. They found four people with three semi-automatic pistols among them. Two of them were stolen, and at least two members of the foursome were found to be illegal aliens. They arrested A.F.-V., a Mexican national, for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm (18 USC 922 (g)(5)(a)), and cited two others for possessing, carrying and using firearms in a national park. On March 14th, A.F.-V. pled guilty and was sentenced to ten months in prison. He will be deported to Mexico upon release. The other three members of the group paid a total of $750 in collateral fines. The case was prosecuted in cooperation with the Border Patrol and ATF. [CRO, EVER, 3/19]
Ranger Mike Michener spotted a column of smoke several miles south of the East Everglades Ranger Station on the afternoon of April 2nd and found that a burning car had ignited a wildfire in a mutual threat zone near the park's boundary. NPS, Florida Department of Forestry and Miami-Dade County fire crews provided initial attack and discovered the burned remains of what is believed to have been an adult male inside the vehicle. County homicide and arson investigators, FBI agents, and rangers Michener and Ben Morgan are investigating. See "Park Fires" below for further info. [Dave King, Acting CR, EVER, 4/3]
Ranger Mike Michener spotted a column of smoke several miles south of the East Everglades Ranger Station on the afternoon of April 2nd and found that a burning car had ignited a wildfire in a mutual threat zone near the park's boundary. NPS, Florida Department of Forestry and Miami-Dade County fire crews provided initial attack and discovered the burned remains of an adult male inside the vehicle. Also found were the remnants of an AK-47 rifle and spent cartridges. On April 22nd, the county coroner's office identified the 51-year-old man from Miami Beach from steel pins that were in one of his legs, the car's registration, and a suicide note. The cause of death has been ruled a suicide. Ranges worked cooperatively with the Miami-Dade PD homicide unit in the investigation. [Jim Sanborn, DR, East Everglades District, EVER, 4/24]
A 14-year-old boy was found floating face down in the pool at Flamingo Lodge on the afternoon of July 26th. AMFAC concessions employees began CPR and rangers Tony Terry and John Goodwin continued basic life support and resuscitation efforts. Miami-Dade Air Rescue responded; their paramedics declared the boy deceased upon arrival. An investigation is being conducted by the county sheriff's office, and an autopsy has been ordered to determine the cause of death. [Bill Wright, CR, EVER, 7/27]
On the evening of September 9th, rangers Bill Raften and John Goodwin received a call reporting that D.F., 44, had been bitten by a shark near Flamingo. D.F. caught what was described as a five-foot black tip shark at the Snake Bight channel, a half mile east of Flamingo. While he was trying to release the shark from the line, it thrashed its tail and knocked him overboard. Once in the water, the shark bit him, inflicting a 10-inch laceration on his upper right leg, a lesser laceration on his lower right leg, and several deep lacerations on his left hand. D.F. and his fishing partner were able to get the vessel back to Flamingo. When Raften arrived, he saw that D.F. was exhibiting signs of shock and called Miami Dade Air Rescue. D.F. was transported by helicopter to the trauma unit at Jackson Memorial Hospital in downtown Miami. In a later interview, D.F. said that the doctors put 30 to 40 stitches in his hand, but were leaving the leg wound open for a time to prevent infection. [CRO, EVER, 9/18]
Although Hurricane Michelle is now moving off into the Atlantic, parks in south Florida spent the weekend preparing for a possible landfall in that area: o Everglades NP - The park began preparations on Friday and closed at noon on Saturday. Most employees were released on Friday to take care of their personal preparations. Employees in government housing remained on site and were sheltered in the park. The park was placed under ICS; Steve Hurd was the IC. [Deb Nordeen, IO, IMT, EVER, 11/3; Larry Belles, IC, IMT, BICY, 11/2; Ken Garvin, SERO, 11/2]
Rangers investigated a hazmat spill in the Buttonwood Canal on the evening of December 3rd, but were unable to locate the source before darkness fell. The investigation continued the following morning. The source was eventually found north of Flamingo Marina on Buttonwood Canal. The hazardous material had created a film on the water surface over an area estimated to measure 100 by 400 feet. Most of the material had evaporated by December 4th, and the remainder was pushed by a northerly wind into the marina. Rangers employed absorbent pads and tubes to remove the substance. Absorbent pads were used to clean an area on the northeast side of the plug that is frequented by the American crocodile. Samples of the material have been taken and an investigation is underway. Florida DEP and the Coast Guard were consulted. [Craig Thatcher, DR, EVER, 12/6]
On the afternoon of August 25th, United States Coast Guard Station Islamorada contacted Everglades dispatch and asked for assistance with an injured diver with CPR in progress. The private vessel transporting the diver had been directed by the Coast Guard via radio to meet rangers at the Flamingo Marina. The victim apparently experienced problems soon after he began a dive in the Gulf of Mexico. His two companions reported that he'd entered the water with full dive gear with the exception of his swim fins. The boat was anchored in a strong current; before he could retrieve his fins from the boat, he had drifted 50 to 60 feet away. He managed to ditch his dive gear and call to his companions for help, but by the time they reached him, he had gone underwater. He was pulled back on the boat and CPR was begun. Rangers and concession employees assisted with resuscitation efforts after the boat docked and continued until the victim was pronounced dead by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue paramedics. He was held at Flamingo until airlifted by the Monroe County Sheriff's coroner to Key West. A preliminary cause of death is undetermined, awaiting medical examiners report. [CRO, EVER]
Several parks along the Gulf of Mexico have provided follow-up reports on the passage of Tropical Storm Isidore:
[Submitted by Gail Bishop, Public Information Officer, Gulf Islands NS; Jim Carson, Chief Ranger, Jean Lafitte NHP&P; Ben Morgan, Everglades NP]
A concessioner tour boat sank on Monday, December 30. There were 34
people on board, but no one was injured. The tour boat leaves Everglades
City for tours of the park. The Coast guard is on-site to conduct
salvage operations, and NTSB is investigating.
The Panther I, a park concession tour boat operating out of
the Gulf Coast District, sank in Indian Key Pass around 3 p.m. on
Monday, December 30. Ranger Keith Gad was first on scene. Gad and
several commercial and private vessel owners retrieved and transported
the boat's 33 passengers to the Gulf Coast ranger station, where they
were treated with assistance from Collier County EMS. Injuries have been
reported. An extensive investigation is underway by the park, Coast
Guard and NTSB. Kieffer Gier is IC.
Ranger Mike Mischener came upon a white Ddoge van parked along a road
scheduled for abandonment in the East Everglades District on the morning
of Thursday, February 27. Michener found a 53-year-old woman lying in
front of the van, covered in blood. She had lacerations on her wrists
and arms and appeared to be in an altered mental state. Although she'd
lost a great deal of blood, she was still conscious. When Michener
attempted to provide first aid for her wounds, she became combative.
Ranger Kenny Clarke arrived on scene and assisted with basic life
support as she lost consciousness, then began CPR. Miami-Dade Fire
Rescue and Air Rescue were dispatched. Paramedics declared her dead at
the scene. The woman had called her ex-husband earlier that morning and
told him she intended to commit suicide. A sharp-edged razor was found
at the scene. An investigation is underway.
While on patrol in East Everglades on March 30th, ranger Kenny Clarke
saw a brown Cadillac being operated erratically and stopped it with
assistance from other rangers. The operator, A.R., was
arrested for driving under the influence and subsequently blew a .203 on
the breathalyzer - well over twice the legal limit of .08 in
Florida. During the related search, Clarke found that A.R. had a
fraudulent resident alien ID card and a fraudulent social security card
in his possession. Clarke worked closes with the US Attorney's Office
and the Border Patrol to bring felony charges against A.R. for
possession of the fake ID cards (18 USC 1546). Violations of this USC
provision carries a maximum sentence of five years and prison and a fine
of up to $250,000. Particular attention is being paid to prosecution of
this case because of the homeland security implications.
On May 26th, rangers Mike Foster and Michelle Gilbert discovered a
dump containing more than 100 cubic yards of construction debris along
the park boundary in East Everglades Subdistrict. Evidence contained
within the dump lead rangers to a nearby construction site. They also
learned that the Miami-Dade Environmental Crimes Unit was investigating
similar dumps within the county. The ensuing investigation lead to
A.R., 29, who confessed to dumping inside the park and at
several other locations in the county. On July 25th, he pled guilty to
depredation of federal property (18 USC 1361). A.R. was a commercial
trash hauler who had been subcontracted to haul and dispose of the
debris. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years and $250,000 for the dump
within the park. He will be sentenced in October. State charges are
pending regarding the other dumps.
On Friday, September 12th, rangers, DEA agents, and Florida
Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) agents executed a search warrant
obtained by rangers on an upscale residence in the South Miami area. The
residence was the target of a lengthy investigation lead by rangers
Michelle Gilbert and David Pharo, which evolved from an illegal dump
found in the East Everglades Subdistrict on July 4th. The illegal dump
consisted of home improvement construction debris and items that could
be associated with the establishment of a marijuana hydroponics growing
operation. The execution of the search warrant resulted in the arrest of
three persons and seizure of 224 live marijuana plants, approximately 70
pounds of processed marijuana, an F-150 extended cab pick-up truck,
tools, and over 130 other items relating to the dumping case. The seized
marijuana had an estimated street value of $250,000. The three people
arrested have been charged with possession with intent to distribute
marijuana, maintaining a building for the purpose of manufacturing
marijuana, and conspiracy. Charges related to the illegal dump are
pending. Forfeiture of the residence, as well as the tools and truck,
are being pursued, with combined values exceeding $400,000. A
multi-agency investigation is ongoing with the support of the United
States Attorneys Office. More arrests and seizures may be forthcoming.
DEA and FDLE agents said that the residence was one of the more
sophisticated grow houses they had seen in the Miami area and that the
case would not have been made without the intense investigative work and
exhaustive hours put in by Gilbert and Pharo.
Miami-Dade County PD contacted park dispatch on the afternoon of
November 24th and advised of an ongoing incident involving a motorist
and a reported bomb threat near the park's main entrance west of
Homestead/Florida City. A park employee had also reported that an armed
man was in the area, walking toward the park. In response to the
county's request for assistance, rangers closed the main entrance to all
traffic. Officers contacted W.M., 38, about a half mile
outside the main entrance. A blue, 1983 Chevy van was parked along the
road, and W.M. was walking toward the park with a bandaged left
forearm and hand and a reported "black object" in his hand. W.M. told
them that his car was wired to an explosive device and threatened to
shoot any police officer who confronted him. Officers pursued him with
weapons drawn until he jumped into a canal near the entrance. He was
pulled from the canal, treated for a self-inflicted arm wound, and
placed on a suicide watch. The county bomb squad responded, but found no
explosives. An estimated 260 vehicles were held back from using the exit
during the incident. Visitors and employees were assisted by park staff,
who extended the hours of the Coe Visitor Center.
On the afternoon of January 31st, a Beechcraft King Air twin engine
plane with two persons on board crashed in a remote wilderness area of
the park. The plane was en route from Marathon airport in the Florida
Keys to Ft. Lauderdale. Eight minutes into the flight, Miami Air Traffic
Control lost radar contact with the plane. The last position showed the
Beechcraft at 5,000 feet but with no forward air speed, indicating that
the plane was likely in a downward spin. There were no radio
communications from the plane to indicate a problem. The plane crashed
in thick vegetation along the northern portion of the Roberts River,
approximately 12 miles north of Flamingo. Indications at the scene are
that the plane crashed nose-first into the ground and disintegrated upon
impact. Unusually heavy winter rain and thunderstorms occurred in the
area on the afternoon of the crash. A Coast Guard helicopter found the
wreckage that evening. Rangers from Flamingo were dispatched by boat to
the area of the crash, but were unable to reach the site due to
darkness, weather and heavy vegetation. Efforts to get a rescue
helicopter to the scene that night that could put someone on the ground
were unsuccessful due to the weather. On February 1st, a park contract
helicopter carrying rangers and personnel from the Monroe County
Sheriff's Office landed at the site. They were able to confirm that the
two occupants — S.Z., 45, and his son, T.Z., 16, of Weston,
Florida — had been killed instantly in the crash. Recovery efforts
were conducted by rangers and fire personnel and continued for three
days. The sheriff's officer and district medical examiner assisted. A
salvage company contracted by the plane's insurance carrier will remove
the aircraft debris from the park. NTSB and FAA investigators will
continue to investigate the cause of the crash.
While patrolling the park boundary in the East Everglades subdistrict
last January 4th, rangers David Pharo and Allen Etheridge located a
large illegal dump containing debris that was believed to be associated
with a marijuana hydroponics operation. A small amount of
traceable evidence was located within the dump that led to a residence
in northern Miami. Since the dump site was determined to be outside the
boundary, rangers turned the information over to the FBI and Miami
High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) investigators. In a
separate incident, investigators from the Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission (FWC) were investigating a similar dump a few
miles away. A joint investigation positively linked the two
dumpsites to the same place of origin. On March 18th, HIDTA and FWC
investigators were conducting surveillance on the suspect house when
they saw three people leave in a large truck full of trash bags and head
in the direction of the East Everglades. HIDTA members followed the
suspects and apprehended them in the act of illegally dumping the trash
bags along the park's eastern boundary. Contents of the dumped bags
contained marijuana hydroponics debris. A search warrant was obtained
and executed the following day. The search of the premises revealed
evidence that could link each of the dumpsites to the residence. The
equipment found in house had the capacity to grow 1,000 plants, but just
97 live marijuana plants in various stages of growth were seized. The
stumps of approximately 800 marijuana plants have been identified in the
dumps. Charges are pending. This is the second large-scale drug-related
case in eight months involving marijuana hydroponics that have been
initiated by Everglades' rangers as a result of illegal dumping
activity.
A single-engine Piper aircraft with four people onboard crashed near
the Gulf Coast Ranger Station around 2
p.m. on Sunday, May 16th. The plane was departing from Everglades City
Airpark when power was apparently lost and it banked down into the trees
behind a park residence. NPS maintenance worker David Westphal, who at
the time of the incident was mowing the lawn adjacent to the ranger
station, was one of the first responders on scene. The pilot, W.C.
of Tampa, Florida, and the front seat passenger, R.G. of
Union City, Tennessee, were flown by helicopter to the Lee Memorial
Hospital Trauma Center in Fort Meyers. Rear seat passengers S.C.
and C.G. were transported via ambulance to nearby Naples
Community Hospital. All four accident victims were listed in
stable condition at the time of the report late Tuesday. Rangers Dan
Camiccia and Kenny Clarke facilitated the initial investigation and
secured the crash site. The exact cause of the crash is unknown at this
time. The FAA and NTSB will be conducting an
investigation.
Wildland firefighter Gary Carnall was driving past Flamingo Wells
along the main park road just after 8
p.m. on May 29th when he heard two distinct explosions and observed smoke
coming from that area. The Flamingo Wells complex is located
approximately 17 miles northeast of Flamingo and houses a water
treatment plant containing pressurized tanks of anhydrous ammonia and
chlorine gas and an electrical substation. The Flamingo structural fire
brigade responded, as did water treatment plant operator Marcie
Quinn. Mutual aid assistance was immediately requested from Miami-Dade
Fire and Rescue. Their hazmat unit and four additional structural
engines responded. Traffic on the main park road was stopped and a
two-mile diameter perimeter was established around the site due to the
potential of a significant hazmat incident. Upon arriving on
scene, NPS firefighters wearing self-contained breathing apparatus
entered the complex from an upwind direction to size up the fire, which
had apparently started inside the electrical substation, then spread to
adjoining wildland fuels. The fire was threatening a large generator
building and the control building for the water treatment plant.
Initial attack on the wildland fire was successful and it was contained
to one tenth of an acre. Florida Power and Light repair crews
arrived on scene and were able to de-energize the substation, making it
possible for the fire crew to extinguish the fire at its source in the
switch control box. Power was out to the main park visitor center and
headquarters for approximately four hours during the incident,
during which time the main park road was closed to visitor
traffic. Power to the Flamingo area was not restored until
noon on May 30th. No hazardous substances
were released during the incident. Tony Terry was IC.
On July 1st, a four-month-long joint undercover investigation, titled
Operation Gatorbait, was concluded. This joint investigation between
Everglades National Park and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission (FWC) revealed a well-established practice of illegally
feeding wildlife for commercial gain. Rangers and FWC officers issued
numerous federal and state violation notices against airboat operators
and owners of commercial airboat tours operating in the Everglades along
Highway 41 (Tamiami Trail), which makes up the northern boundary of the
North East District of Everglades NP. Over the course of the
investigation, rangers, paired with FWC officers, took tours in
plainclothes and often filmed the violations as they occurred.
Alligators and other wildlife have been illegally fed to entertain
guests and to get alligators accustomed to the airboat operator so they
can touch, grab and manipulate them for the enjoyment of visitors. Large
quantities of bread and marshmallows were seized as evidence. Airboat
operators often encouraged visitors to feed the wildlife as well. The
investigation was begun when several visitors complained to NPS
personnel about the illegal feeding practices. Violation notices were
issued for illegal feeding, touching and harassment of wildlife, vessel
registration and boating safety infractions, preservation of natural
resources, and state caging requirements. In total, 91 infractions
were encountered and documented. Violations were uncovered at
Coopertown Airboat Tours, Everglades Airboat Tours, Everglades Safari
Park, and Gator Park Airboat Tours. The investigation also showed that
about 90% of the tours that they conduct take place in the park, which
was documented utilizing GPS receivers and GIS data. Supervisory park
ranger Dave Pharo was the IC.
Hurricane Charley is forecast to make landfall in south Florida this morning. Parks in its immediate path have completed preparations for Charley's arrival. Meanwhile, parks further up the Eastern seaboard are preparing for the effects of heavy to very heavy rains. According to meteorologists, a strong southwesterly flow aloft will rapidly steer remnants of Bonnie and then Charley up the East Coast today and into the weekend. Flooding rain will be a major concern as these systems drench areas from Florida black"> to New York and New England. Here are reports from parks in the storm's path: Everglades NP — The park closed to the public at 8 a.m. Thursday morning. Employees were released at noon. Employees will be sheltered at park headquarters, the Pine Island housing area, the dormitory quarters in East Everglades, and at the Comfort Inn in Naples, Florida. The park's incident management team is planning to return to work around 11 a.m. this morning. If all goes well, employees will be brought back in at 1 p.m. to begin a damage assessment and stabilization, reopen park visitor facilities, and resume administrative operations. Yesterday afternoon, representatives from Southeast, Northeast and
National Capital Regions, including emergency program coordinators,
regional chief rangers, and the Eastern IMT, conducted a conference call
to share information on preparations and coordinate responses.
Preparedness efforts will continue today.
Hurricane Charley's passage up the East Coast affected more than a dozen NPS areas. Here are reports from parks that were in or near the storm's path, south to north: Everglades NP — Cleanup and recovery work was completed on Saturday at Flamingo, the headquarters area and along the main park road. This made it possible to reopen the main portion of Everglades by 10 a.m. The visitor center in the Everglades City area reopened at noon. Shark Valley reopened at 8 a.m. Concessions there also reopened in full at that time. Flamingo reopened with limited services on Saturday, but planned to be fully functional by Sunday. The Everglades City boat tour concession reopened on Sunday. At the peak of operations, about 200 park employees and cooperators were assigned to the incident team managing the response to the hurricane. The above report was based on submissions from the following people: Ken Garvin, Southeast Regional Office; Bob Panko, IC, EVER; Mark Hardgrove, Deputy Superintendent, Outer Banks Group; Ann Childress, Superintendent, MOCR; John Tucker, Superintendent, FOSU; Jon Anglin, Acting Chief Ranger, CAHA; Wouter Ketel, Chief Ranger, CALO; Michelle Oehmichen, BISC; Charlie Fenwick, Superintendent, DESO; Gordie Wilson, CASA/FOMA; Barbara Goodman, Superintendent, TIMU/FOCA; Tom Nash, Chief Ranger, COLO; Timothy Morgan, Chief Ranger, CANA; Mary Doll, Management Assistant, Outer Banks Group; Larry Belles, BICY
The following were submitted through yesterday afternoon: Everglades NP — Most areas of the park were closed to visitors yesterday. Flamingo Lodge, marina store and fuel station closed at noon and the main park entrance west of Florida City closed at 6 p.m. The Shark Valley entrance station also closed at 6 p.m. The Gulf Coast VC will remain open today but will close at 6 p.m. Areas will be reopened as soon as conditions permit. [Submitted by Ken Garvin, SERO; Linda Canzanelli, Superintendent; Richard Bryant, IC, TIMU/FOCA; Mike Tennent, Superintendent, FOFR; Timothy Morgan, Chief Ranger, CANA]
As parks in Florida and Georgia continue to clean up from Hurricane Frances, they're keeping a weather eye on Hurricane Ivan — characterized by the National Hurricane Center as "an extremely dangerous Category 5 hurricane" with maximum sustained winds of nearly 160 mph and a barometric pressure of 27.20 — lower than Hurricane Andrew and eclipsed only by Hurricane Camille (1969) and the Florida Keys Labor Day Hurricane (1935). Meanwhile, parks along the Appalachians — particularly Blue Ridge Parkway — have been dealing with the deluge brought by the remnants of Frances. According to USGS, rainfall amounts of from 8 to 16 inches have been reported from western North Carolina (Phil Noblitt from Blue Ridge Parkway reports that the suburb of Asheville where he lives received 17 inches of rain in 36 hours). North Carolina DOT reports that more than 90 primary and secondary roads were impassable yesterday due to high water, and that I-40 was restricted in both directions due to a mud slide. Stream flows are very high in the area, some at hundred year levels. Here are today's reports, beginning with the hardest hit area and moving south: Everglades NP — The park is open, but, as with Biscayne, hurricane shutters are being left in place until its clear which way Ivan is going. Based on reports from Ken Garvin, SERO; Bob DeGross, BICY; Brian Loadholtz, TIMU; Gary Bremen, BISC; Jerre Brumbelow, CUIS; Gordon Wilson, CASA/FOMA; Charlie Fenwick, DESO; Phil Noblitt, BLRI; Nancy Gray, GRSM; Jeanne Robbins, USGS
Today's report on preparations for Ivan is based primarily on reports received late last week. It will be updated early on Tuesday. Also included are some follow-up notes on cleanup from Frances: Everglades NP/Dry Tortugas NP — Dry Tortugas closed on Friday, and ferry boat and seaplane service were suspended. Fourteen employees will ride out the storm in Fort Jefferson. The M/V Fort Jefferson will move to safe harbor with the Coast Guard's Key West fleet. Everglades (including concessions) closed on Saturday. The park left most of its storm preparations in place from Hurricane Frances, thereby significantly reducing the time normally needed to prepare and shutdown the park. Reports from Ken Garvin, FMO, SERO; Linda Canzanelli, Superintendent, BISC; Timothy Morgan, Chief Ranger, CANA; Charlie Fenwick, Superintendent, DESO; Robert Degross, BICY; Rick Cook, EVER; Bob Panko, IC, EVER; Gordie Wilson, CASA/FOMA; Brian Loadholtz, TIMU/FOCA.
Here are today's updates on preparations for Hurricane Ivan: Everglades NP — Employees have been told to return to work today. The park reopened on Monday morning. Hurricane preparations are standing down. Reports from Ken Garvin, FMO, SERO; Bob Panko, IC, EVER; J.D. Lee, Chief Ranger, GUIS; Linda Canzanelli, Superintendent, BISC; Timothy Morgan, Chief Ranger, CANA.
The following reports were received through Saturday: Everglades NP/Dry Tortugas NP — The park closed on Saturday. Employees who live outside the park were not expected to report to work on Saturday; protection rangers and essential emergency staff were to be on duty. Concession operations have closed. Campers were allowed to stay in the park on Friday night, but required to leave by noon Saturday. No backcountry permits are being issued. From reports by Ken Garvin, FMO, SERO; Wayne Rose, Acting Chief Ranger, CANA; Bob DeGross, Chief of Interpretation, BICY; Susan Gonshor, Chief of Interpretation, BISC; Gordie Wilson, Superintendent, CASA/FOMA; Dann Trexler, Acting Chief Ranger, CAHA; Bill Wright, Chief Ranger, EVER; Julie Meeks, Chief of Administration, CUIS; Mike Tennent, Superintendent, FOFR; Norm Williams, IC, TIMU/FOCA; John Breen, Superintendent, FOPU; Raymond Hamel, Park Ranger, DESO.
The following reports were received through yesterday evening: Everglades NP/Dry Tortugas NP — The park reopened to the public yesterday. All employees living in the Homestead area are back to work. Some employees in northern Miami-Dade County and other areas impacted by Hurricane Jeanne are assessing their situations and will return to work when circumstances permit. No damage has been reported, although there was some minor flooding in the Flamingo and Gulf Coast districts and there's some tree debris along park roads. Normal concession activities are in operation. From reports by Ken Garvin, FMO, SERO; Mark Hardgrove, Deputy Superintendent, CAHA; Rick Clark, Plans Chief, IMT, and Gary Bremen, PIO, BISC; Charlie Fenwick, Superintendent, DESO; Steve Hurd, IC, IMT, EVER; Bruce W. Rosel, Maintenance Mechanic Foreman, CANA; Phil Noblitt, PAO, BLRI.
While on patrol along the park's boundary in East Everglades on October 17th, ranger David Pharo discovered three songbird traps containing two adult female indigo buntings and an adult male painted bunting. While Pharo was preparing to setup remote surveillance equipment, the people who'd set out the traps returned to the site to retrieve the traps and birds. Pharo decided to follow them to gain additional information about other possible traps, and requested assistance from Florida Wildlife Commission and US Fish and Wildlife Service officers. Rangers and officers followed the suspects to a residence in Hialeah, then contacted them and recovered the traps and birds. They determined that the three birds had been placed there as bait to bring in additional birds, a common practice. Additional information was gained which may lead to further investigation. Rangers have long suspected that collectors have been using the area along the park boundary near the East Everglades to trap protected species for profit — a violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.[Submitted by Allen Ethridge, District Ranger, Northeast District]
On the afternoon of Friday, April 15th, entrance station VUA Augustin
Diaz reported to park dispatch that a woman had passed through the
station with an open wine bottle on the front seat of her car. Rangers
from both Pine Island and Flamingo Districts began a search for the
vehicle. Ranger Paul Taylor soon found it at the Long Pine Key day use
area. The lone female in it was reclined on the front seat. The engine
was running, the windows were closed, and a hose was attached to the
exhaust pipe and had been routed into the passenger compartment. Taylor
quickly removed the woman from the vehicle. She told Taylor that she was
looking for a peaceful place to die. The woman was transferred to
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and transported to the hospital, where she was
admitted overnight for observation and psychiatric evaluation. Had
entrance station personnel and rangers not responded so quickly, the
outcome would have undoubtedly been much graver.
Parks in south Florida are assessing the potential impacts of Tropical Storm Katrina, which will likely be a hurricane by the time it makes landfall, and are taking actions as deemed appropriate: Everglades NP - The park's incident command team is meeting at 7 a.m. this morning to assess the threat the storm poses to the park and local area. Park employees will be securing facilities and equipment today. The park remains open, however, with all facilities and services operating on their normal schedule until further notice. [Bonnie Foist, LES, Everglades; Kevin Walsh, FMO, Big Cypress; Gary Bremen, Park Ranger, Biscayne]
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:
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]
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]
Hurricane Katrina caused significant damage in Everglades NP, but so far appears not to have had a major impact on other Florida parks. This morning, the hurricane will again make landfall, probably in Louisiana. It will then move to the north and east, bringing heavy rains along its path. This morning's summary begins with preparations in Louisiana, then reports on the hurricane's impacts in Florida: Everglades NP The west wall of Hurricane Katrina's eye made landfall near the Miami-Dade-Broward county line at 6:38 p.m. last Thursday, and, to the surprise of most residents, dipped to the south and moved southwest across Miami-Dade. As Katrina progressed across southwest Miami-Dade, the south edge of the eye passed directly over the National Hurricane Center with gusts measuring 86 mph. This path caught many residents by surprise and had more dire consequences later: The storm moved diagonally over much of the park and exited Florida in the narrowest portion of the peninsula. That meant the storm had less time over land to weaken. And it impacted Flamingo with unexpectedly strong force winds and rain. The storm surge caused flooding in excess of five feet throughout the area. Its path and renewed strengthening over Gulf waters also had unexpected impacts on Dry Tortugas National Park (below). Park staff living in Miami-Dade are dealing with the continuing county-wide effects of high water (12 to 15 inches of rain fell throughout the area, with locally greater amounts) and downed trees. More than 1.5 million residents were initially without power, with more than 850,000 in Miami-Dade County. Park staff conducted an initial assessment of impacts on the park on Saturday. Assessments were made by ground and air, with most attention centered on Flamingo. The main park road is passable, but numerous downed trees are being removed from the roadway. Work on removing them was to continue on Sunday, along with work on secondary roads and trails. Power has now been restored to the headquarters and Pine Island complexes. The Gulf Coast Visitor Center has power and shows relatively fewer storm-related effects. Shark Valley and Flamingo remain without power. Shark Valley may reopen in the near future after power is restored and downed trees are removed, but Flamingo will remain closed. More detailed assessments of building and property damage will be required to determine how long this area must remain closed to the public. First priority is for the welfare of resident park and concessions employees whose homes and property have been damaged. Employee losses include five personal vehicles and numerous personal household items. All Flamingo staff have been evacuated to temporary housing at Pine Island or in the local community. The park estimates that 10 to 11 government vehicles have been destroyed. Some additional few vehicles may join the list. All government boats at Flamingo appear to be okay. Since four to six feet of water entered most ground floor buildings, many tools and selected pieces of equipment have been destroyed. Park heavy equipment, including tractors, fire truck and ambulance, appear to be okay. Two NPS housing trailers have damage and most concession housing trailers are total losses. Heavy losses were suffered among concessions boats, with houseboats pushed on land and canoes and kayaks scattered throughout the area. The concessions marina store and gift shop were flooded. It appears that not all lodge rooms were flooded and lodge roofs remain largely intact. The rental cabins all have some level of high water and/or wind damage. The Flamingo campground came through in relatively good shape, but extensive debris, including grills, picnic tables and amphitheater benches, have scattered, sometime far into mangrove areas. The amphitheater screen is gone. Visitor services were to resume at Gulf Coast VC on Sunday, but the remainder of the park remained closed. The park is currently managing the incident with in house resources and assistance from a saw crew team from Big Cypress as a Type 3 team. The park anticipates requesting outside assistance through a Type 2 team early next week. [Submitted by Ken Garvin, Regional FMO, SERO; Leigh Zahm, Ranger, JELA; Bill Wright, Chief Ranger, EVER; Scott Anderson, Program Assistant, CANA; Brenda Lanzendorf, IC, BISC; Ed Clark, Chief Ranger, BICY]
Although Hurricane Katrina made landfall yesterday morning, no reports have yet been received from parks in its path. Today's summary includes two follow-up reports from south Florida and a series of reports received on Sunday and Monday from Louisiana and Mississippi prior to the hurricane's arrival: Everglades NP Park staff, with assistance from Big Cypress staff, are beginning efforts to clear the main park road to facilitate access to Flamingo. Maintenance staff are assisting Flamingo employees in surveying quarters and determining personal property damage. Special attention will be given to Flamingo water and wastewater systems that have been impacted by high water, followed by building and property damage assessments.
The National Park Service is in the process of mobilizing people and resources to aid those parks that suffered damage from Hurricane Katrina. The following report is based on two sources of information - a report submitted yesterday evening by Nancy Gray, information officer for the incident management team (IMT) at Everglades, and a Tuesday morning conference call that included representatives from affected parks, members of incident management teams, Southeast Regional Office senior staff, Washington Office staff, and others. This summary is brief and by no means definitive. Additional reports will appear in these pages as they arrive: Everglades NP/Dry Tortugas NP The Service's Eastern IMT (Gordon Wissinger, IC) arrived at the park on Monday evening. The Type II team met with park officials on Tuesday and spent the day touring impacted areas, particularly the Flamingo area of the Park, 40 miles southwest of the Headquarters/Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center. Currently, most of the park remains closed, with the exception of the Coe Visitor Center and the Gulf Coast Visitor Center at Everglades City near Naples. Backcountry camping along the inland wilderness water route which runs between Flamingo and Everglades City is also closed at this time. Facilities will remain closed to the public until detailed assessments of building, property and resource damage can be made. Preliminary assessments of storm damage to the Flamingo area show severe damage to concessions facilities, including concessioner employee housing. Park employees living in park housing in Flamingo were temporarily displaced because of high water which inundated the lower level of the structures. Heavy debris is strewn throughout the area from this flooding episode. In addition, over ten government vehicles and five personal vehicles were destroyed by the storm surge, estimated to have been over five feet. Initial damage assessments of Dry Tortugas National Park, a cluster of islands 70 miles west of Key West, are also indicating varying levels of structural damage to the fortress, housing units, docks, a maintenance boat, utilities and loss of the communications tower. Team members are expected to tour the island in the near future. Priority will be given to restoring reliable communications to the island and supporting staff to provide necessary resources to reopen the area to public use. Park staff has been working consistently since the storm to clear debris and take immediate remedial action as appropriate. The IMT will continue working with park employees, and a hand crew is being ordered and assigned to Flamingo to help clear the grounds of debris and downed trees and make repairs to the sewer system and employee housing units. A critical incident stress management team will arrive in the park today to provide employee assistance. The park will continue to identify the necessary cultural and natural resource damage assessments that are needed to understand the impacts of the storm to the resources. Staff in the Southeast Regional Office are currently involved in an intensive effort to complete a comprehensive assessment of damage throughout the region in order to determine which areas need what resources. Three incident management teams - a second Eastern IMT (Rick Brown, IC), the Pacific West IMT (Denny Ziemann, IC), and the national IMT (J.D. Swed, IC) - are all on standby in case one or more teams are needed.
The National Park Service continues to steadily increase its support to parks hit by Hurricane Katrina. Two incident management teams (IMTs) have so far been committed to Hurricane Katrina recovery operations and a third is on standby. As previously noted, one Eastern IMT (Gordon Wissinger, IC) is now at Everglades NP, assisting the park staff with damage to Flamingo and to Dry Tortugas NP. A second Eastern IMT (Rick Brown, IC) is currently en route to Gulf Islands NS to work with that park on recovery operations in the Mississippi District. And the national IMT (JD Swed, IC) is on standby for possible deployment to the New Orleans area to assist the staffs at Jean Lafitte NHP&P, New Orleans Jazz NHP and any other areas that might need assistance. One critical incident stress management (CISM) team has been committed to Everglades and another will likely soon be dispatched to Gulf Islands. Other teams of specialists are on standby and will be committed when the necessary ground work has been laid to accommodate them. Numerous NPS employees have also been called out to support FEMA, DOI or other agencies in recovery operations. Here's a wrap-up of what was known about affected parks as of yesterday evening: Everglades NP/Dry Tortugas NP Work is progressing in the Flamingo area of the park. Park employees who live in Flamingo employee housing will be returning to their homes today. Although the majority of restoration work has been done by the park maintenance staff to make the units habitable, they will continue ongoing minor repairs to the facilities. Sprint and Bell South will begin restoring phone service to Flamingo as well. Working under the IMT, park employees concentrated their efforts yesterday to remove floating and stationary debris from the Flamingo boat basin maintenance area and also the public marina. A Type II hand crew and technical specialists "plumbers, electricians, carpenters "will start arriving tomorrow to assist in the recovery efforts. These new arrivals will relieve park employees who have been making repairs since the storm hit. Members of the IMT will be transported by aircraft to Fort Jefferson/Dry Tortugas to begin assessment of damages and restoration efforts. While the focus remains on employee health and welfare and reopening the park to the public, park management recognizes that this storm event is of significant scientific interest. The park and the IMT are working with researchers to accommodate access to research areas critical to monitoring efforts. The critical incident stress management team began meeting yesterday with park employees in the Flamingo area. Meetings are scheduled at park headquarters tomorrow and other meetings will be scheduled throughout Everglades and Dry Tortugas in the future to reach as many employees as possible. [Nancy Gray, IO, EVER; Nina Kelson, GUIS; Keith Whisenant, NATC; Charles Cuvelier, NATR]
The National Park Service, Department of Interior and overall Federal commitment to hurricane relief and recovery operations took another step forward yesterday. Three NPS incident management teams (IMTs) have now been committed to Hurricane Katrina recovery operations: One Eastern IMT (Gordon Wissinger, IC) is at Everglades NP, assisting the park staff with repairs to damage at Flamingo and Dry Tortugas NP. A second Eastern IMT (Rick Brown, IC) is at Gulf Islands NS working with that park's staff on recovery operations in the Mississippi District. The National IMT (JD Swed, IC) is en route to assist the staff at Jean Lafitte NHP&P with employee support and park recovery operations when the latter become possible. The team is currently in Houston, Texas, but will be moving closer to New Orleans once support facilities are found. Other teams of specialists are on standby and will be committed when the necessary ground work has been laid to accommodate them. So far, the National Park Service has committed about 110 people to recovery operations. The NPS response is just a small part of a massive federal response that grows day by day. As of yesterday morning, DOI estimated that more than 400 employees had been committed to Hurricane Katrina support operations. The National Interagency Fire Center in Boise is preparing for an even more extensive Interior/Agriculture commitment. In a report released yesterday, NIFC calculated what resources it could release for the recovery effort while still maintaining a sufficient reserve to fight wildland fires. Managers of NIFC's participating agencies are prepared to make available two area command teams, eight Type 1 IMTs, 20 Type 2 IMTs, and 155 crews. They are also prepared to dispatch aircraft, materials stored in the eleven geographic area caches, radios, and contracted services. Here's today's summary, based on email reports (including a couple of parks that haven't previously appeared in this summary) and information gleaned from a conference call yesterday morning: Everglades NP/Dry Tortugas NP Two more areas of Everglades National Park will reopen to public use today and tomorrow. The Shark Valley Visitor Center, located west of Miami, will open on Friday with some adjustments to keep visitors from entering the one area of roadway that still is covered with water. Another 20 miles of the park's main entrance road will open on Saturday. All established public use trails between the Ernest Coe Visitor Center and the Mahogany Hammock area will open for day use only at this time. A security plan will be in place to allow for the partial reopening. A barricade will be established and staffed by law enforcement rangers from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. to keep the public from entering the closed section to Flamingo and to allow IMT members and other authorized personnel to enter. One third of the Everglades is covered by water and recreational fishing is a popular activity. Much interest is coming from recreational fisherman as to the status of the park's waterways to boating after the storm and the opening of Flamingo boat ramps and boat slips. The Florida Bay, south of Flamingo, is a popular fishing area, particularly for the snook fish (the snook season just opened). The park is cautioning recreational boaters and fishermen of navigational hazards which include missing channel markers and damaged lighted navigational aids along the coast. In addition they are being warned of storm effects that include erosion of shore lines, floating and submerged debris, and shifting of bottom sands. Superintendent Dan Kimball will hold a meeting today for Flamingo employees. Flamingo employees were allowed to move back into employee housing yesterday. All of the Flamingo complex remains closed. Debris has been collected and piled for removal in the employee and concession housing areas and debris collection will continue in the marina and visitor center area. Stoves, refrigerators, and water heaters have been ordered and will be installed in the employee housing in the near future. The critical incident stress management team members Mike Murphy (Blue Ridge Parkway), Don Knisley (Santa Monica Mountains NRA), and Donna Cuttone (Shenandoah NP) have held four debriefings for park employees. A major concern among many of the employees was the welfare for the hurricane victims in Mississippi. A debriefing will be held for Xanterra concession employees tomorrow. The team members will be demobilized on Sunday. [Nancy Gray, IO, EVER; John Bandurski, GUIS; John Quirk, JAZZ; Leigh Zahm and Karl Hakala, JELA; Rusty Rawson, NATR; Holly Rife, CATO; Stacy Allen, SHIL; Monika Mayr, VICK]
Due to the rapidly evolving National Park Service and federal response to Hurricane Katrina recovery operations and the need to disseminate important information as promptly and broadly as possible, the Morning Report and the front page of InsideNPS were updated and transmitted each day over this past three-day weekend. The following report contains all important information, including the current status of the affected parks, but interested readers should see the Saturday, Sunday and Monday editions for prior updates on park status. Everglades NP/Dry Tortugas NP An Eastern IMT (Gordon Wissinger, IC) is at Everglades NP, assisting the park staff with repairs to damage at Flamingo and Dry Tortugas NP. Assisting park employees who were affected by the storm is a high priority of the superintendent. The IMT continues to provide support and needed resources to aid park employees. Many of the 11 employees living in government housing at Flamingo, 50 miles from Homestead, lost personal vehicles and belongings and were housed in a hotel for several days after the storm. Their homes are raised structures with a ground level that mainly houses hot water heaters, air conditioning units, washer and dryers, freezers and refrigerators which were damaged during the storm. Replacement appliances have been ordered and installed as they are delivered. In addition, almost all screens to the windows and doors were torn which is a critical issue this time of year since 13 of the 43 species of mosquitoes that exist here are biting insects. The subtropical environment at Flamingo provides favorable conditions for breeding mosquitoes, abundant during this time of year. A contractor for screening the structures will be on site tomorrow. The loss of telephone service, computers, and transportation hindered employees' ability initially to restore their losses and file appropriate claims. To remedy this situation, they have been provided temporary cellular phones, computers and transportation. Regular telephone service is not expected for some time. In the meantime, a temporary shared telephone line was established to the ranger office, maintenance office, and wastewater treatment plant. Nine incident personnel have been assigned to Dry Tortugas to assist employees there who have worked tirelessly since the storm to clean up the debris and make necessary repairs. In addition, two law enforcement rangers were requested to help while restoration efforts continue on the island. Just in the past three days, three groups of Cubans arrived on Fort Jefferson. The Coast Guard is responsible for picking up the illegal immigrants and removing them from the island. Rangers initially take custody of the individuals until the Coast Guard arrives to pick them up. Due to the commitment by the Coast Guard to the recovery efforts in Louisiana and Mississippi, there has been a delay in their response to the island. The Xanterra Corporation facilities were seriously impacted, as all of the 37 concession employees who live at Flamingo suffered losses when their concession-provided trailers were destroyed and personal belongings were inundated by storm surge. They are temporarily living in the concession lodge while the concessioner works with its insurance adjuster. The IMT is also working with the concessioner to assist with grounds clean up and other miscellaneous work. Approximately 12 employees who live outside Everglades had varying levels of damage to their homes mostly resulting from flood water. Each employee has been contacted and offered assistance. CISM debriefings were held with employees and several follow-up meetings scheduled. The CISM team held meetings with park employees in four areas in Everglades, one at Dry Tortugas, and Biscayne National Park. Meetings were also held with concession employees. The team provided assistance via group debriefings, individual debriefings involving 27 individuals, follow-up stress education and provided information regarding community healthcare professionals, EAP and local CISM peers. As of late Sunday, 190 people were assigned to the incident. [Submitted by Nancy Gray, IO, EVER; Peter Givens, IO, and Rick Brown, IC, GUIS; Chesley Moroz, Eastern National; Dennis Burnett, WASO; David Bleicher, WASO; Rick Delappe, WASO; members of the National IMT. ]
The reports below provide updates (current as of yesterday evening) on actions underway in the six parks still dealing with significant issues stemming from the hurricane's passage:
Those of you seeking documents pertaining to the hurricane from the Washington Office or any of the three incident management teams now in the field (incident action plans, ICS-209s, etc.) should go to http://inside.nps.gov/waso/custommenu.cfm?lv=1&prg=5&id=3742. Files are listed under the appropriate 'folders.' We are just now beginning to receive these, so more will likely be available in the future. Everglades NP/Dry Tortugas NP An Eastern IMT (Gordon Wissinger, IC) is at Everglades NP, assisting the park staff with repairs to damage at Flamingo and Dry Tortugas NP. Ordering of the supplies and materials needed for projects picked up considerably once businesses resumed after the three-day holiday. All the damaged decking from the fuel dock at Dry Tortugas was removed. The antenna contractor and the park's radio technician, along with the radio equipment and supplies, will be transported on Wednesday by the NPS boat Fort Jefferson to begin working on the tower. Once the tower is replaced, Fort Jefferson will reopen to the public. At Flamingo, the park's fire and the Job Corps Mingo crews continued to clean debris around the visitor center area and campground and hauled debris to the dump site. The tree service contractor continued with removal of hazardous trees and work continued to do the finishing grounds work in the housing area. It is expected that tomorrow will be the last day for the grounds work in the public use areas around the marina. One of the park's objectives is to have a partial opening to the marina so that the boat ramp can again be available for use. A four-person crew and a barge operator rode into the Whitewater Bay area to begin assessing damage to the backcountry camping chickee structures in the bay. They also retrieved debris from the Buttonwood canal which leads into the bay. Many of the Whitewater Bay navigational channel day boards were destroyed in the storm. During the trip into the bay, the one day board that the park is responsible for was repaired; the others are the responsibility of the U.S. Coast Guard. An order for a crane and a diver was placed to remove damaged house boats from the concession marina. A law enforcement ranger will be on hand to make sure that no alligators/crocodiles threaten the diver. This work will begin on Thursday. The last of the appliances strewn about from the storm have been collected and stockpiled. A hazardous material disposal company will be on site on Wednesday to make an assessment and set a date for removal. The superintendent has asked the team to assess damages in the Shark Valley area of Everglades and look at some work such as screen replacements, saw work, and minor roof repairs to some of the structures. The team began purchasing equipment to repair many of the monitoring stations located throughout the park. Tammy Keller, CISM counselor, met again with concessioner employees today and will be released tomorrow. As of Tuesday, 121 people were assigned to the incident. [Submitted by Debbie Santiago, IO, IMT, Houston; Nancy Gray, IO, IMT, EVER; Peter Givens, IO, IMT, GUIS; Jerry Pendleton, PAO, NATR]
Today's summary follows... Incident Documents A new web site has been established as a repository for documents related to hurricane recovery operations. Here are some of the things you can find there: The newly-released guide to controlling infectious diseases in responders (under WASO documents) A copy of the NPS National Emergency Response Plan (under WASO documents) Guidance on vaccinations and environmental health (WASO documents) Incident management team delegations of authority, ICS 209s and incident action plans received to date (under respective team document folders) Current reports on total resource commitments made through the National Interagency Fire Center (under NIFC hurricane response documents). The web page is HYPERLINK http://inside.nps.gov/waso/waso.cfm?prg=15&lv=1 Everglades NP/Dry Tortugas NP An Eastern IMT (Gordon Wissinger, IC) is at Everglades NP, assisting the park staff with repairs to damage at Flamingo and Dry Tortugas NP. Effective Saturday, Dry Tortugas National Park reopened to visitors. A replacement communication system was successfully installed enabling the reopening. The park's campground was not damaged by the storm and is also available for public use. Access to Flamingo via Everglades National Park's main road was restored on Sunday for day use only between the hours of 5 a.m. and 7 p.m. Visitors will be able to launch their boats and gain entry to popular fishing waters in Florida Bay and Whitewater Bay. All other visitor services in Flamingo remain closed, including the lodge, cabins, campground, fish cleaning station, and marina store. The team is detailing the status of projects and responsibilities to determine completion dates and what is likely to be transitioned to the park. Several contracts are pending for major projects, but are expected to be issued this week. A summary follows: At Flamingo -Grove pruning work and brush clearing along seven miles of the main road (both sides). The specialty equipment to perform the pruning work is not available until later this week. Replacement of the fish grinder at the fish cleaning house. The fish cleaner is a highly complex system and most of the electrical equipment is proprietary. The team, with park recommendation, is investigating other options for a replacement, very important to the high number of fisherman who launch their boats in that area. Repair of a research boat that was damaged when a heavy soil coring drill hit it. Design and replacement of the information desk at the Flamingo Visitor Center. Removal of damaged appliances from the housing area by a hazardous materials unit. Restoration of telephone service to Flamingo by Sprint, expected to take another several weeks. At Dry Tortugas - Florida Power and Light representatives are providing their expertise and are developing a proposal and scope of work for the purchase of three 5,000-pound, 100-kw generators to meet the specific engineering and design requirements. The park expects to receive the proposal by Wednesday to review, and, if all goes well, delivery of the three generators to Key West could be as early as Friday. Arrangements will be made to transport the generators 70 miles from Key West to Fort Jefferson and to install the three generators. Incident personnel will work with park staff to disconnect the damaged generators. A contract will also be issued for relocating the fuel tanks and to dredge the moat around Fort Jefferson. Elsewhere - A roofing contract will be issued to repair 11 buildings in Shark Valley and one in Flamingo. Screening work will also be done in other areas of the park. Carpenters completed installation of all 16 screen doors in the housing area at Flamingo. Another major project in the housing area is the contract screen work. The contractor is 50 percent complete. The salt water inundated most electrical systems and components from wall plugs to machinery and light fixtures. Miscellaneous electrical work is being accomplished and will continue for some time in the housing area and the maintenance complex. Appliances are still being installed in the employee quarters. Trail assessments in the Flamingo area are being done. The Mingo crew continued in the campground to collect and stack picnic tables, demolish the campground amphitheater, and clear trails. In response to a National Park Service's public health recommendation directive for emergency responders involved in Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts, IMT safety officer Tim Francis has arranged for diphtheria and tetanus immunization shots at local clinics. Field personnel who are currently working on hurricane recovery efforts and those who may be deployed in the future are being encouraged to get the free vaccines available in Homestead and Key West. [Nancy Gray, IO, IMT, EVER]
The East IMT at Everglades has begun finishing up its operations, the second East IMT at Gulf Islands has determined that all facilities on the two offshore islands were wiped out by the storm (with one or two exceptions), and the National IMT, now relocated to Thibodaux in Louisiana, continues assisting employees and working toward restoration of park facilities. Information Directory 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". Now posted there are: NEW: A new subsection entitled "National Response Plan" (left hand column) contains the emergency support functions (ESFs) in the National Response Plan - the document which is guiding the entire federal response The newly-released guide to controlling infectious diseases in responders (under WASO documents) A copy of the NPS National Emergency Response Plan (under WASO documents) Guidance on vaccinations and environmental health (WASO documents) Incident management team delegations of authority, ICS 209s and incident action plans received to date (under respective team document folders) Current reports on total resource commitments made through the National Interagency Fire Center (under NIFC hurricane response documents). There are also web pages that are now available that provide a good deal of additional information. We will post some of the more significant of these: Disaster Help - This is a major federal public site on the Katrina recovery which includes a wide variety of important links. HYPERLINK "https://disasterhelp.gov/portal/jhtml/index.jhtml" https://disasterhelp.gov/portal/jhtml/index.jhtml Everglades NP/Dry Tortugas NP An Eastern IMT (Gordon Wissinger, IC) is at Everglades NP, assisting the park staff with repairs to damage at Flamingo and Dry Tortugas NP. The IMT is beginning to demobilize resources and begin its transition plan. A closeout with the superintendent and staff of Everglades National Park/Dry Tortugas National Park is scheduled on Friday morning. At that time, all files, paperwork and ongoing projects will be transferred to the park. The team will demobilize on Friday and travel back to their homes on Saturday. The total number of personnel currently committed to the incident is now 86. Forty-eight are NPS employees, 22 are U.S. Forest Service, two are North Carolina and Oklahoma Forestry Department employees, and 14 are private. The Everglades fire crew was demobilized on Monday. The 20-person Mingo Job Corps Crew (U.S. Forest Service) from Missouri, which mainly helped in the Flamingo area performing debris removal and grounds clean up, will be released on Wednesday. The other skilled tradesmen will be released on Thursday, except for a couple that will help with the installation of the generators if they are delivered on Friday or soon after. Florida Power and Light engineers are traveling with park staff to Dry Tortugas on Tuesday to obtain final information and specifications to help them develop the proposal for the three new generators. Work in Flamingo consisted of screening facilities, hazardous tree removal, roof work, and electrical repairs. Finishing grounds duties involved spreading mulch in the housing area, grinding tree stumps, filling in stump holes, and filling dumpsters with debris. The IMT contract specialist met with potential roof contractors in Shark Valley. [Debbie Santiago, IO, IMT, Houston; Nancy Gray, IO, IMT, EVER; Barb Stewart, IO, IMT, GUIS]
Highlights of yesterday's operations at the affected parks: The Eastern IMT (Wissinger) at Everglades/Dry Tortugas will be demobilized by tomorrow afternoon. Demob operations are underway. The second Eastern IMT (Brown) at Gulf Islands hosted a gathering and cookout in Davis Bayou for park staff, volunteers and partners. Crews are making significant progress on cleanup operations. The National IMT (Swed) has compiled stats on the storms terrible impact on employee homes in the parks (details below). The Chalmette VC is a total loss; the Barataria VC will need substantial work. Information Directory 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. Now posted there are: NEW: A copy of the September 2nd Human Resources memo on "absence, leave, overtime pay and hiring flexibilities" (under WASO Documents). NEW: A copy of the September 9th memo with "guidance on campground waivers for Hurricane Katrina evacuees" (under WASO Documents). NEW: A high-quality, reproducible map from NIFC showing the location of all teams dispatched from the center (under Interagency Hurricane Response Documents). NEW: Information from the National Team on employee assistance for NPS employees affected by the hurricane (found under "Employee Information" on the left hand column on the main page). A subsection entitled "National Response Plan" contains the emergency support functions (ESFs) in the National Response Plan - the document which is guiding the entire federal response (found on the left hand column of the main page). A guide to controlling infectious diseases in responders (under WASO Documents). A copy of the NPS National Emergency Response Plan (under WASO Documents). Guidance on vaccinations and environmental health (under WASO Documents). Incident management team delegations of authority, ICS 209s and incident action plans received to date (under respective team document folders) Current reports on total resource commitments made through the National Interagency Fire Center (under Interagency Hurricane Response Documents). There are also web pages that are now available that provide a good deal of additional information. We will post some of the more significant of these: Disaster Help - This is a major federal public site on the Katrina recovery which includes a wide variety of important links. HYPERLINK "https://disasterhelp.gov/portal/jhtml/index.jhtml" Everglades NP/Dry Tortugas NP An Eastern IMT (Gordon Wissinger, IC) is at Everglades NP, assisting the park staff with repairs to damage at Flamingo and Dry Tortugas NP. All incident personnel will be demobilized by close of business on Thursday, September 15th. Four incident personnel will continue working in the park after the IMT leaves but will be transitioned to the park. Two law enforcement rangers will continue to assist on Dry Tortugas and an electrician and plumber will stay on the island to help disconnect three damaged generators. The team is working on its demobilization and transition plan and preparing documentation for the closeout with the park on Friday. Fifty-one field personnel who are currently working on hurricane recovery efforts or may be deployed in the future have signed up to receive free diphtheria and tetanus shots being organized by the team in Miami and Key West. A structural fire occurred at the concession lodge at Flamingo when a concessions contractor was welding to install new plumbing equipment in the attic. The fire was suppressed and contained to an area above one of the rooms. The Miami Dade Fire Department assisted the park with suppression. There were no occupants as the lodge is closed resulting from hurricane damages. [Debbie Santiago and Morgan Miller, IO's, IMT, Houston; Nancy Gray, IO, IMT, EVER; Barb Stewart, IO, IMT, GUIS]
Summaries of yesterday's operations follow the information directory that appears below: Information Directory 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. Now posted there are: Personnel Issues A copy of the September 2nd Human Resources memo on "absence, leave, overtime pay and hiring flexibilities" (under WASO Documents). A copy of the September 9th memo with "guidance on campground waivers for Hurricane Katrina evacuees" (under WASO Documents). Information from the National Team on employee assistance for NPS employees affected by the hurricane (found under "Employee Information" on the left hand column on the main page). Response Topics A subsection entitled "National Response Plan" contains the emergency support functions (ESFs) found in that plan (found on the left hand column of the main page). Infectious Disease Control - A guide to controlling infectious diseases in responders (under WASO Documents). A copy of the NPS National Emergency Response Plan (under WASO Documents). Incident management team delegations of authority, ICS 209s and incident action plans received to date (under respective team document folders) Current reports on total resource commitments made through the National Interagency Fire Center (under Interagency Hurricane Response Documents). A high-quality, reproducible map from NIFC showing the location of all teams dispatched from the center (under Interagency Hurricane Response Documents). Health and Safety Issues Guidance on vaccinations and environmental health (under WASO Documents). Other Useful Sites This is a major federal public site on the Katrina recovery which includes a wide variety of important links. HYPERLINK https://disasterhelp.gov/portal/jhtml/index.jhtml Everglades NP/Dry Tortugas NP An Eastern IMT (Gordon Wissinger, IC) is at Everglades NP, assisting the park staff with repairs to damage at Flamingo and Dry Tortugas NP. The Flamingo maintenance staff hosted an appreciation gathering for the IMT crews who worked in the park for weeks under difficult conditions and long hours cleaning up the havoc left by Hurricane Katrina. The barbeque was held at the Flamingo chickee, the employee recreational pavilion located in the housing area that was one of the hardest hit areas. Good food and feelings of a job well done set the mood and marked the first phase of the park's recovery process. At the height of the recovery effort over the past several weeks, there were 126 people assigned to the incident. Fifty-three of the 89 NPS employees were Everglades and Dry Tortugas employees. Before the IMT arrived, initial work performed by park employees included clearing roads, taking account of their employees' welfare, and making emergency repairs. At Dry Tortugas, the staff, many of whom rode out the storm inside Fort Jefferson, also took critical measures to initially deal with the storm's impacts. They continued to provide valuable support to the IMT throughout. It was this team spirit and comradeship that allowed the tremendous amount of work to be accomplished. Park managers from all over the country sent their skilled and talented employees to help Everglades and Dry Tortugas National Parks. Twenty-four units of the National Park Service responded to the call for help, as well as the U.S. Forest Service and three state forestry departments. These employees performed a variety of field duties that involved operating heavy equipment, sawing fallen trees, performing carpentry and electrical work, hauling debris, clearing roads and trails, repairing and stabilizing equipment and facilities, overseeing operations, supporting law enforcement functions, and a host of miscellaneous jobs. As the operations come to a close, the demobilization of the team's resources continues and currently 58 people are assigned to the incident. Thursday will be the last day at the incident command post. This is the team's final report. [Debbie Santiago and Morgan Miller, IO's, IMT, JELA/JAZZ; Nancy Gray, IO, IMT, EVER; Barb Stewart, IO, IMT, GUIS]
South Florida parks have all put their hurricane plans into effect and are largely closed. Here are the particulars: Everglades NP - The main entrance to Everglades closed to visitors at noon yesterday; the Shark Valley and Gulf Coast visitor centers closed at 5 p.m. No tourist-related services, including tours, camping and backcountry permits, will be provided during the closures and until the parks reopen. Parkwide preparations were concluded in mid afternoon and all employees who will not be on duty or sheltered in park facilities were released. [Bob DeGross, Chief of Interpretation, BICY; Michelle D. Oehmichen, IO, IMT, BISC; Bob Panko, IC, and Rick Cook, PAO, EVER; Willie Lopez, DRTO]
Meanwhile, reports have also been received from four parks in Florida that were hit by the storm earlier this week: Everglades NP Assessments conducted today showed that Hurricane Rita caused minimal damage to Everglades National Park. The park experienced no significant sea surge or overwash, but there were areas of localized flooding from rainfall. Tree damage was minimal and clean up and stabilization work that occurred after Hurricane Katrina was not compromised. The power grid is intact throughout most of the park. The most significant damage was the loss of the entire aluminum/screened porch/break room attached to the Dan Beard Center. This structure collapsed, apparently due to the weight of water accumulation on its roof. An aerial survey of the Florida Bay and Gulf of Mexico portions of the park revealed no disabled or derelict vessels found. All parts of Everglades National Park were re-opened to the public by 2:30 p.m. yesterday. [Submitted by Mark Foust, Chief, Branch of Ranger Activities, IMRO; Mark Peapenburg, CR, BITH; Brian Carey, CR, LYJO; Randy Larson, CR, PAIS; Dan Steed, CR, SAAN; Bob Panko, FMO, EVER; Ed Clark, CR, BITH]
As Hurricane Wilma winds up in the Caribbean, parks in south Florida within the possible path of this intense hurricane are once again shutting down: Everglades NP Everglades began the two-day process of securing its facilities and fleet. Staff members are working regularly scheduled duty hours today. It's anticipated that all preparation work will be completed by close of business. Present plans are to permit concessions at Shark Valley and Everglades City to operate through the close of business on Friday. Concession facilities at Flamingo are still closed due to the impacts of Hurricane Katrina. Everglades is anticipating closing the park to public use sometime on Friday. Backcountry users will be directed to leave the backcountry by noon on Friday. Hurricane shelters for park residents and employees assigned to work during the storm will likely open on Saturday morning. This is the eight time the park has gone through hurricane preparedness operations in the past 14 months. [Ken Garvin, FMO, Southeast Regional Office; Bob Panko, IC, EVER/DRTO; Eric Lugo, Chief Ranger, CANA; Kevin Walsh, FMO, BITH; Maria Beotegui, BISC]
The Service's National Incident Management Team (JD Swed, IC) has been pre-positioned in Orlando, Florida, for immediate response, if needed. Thirteen overhead team members are planning and preparing to assist parks with employee accounting and assistance, emergency damage mitigation and park recovery. Establishment of the ICP in Orlando in advance of the storm's arrival enables the team to respond at the first safe opportunity to the storm-related needs of NPS employees and park units. The general trend in lessons learned in responses to Isabel, Katrina and Rita, is that pre-positioning a team in advance of a hurricane results in more successful and rapid recovery of parks and employees from the effects of these weather events. Everglades NP/Dry Tortugas NP Everglades National Park was completely closed as of Sunday morning at 8 a.m. The park's Gulf Coast Visitor Center and Flamingo services had already closed. Dry Tortugas NP closed to visitors last Wednesday. [Ken Garvin, FMO, SERO; Shauna Dyas, IO, National IMT; Rick Cook, PAO, EVER; Ed Clark, Chief Ranger, BICY; John Stiner, CANA; Charlie Fenwick, Acting Superintendent, DESO]
The National IMT (JD Swed, IC) continues to gather information and prepare to assist south Florida NPS units now that Hurricane Wilma has passed out of the state and into the Atlantic. Operations and logistics have been coordinating with parks and local entities to prepare to address employee and park needs. Preliminary damage assessments have been received by the team, regional director and WASO. Some employees at Everglades and Biscayne have still not been accounted for. Since cellular communications and land phone lines have been damaged, it's likely that employees are fine but having trouble connecting with their park. While some areas still have not been inspected, indications are that Everglades and Big Cypress have sustained significant damage to visitor centers, housing, and other infrastructure. Biscayne is scheduled to give the team an accurate damage assessment today after park staff gain access to headquarters, docks and islands. Park staff on the mainland hope to inspect Dry Tortugas by helicopter today to assess damage there. Generally, power, water and communications are non-existent or spotty in all areas. Wind damage to roofs, structures, docks, power lines and downed trees are widespread throughout south Florida. A small number of incident management team members will travel to the Everglades/Big Cypress/Biscayne area today and the rest of the team will follow as soon as they can be supported logistically. Everglades NP/Dry Tortugas NP All Key Largo employees have been accounted for, but some employees from other park areas are still to be contacted. Communications issues are suspected to be the cause of at least some employees not calling in yet. All employees at Dry Tortugas have been accounted for. Damage includes downed trees and the predictable results of a ten-foot storm surge. There is no obvious damage at headquarters. Getting to Flamingo to assess damage is difficult at this point due to downed trees. No damage assessment has yet been conducted at Dry Tortugas, but an overflight of the park will take place today. There was not as much damage in Everglade City as expected. [Shauna Dyas, IO, National IMT]
The logistics chief and operations chief from the National IMT (JD Swed, IC) traveled to south Florida early Tuesday morning to gather information and deal with the logistical arrangements necessary to support the people needed to assist Everglades, Big Cypress, Biscayne and any other NPS units or cooperators/volunteers who need it. Updated damage assessments were received by the team, regional director and WASO on Tuesday morning. Some employees at Everglades, Big Cypress and Biscayne have still not been accounted for. Cellular communications and land phone lines are still spotty or non-existent and it's likely that employees are fine but still having trouble connecting with their park. Park staffs are working very hard to contact every NPS employee, volunteer and concession employee and check their condition. Tuesday morning's updates on the parks follow. Power, water and communications are still or spotty in all areas. Wind damage to roofs, structures, docks, power lines and downed trees are widespread throughout south Florida. The incident commander, plans chief, finance chief and safety officer traveled on Tuesday afternoon to join the team members at Everglades. The rest of the team will follow as soon as they can be supported logistically. Everglades NP/Dry Tortugas NP Eighty-four employees have been accounted for. Sixty-two employees were still unaccounted for on Tuesday morning. There are still no or few reliable communications in the park. Thirty power poles on the road into the park have been snapped off at ground level by Wilma. The communications center at Homestead has no electricity but it does have phones operational. It will be used by the park to track down unaccounted employees. The trams at Shark Valley have been damaged and are turned onto their sides. There are trees down on the loop road to Key Largo. There is no power at Key Largo. No damage report was given for Dry Tortugas. Plans call for an overflight of the park today. [Submitted by Barb Stewart, IO, IMT, GUIS; Greg Stiles, IC, IMT, JELA/JAZZ]
Everglades NP/Dry Tortugas NP Both parks sustained major damage and remain closed due to impacts of high winds and storm surge from Hurricane Wilma. All park facilities are currently without power and telephone service. Trees are down in areas throughout the park, with many blocking access to roads, trails and boat channels. Numerous power line poles are down in the East Everglades and along State Road 9336 leading to the main park entrance. Communications at the park are still a serious issue. Lack of fuel, power and logistical support are creating difficulties all over south Florida, including Everglades. Park staff are still using the communications equipment at Krome Center to attempt to contact employees and manage the incident. The center has no electricity or air conditioning, but it does have a land line phone with an answering machine, fax and computers cooled by generator. High water affected much of the park's Gulf Coast and Flamingo areas. Flooding has added to problems already being addressed following Katrina. For example, all water and electrical systems are down at Flamingo and further damage has been sustained at the lodge and campground. In some cases, earlier post-Katrina recovery efforts have been wiped away by the affects of Wilma. Flamingo suffered a six to seven-foot storm surge (much worse than the three to five-foot storm surge sustained during Katrina). Flamingo is now very salt-laden and covered with mud. Of the three concession-owned thousand-gallon propane tanks at Flamingo, one is missing and one of the remaining tanks is leaking. Flamingo residents who were evacuated to park headquarters will be allowed back to their homes when the area is declared safe. High winds caused structural and equipment damage at Flamingo, Gulf Coast and Shark Valley. The canoe launch at Everglades City is wrecked. Structural damage to residences consists mostly of damaged screening and porches ripped off. A park curator has been checking on the park collection. The park superintendent was told that it might be mid-November before power is restored. As of Thursday morning, all but about 20 NPS employees at Everglades NP had been accounted for. Park staff planned to go out into the community to attempt to locate the unaccounted for individuals in person. Park staff are also working with interagency partners to locate researchers who have not yet checked in. A CISM team should arrive in the park by Friday. One crew is working on employee needs and community assistance. Employees are trying to tarp roofs in anticipation of forecasted rain showers over the next few days. Some park staff are able to work out of the Krome Center, where everything is working but the AC. Fans were brought in today to help cool the facility. The park fuel supply is running low. Two crews worked yesterday to clear hazard trees along State Highway 41. Two public open house meetings planned for October 26th and 27th regarding airboat tour operations have been cancelled. Impacts on Dry Tortugas appear to be significant and at least as much damage has been observed as was the case following Hurricane Charley last year. All eleven people who remained on Dry Tortugas during the storm have been accounted for and are OK. Due to the park's remote location, the superintendent has not been able to contact Dry Tortugas site supervisor Willie Lopez, but it is expected that there is damage to the moat wall and dock at Loggerhead. The park reported a high wind speed during Wilma of 134 mph. On Wednesday, a seaplane flew from Key West to Dry Tortugas. The crew confirmed damages to docks and missing sections of the moat wall. Damage assessments for Loggerhead are still pending, but are expected to be similar to past storms. [Submitted by Michelle Fidler, Fire Education Specialist, SER; Shauna Dyas, IO, National IMT; Mark Lewis, Superintendent, BISC; Susan Gonshor, Chief of Interpretation, BISC; Dan Kimball, Superintendent, EVER/DRTO.]
The National IMT (JD Swed, IC) transitioned Sunday with the park IMTs from Big Cypress and Everglades. The total number of personnel currently committed to the incident is now 145, including 24 overhead. An FMSS team is onsite to assist Everglades, Dry Tortugas, Big Cypress and Biscayne with facility condition assessments and will enter the information into the FMSS system. Electricity has been restored to Big Cypress, Biscayne and Everglades. Equipment and material are arriving at all three parks. An employee assistance specialist has been assigned to the incident and is meeting with park employees to determine how best to assist affected employees and their families with recovery from Wilma. The National IMT will be attending all-employee meetings that all three parks have scheduled during the coming week. Communications are still challenging all over south Florida. Park employees who have significant need for temporary housing have been placed in motel rooms. Contact with the FEMA incident management team running a receiving and distribution center at Homestead has been established. Meals for crews and fuel are available. Everglades NP The branch director assigned to Everglades NP is Bob Panko, the park's FMO. Debris removal and salvage by crews are underway in all areas of Everglades and facilities continue to be assessed for specific repair needs and cultural resource damage. By the end of Sunday, 80% of the park, not counting Flamingo, will have been assessed. The majority of the widespread park damage is an aggravation of the damage from Katrina. The park IMT conducted a site visit to Flamingo on October 28th to assess damage and plan for clean-up. Flamingo sustained an eigth-foot storm surge, covering all low-lying surfaces with six to eight inches of mud. Flamingo still has no power. It has already been determined by park staff that the damage at Flamingo will be the biggest project and will require long-term design and engineering that will involve the NEPA process. Key Largo lost a dock and will also be a long-term project. Tree cutting and removal will continue in Shark Valley and on the Loop Road. There is no access into East Everglades because the road is impassable due to down power lines and debris. Park repeaters are back on line with the exception of Dry Tortugas. Hazardous tree removal is underway. Skilled tradesmen are focusing on repair of utilities and structural damage repair. A crew from Big Cypress is assisting with clean-up at the Gulf Coast Visitor Center, located in the northwest corner of the park. Contact has been established with the FEMA disaster recovery team in Everglades City to work with them on employee assistance and insurance claims. The Environmental Center was cleaned up by a crew from Glacier NP and Delaware Water Gap NRA. MRE's have been secured for crews assigned to Everglades and park employees who need them. Curatorial collections are fine and have been secured. There have been no significant injuries or illnesses within the park since the beginning of the Wilma incident. [Shauna Dyas, IO, National IMT]
The National IMT (JD Swed, IC) transitioned Monday with the park IMT from Biscayne National Park. The team spent the morning at an all employee meeting at Biscayne and transitioned with the park's IMT shortly thereafter. The park IMT has done an outstanding job of employee assistance and initial damage assessment. The National IMT will now assist the park with continuing assessments of damage and storm recovery. Equipment and material are arriving at all three parks. An additional employee assistance specialist has arrived and is out in the parks meeting with park employees to determine how best to assist them. Phone service was again out this morning at both Biscayne and Everglades, creating continuing communications problems for both the parks and the IMT. Everglades NP/Dry Tortugas NP Superintendent Dan Kimball yesterday reported that phone service was not available at Everglade headquarters. Work continues to try to fix the air conditioning at the Krome Center in Homestead. The A/C unit was blown off the roof by Wilma. The park is taking action to dehumidify the Dan Beard center to protect cultural resources. Protection ranger Bud Walsh (Sequoia-Kings Canyon) has been assigned as branch director at Dry Tortugas for this incident. He traveled to Key West yesterday to prepare to go to the park on Tuesday and begin damage assessment and recovery. Additional Information A web site has been established as a repository for official documents related to hurricane recovery operations: http://inside.nps.gov/waso/waso.cfm?prg=15&lv=1. [Submitted by Shauna Dyas, IO, National IMT]
The National IMT (JD Swed, IC) attended an all-employee meeting held at a chickee near Everglades park headquarters on Tuesday to discuss employee assistance, incident logistics and incident finance with a good portion of the park staff. The team continues to assist Big Cypress, Biscayne and Everglades with condition assessments and recovery operations. Everglades NP/Dry Tortugas NP Significant progress is being made at Everglades, with the current focus on opening Everglades City and Shark Valley. The 24 downed power poles along the main park entrance road are being replaced and the cables restrung. With luck, power will soon be restored to the park. Phone service remains up and down (mostly down). At the Krome Center, a leased park office building located in Homestead, phone, internet and lights are all operational. Working conditions are challenging, though, because temperatures and humidity are rising and the air conditioning still does not work. Assessments are being made of NPS boundary markers off the Gulf Coast shoreline to determine the degree of storm damage suffered. Staff will attempt to contact any owners of derelict vessels found. Crews continue with tree and brush removal at Shark Valley. An estimate is expected soon from an NPS approved contractor who is preparing to bid on tree and debris removal and hauling along the rest of Shark Valley Road. Debris removal continues at Royal Palm and will move to Hidden Lake. A squad of eight crew members and a chipper on loan from Gulf Islands NS will work to clear roadside debris from the entrance station south on the main park road. At Flamingo, workers are removing mud and debris from roads and facilities using pressure washers and a water tender. Backcountry chickees and NPS and USCG markers in the Flamingo district are being assessed for damage. Park protection rangers continue to patrol the closed park to prevent/detect illegal dumping and other inappropriate behavior. 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. [Shauna Dyas, IO, National IMT]
It was reported yesterday that the National IMT (JD Swed, IC) attended an all-employee meeting held at a "chickee" near park headquarters at Everglades. A chickee is a thatch-roofed, over-water shade structure originally used by the local Native Americans for ceremonial purposes and housing. In south Florida, any covered, open-air or screened structure where people gather is referred to by the Native American term of "chickee." This is true especially in areas within or close to Native American tribal lands. As a continuation of today's Native American theme, Canyon de Chelly National Monument has sent a 30-person crew to assist in hurricane relief efforts in Everglades National Park. The crew, which specializes in exotic plant removal, fuels reduction and search and rescue, is a locally-based Navajo crew hired and trained by Canyon de Chelly to address issues in the park, across the Navajo Reservation and within Intermountain Region. The crew was deployed within a matter of hours and included the technical expertise of an arborist, electrician and heavy equipment operator. The Canyon de Chelly crew is providing support to Everglades in the clean-up of debris on roads and around facilities, removal of downed trees, and restoration of electrical and other operational services. Everglades NP/Dry Tortugas NP A second all-employee meeting was held at Everglades' Gulf Coast Visitor Center. The superintendent, deputy superintendent and key members of the National IMT were in attendance. An employee assistance specialist was also on hand to answer employee questions and address immediate employee needs. Debris clean-up on Key Largo has been completed. Three employee assistance assessments are complete with the delivery of a generator to all three. The Gumbo Limbo and the Anhinga Trails are now complete. Royal Palm VC parking area is now clear of debris and Hidden Lake access is cleared. Ninety percent of facility initial assessments are complete. Roads, trails and waysides are still in need of assessment. Hydrologists have been using a helicopter to assess damages to hydro stations in Florida Bay. A fixed wing flight was operated today to monitor panthers and manatees. Additional Information A web site has been established as a repository for official documents related to hurricane recovery operations: 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 most important questions. The specific URL to that document is http://classicinside.nps.gov/documents/FAQ%20Sheet%20-%20Hurricane%20Wilma%2010-30-05.doc [Submitted by Shauna Dyas, IO, National IMT]
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. 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. Additional Information A web site has been established as a repository for official documents related to hurricane recovery operations: 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 http://classicinside.nps.gov/documents/FAQ%20Sheet%20-%20Hurricane%20Wilma%2010-30-05.doc
Denny Ziemann's Pacific West IMT will transition with JD Swed's National IMT today and assume management of this incident. Swed's team filed its last report earlier this week. It follows. The National IMT (JD Swed, IC) continues it's oversight of recovery from Hurricane Wilma in south Florida. There are now 384 people deployed throughout Big Cypress National Preserve, Biscayne National Park, Everglades National Park and Dry Tortugas National Park. The three parks continue to open selected areas to the public while proceeding with the clean-up process. Everglades NP LE rangers are maintaining a 24-hour checkpoint near the park entrance and roving to enforce the park closure. Rangers are also patrolling the eastern park boundary from Pine Island to East Everglades by ATV. An LE boat patrol is being conducted from Whitewater Bay to Cape Sable. Deficiencies from field surveys are being entered into FMSS at the park. At Shark Valley, a street sweeper on loan from Big Cypress has begun to clean the loop road. Park management is hoping to open Shark Valley when power is restored to the area. The park still has no power from headquarters to Flamingo. Limited power at headquarters is supplied by generator. Interpretive staff are roving the Coe Visitor Center parking lot at Pine Island to inform the public of the park's closure and condition. At Flamingo, crews are working on the Snake Bight Trail and continue mud removal in the Loop B bathrooms. A contractor is consolidating debris piles and continues road clearing in Flamingo. The air conditioning is now operational at the Krome Centre office building in Homestead, much to the relief of park and IC staff who have been working there without HVAC since Wilma hit on October 24th. 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. 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 [Shauna Dyas, IO, National IMT]
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. 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. 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. [Richard Reuse, IO, Panko IMT; Judy Bartzatt, IO, Pacific West IMT]
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. Everglades NP On Thursday, crews began preparing a USGS houseboat to accompany and support trail clearing missions into remote portions of the backcountry Wilderness Waterway. Efforts to remove debris from the Flamingo boat basin continued, as did efforts to clear storm damaged areas at Chekika. Restoration of Flamingo electric, water and wastewater facilities continued. Currently, planning is underway to transfer Wilma recovery efforts to normal park supervision. Long Pine Key Campground was opened for public use. Additional Information A web site has been established as a repository for official documents related to hurricane recovery operations: http://inside.nps.gov/waso/waso.cfm?prg=15&lv=1. [Submitted by Richard Reuse, IO, Panko IMT; Judy Bartzatt, IO, Pacific West IMT]
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. [Richard Reuse, IO, Panko IMT; Judy Bartzatt, IO, Pacific West IMT]
Denny Ziemann's Pacific West IMT, which was overseeing activities at Biscayne NP and Big Cypress NP, will be closing out with those two parks today. Team members will be heading home on Wednesday. Everglades NP/Dry Tortugas NP Everglades National Park reopened on Sunday, November 20th, after Tropical Storm Gamma's projected path shifted to the south overnight. Portions of the park still remain inaccessible to the public, though, as recovery efforts continue. Dry Tortugas National Park reopened on Monday, November 21st. Remaining incident personnel on the islands returned to Everglades over the weekend and are demobilizing. The transfer of command plan was prepared on Sunday. 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. [Richard Reuse, IO, Panko IMT; Judy Bartzatt, IO, Pacific West IMT]
On Monday, February 13th, the park received a "be on the lookout" message for a man from Maine who'd told his family that he'd gone to south Florida to commit suicide. Within minutes of receipt of this message, rangers determined that the man in question may have been seen earlier in the day by a park research employee. A ranger responded and found the man where he'd last been seen at the park entrance. The man had two knives in his possession and told her that he still wanted to kill himself. She was able to engage him in conversation for an extended period of time, during which backup arrived from other districts and from Miami-Dade PD. The man was taken into custody without incident and transported to Miami-Dade for mental evaluation. [Bonnie Foist, Chief Ranger]
In 2004, rangers in the East Everglades Subdistrict began an investigation and developed intelligence which lead to the uncovering of a large scale market of persons and businesses involved in the trapping and sale of protected migratory bird species. The investigation began when rangers monitoring websites on the internet discovered that bird traps were being placed in the park. The traps were found to contain painted buntings and indigo buntings. Rangers and state officers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission subsequently conducted surveillance operations and followed the people who retrieved the traps and birds to a residence in a North Miami area called Hialeah. Once at this residence, they stopped, detained, interrogated, seized evidence from and cited several people for Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) violations. Further information was gained by state and federal USFWS agents who continued the investigation and uncovered a large marketing site in Hialeah. Additional observations by field biologists with the U.S. Geological Survey conducting research in South Florida revealed that many of the protected migratory birds were being sold illegally in pet stores and informal flea markets around Miami. Six defendants, all residents of the Miami-Hialeah area, unlawfully sold and offered for sale indigo and painted buntings (Passerina cyanea and Passerina ciris), blue grosbeaks (Guiraca caerulea), and northern cardinals (Cardinalis cardinals) during the period from October 24, 2004 through July 11, 2005 in violation of 16 USC 703 and 707. The defendants conducted regular sales almost every Sunday, for many months in the parking lot of a business in Hialeah. Undercover officers made direct purchases of birds from the various defendants over the course of the investigation. The informal bird market, often attended by 50 to 100 people, relocated to a local municipal park area during the undercover investigation. Over the course of the operation, officers were illegally sold over 250 protected migratory birds and were offered in excess of 3,500 birds by the illegal dealers. The investigation also led to charges and convictions against three pet store operators for possessing the same protected species in their stores. Under federal law, the Secretary of the Department of Interior maintains a list of highly migratory birds that are protected from, among other things, capture, barter, sale, or transport. The purpose of the federal law, which is almost 90 years old, is to protect species of birds which, because of their migratory behavior, may be subjected to such severe hunting and other "take" activity over their range that the species may suffer extirpation or extinction. Research conducted over a 30 year period has shown that populations of at least one of the protected species involved in these cases - the painted bunting (Passerina ciris) - have declined over 50% throughout their migratory range. Further information regarding these species, including photographs and research information, may be found at HYPERLINK "http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/infocenter.html". A copy of all press releases may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at HYPERLINK "http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls". [David Pharo, Supervisory Park Ranger]
On the evening of April 3rd, rangers in the Flamingo District were contacted by the Coast Guard and advised of a boat with Cuban migrants off Cape Sable. They found 36 Cuban men, women and children on the beach at Middle Cape. A 30-foot "go-fast" boat powered by four 250-hp outboard engines was also found at that location. According to initial reports, five members of the group were missing - two of them believed to be the smugglers. A Customs Blackhawk helicopter assisted in the search for the five but without results. The Coast Guard took the Cubans to Marathon, Florida. On the morning of April 4th, rangers and a Customs helicopter continued the search and found another three migrants. It's believed that the boat ran out of gas and drifted to shore. The vessel was seized and the three migrants turned over to the Border Patrol. [Bonnie Foist]
On June 8th, ranger Mirta Maltes received a report of a domestic dispute in the Royal Palm Visitor Center parking lot. She soon found the involved truck and stopped the driver for speeding just inside the park near the main entrance. Maltes found that the driver had a suspended license and was very intoxicated. During the contact, the driver sped away, leaving his family on the roadside. A lengthy high speed pursuit followed throughout rural western Dade County, involving several park rangers and numerous Miami-Dade and Florida Wildlife Commission officers. The pursuit ended in farm fields with the truck surrounded by dozens of law enforcement vehicles. During the pursuit, the driver attempted to run down two Miami-Dade officers and an Everglades ranger. Rangers filed a criminal complaint charging the individual with felony fleeing and eluding (18 USC 13, assimilating FL 316.1935). He has also been charged with DUI and numerous other misdemeanors. The Miami Dade Police Department is also pursuing charges of assault on a police officer. [Bonnie Foist, Chief Ranger]
On the night of June 17th, the Coast Guard notified the park that John Lynn was overdue from a fishing trip in the North River area of the park. Rangers found his vehicle at the Whitewater Bay boat ramp. A Coast Guard helicopter searched through the night, but was unable to find any sign of him. At first light, rangers in two park boats began searching the area, and were soon joined by a park plane. A spotter in the plane located Lynn in a remote wilderness area at the headwaters of the North River. A Coast Guard helicopter hoisted Lynn from the ground, flew him to the airport in Homestead, and reunited him with his family. Lynn was then taken to Homestead Hospital and treated for dehydration and insect bites. Tony Terry was incident commander. [Bonnie Foist, Chief Ranger]
Due to the possible imminent arrival of Hurricane Ernesto, both Dry Tortugas and Everglades began putting their hurricane plans into effect yesterday. The storm is expected to threaten the Florida coast on early Tuesday. Dry Tortugas completed preparations and closed to the public at 3 p.m. on Sunday. All licensed commercial transport to the park, including ferry boats and seaplane services, has been suspended until the park reopens. Everglades closed to boaters at midnight on Sunday and closed fully to all visitors at 6 a.m. this morning. Park staff hope to complete all preparations by close of business this afternoon. Both parks will remain closed until the threat has passed. [Larry Perez, Incident Information Officer]
Parks along the Florida coastline have largely completed preparations for the arrival of Tropical Storm Ernesto, which may again be a hurricane when it reaches the United States mainland: Everglades NP - The park closed down at 6 a.m. on Monday. All concessions operations have also shut down. [Jeff Brice, NPS Assistant Coordinator, Southern Area Coordination Center]
The following summarizes actions that parks in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina are taking in response to Tropical Storm Ernesto (as of 11 a.m. on Wednesday): Everglades NP - The park will reopen today with limited services available to the public. Park staff were to move back into the Pine Island, Flamingo and Shark Valley districts by noon yesterday. U.S. Highway 1 is open, so Key Largo employees residing in the Keys can return to their homes. Employees who have been evacuated have been asked to contact the Emergency Incident Coordination Center (EICC) at Shenandoah NP to report their status and location. The call in number is 888-246-4335. [Jeff Brice, NPS Assistant Coordinator, Southern Area Coordination Center]
The following summarizes actions that have been or are being taken in Eastern parks in response to Tropical Storm Ernesto (as of 11 a.m. on Thursday): Everglades NP - The park reopened at noon yesterday; the Florida Bay district will reopen to the public at 6 a.m. this morning. Park staff are cleaning up downed limbs, but no other damage has been found. Employees who have been evacuated have been asked to contact the Emergency Incident Coordination Center (EICC) at Shenandoah NP to report their status and location. The call in number is 888-246-4335. [Jeff Brice, NPS Assistant Coordinator, Southern Area Coordination Center; Cyndy Holda, Outer Banks Group; Bill Halainen, Delaware Water Gap NRA]
Three separate landings by Cuban migrants took place in the two parks during the last week of February: February 23rd - Dry Tortugas rangers received a report around 7:30 a.m. that 21 Cubans had landed on Loggerhead Key. They were transferred to a Coast Guard cutter about 12 hours later, then taken to Key West. February 24th - Around 2 p.m., Everglades rangers were advised of migrants on Cape Sable and subsequently found 46 Cubans at that location. The rangers transported them by boat to Flamingo, where they were turned over to the Border Patrol. February 28th - Thirty-five Cuban migrants landed on Loggerhead Key in the evening. The Coast Guard picked them up the next morning and took them to Key West. So far this year, 121 Cuban migrants have made "dry foot" in Dry Tortugas NP. The Cuban Readjustment Act, also know as the "west-foot/dry-foot" policy, allows Cuban migrants to remain in the United States if they make it to U.S. soil. Dry Tortugas has been dealing with the Cuban migrant issue since 2004. Over that period, more than 1700 migrants have landed in the park. These landings are significant park events and require considerable staff and time to handle due to the logistics of coordinating transportation and transfer to DHS. [Bonnie Foist, Chief Ranger]
Rangers, in cooperation with officers and agents from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, recently ran two special operations to enforce manatee speed zones in the Gulf Coast District. Officers working in Chokoloskee Bay issued 25 speed citations and numerous safety and resource violation notices over a two-day period. Chokoloskee Bay is considered an "area of inadequate protection" for manatees and is undergoing an interagency review to improve the protection for this endangered species. Enforcement is accordingly increasing in an effort to educate boaters and improve compliance with these speed zones. Statewide, at least 86 manatees were killed by powerboats in 2006. More special operations are planned for the future. [Bonnie Foist, Chief Ranger]
Park rangers, in cooperation with the United States Coast Guard, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, recently ran a third special operation to enforce manatee speed zones in the Gulf Coast District. Rangers and officers worked in Chokoloskee Bay, issuing 24 speed zone citations along with numerous safety and resource violations over a two-day period. The operation coincided with a large "catch and keep" fishing tournament that takes place every year at the end of the spring snook season. Rangers spoke at the captain's meeting prior to the tournament; as a result, no violations were issued to any of the participants over the weekend. Chokoloskee Bay is considered an area of inadequate protection for manatees and is undergoing an interagency review to improve the protection for this endangered species. Enforcement is therefore increasing, as are outreach and education efforts by rangers. The result has been improved compliance with speed limits in these zones. More special operations are planned for the future. [Bonnie Foist, Chief Ranger]
On the afternoon of August 5th, the South Florida National Parks Communication Center received a report of a quickly growing wildland fire in the Miccosukee Reserved Area, a Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida community within the park. When rangers from Northeast District arrived on scene, they found that high temperatures, low relative humidity and gusting winds were causing the fire to spread rapidly, threatening several homes along the south side of Old Highway 41. The blaze had been started by fireworks. Firefighters were making progress in containing the fire until departures of firefighting aircraft due to darkness and a change in wind direction after 8 p.m. sent an intense wall of flames straight toward the residential area. Rangers and Miccosukee PD officers assisted firefighters from Everglades, Biscayne, Big Cypress, the Miccosukee Fire Department, and Miami-Dade County Fire-Rescue as they employed aggressive tactics to protect threatened structures, motor vehicles, and airboats while urging residents to evacuate the area. The Miccosukee fire chief credited the efforts of interagency personnel with preventing damage to over 40 residences, 65 outbuildings, and numerous motor vehicles and airboats. Because of outstanding teamwork under difficult conditions, no property was lost or injuries reported. [Bonnie Foist, Chief Ranger]
On August 11th, the Coast Guard contacted Everglades National Park dispatch to request assistance in catching a "go-fast" boat - a 38-foot Fountain - whose operators had allegedly dropped a group of Cuban migrants on Bush Key in Dry Tortugas National Park, then fled north, possibly through the Everglades. The Coast Guard was pursuing the vessel by air but did not have any boats in the area. Rangers Steven Rice and Sean Blake waited in the Pavilion Key area and saw the Fountain run aground on a key just before 5 p.m. The two men on board ran into the dense mangrove brush. Rangers began a search for them with assistance provided by personnel from US Fish and Wildlife, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Collier County Sheriff's Office, and Customs and Border Patrol. A canine team followed tracks from the vessel and a helicopter equipped with a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) system attempted to locate them from the air. The two men managed to elude capture, though, and the search was suspended around 11 p.m. Rangers took the vessel back to the Gulf Coast Ranger Station. Rangers Sean Blake and Steve Rice returned to the site in plain clothes and an unmarked vessel the following morning, hoping that the men would emerge from hiding to request a ride off the island. They found the two men waiting on the beach and arrested them without incident. The men claimed that they'd been dropped on the island early that morning by an unknown man who had paid them to perform a Santeria ritual, but they were still wearing the same footwear rangers had spent the evening tracking. The vessel's hull identification numbers, including a second number concealed by the manufacturer, had been removed and the vessel appeared to have been stolen. The two men were turned over to Border Patrol agents. Meanwhile, rangers at Dry Tortugas confirmed that 27 Cuban migrants were dropped off on Bush Key at approximately 22 p.m. on August 11th. [Bonnie Foist, Chief Ranger]
The park received a report of a plane crash about a mile and a half north of the East Everglades Ranger Station around 10 a.m. on Sunday, January 6th. Park staff responded along with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue personnel. The plane, based out of the Tamiami airport, was on a training flight with a student pilot and instructor on board when it evidently suffered engine failure. Neither was injured in the crash. They were airlifted back to the airport by a Miami-Dade air rescue helicopter. Park staff secured the scene, located a debris trail, and contained an oil leak. Resource damage appears to be minimal. The FAA and NTSB are investigating along with the NPS. Ranger Rick Roberts is leading the investigation. [Robert Gantt, Law Enforcement Specialist]
On January 3rd, rangers were notified of a missing 46 year-old Tampa man who was believed to have traveled to the park. The man was reportedly distraught over a recent diagnosis of a severe illness. Investigation revealed that he'd stayed in the Flamingo campground on December 16th and that he had not been seen since then. The man's vehicle was found at the Whitewater Bay parking lot. An air and water search was launched on January 4th, with all high probability locations searched until nightfall. The search continued on January 5th, and a volunteer on foot found the man's canoe on land near Buttonwood Canal in mid-morning. Dogs were brought in late in the day to search the area around the canoe. The operation was suspended due to nightfall, but air and ground searchers and dogs resumed looking for the man the next day. The search continues. [Robert Gantt, Law Enforcement Specialist]
On January 3rd, rangers were notified that a missing 46 year-old Tampa man who was despondent over a diagnosis of a severe illness might be in the park. Investigation revealed that he'd stayed in the Flamingo campground on December 16th and that he had not been seen since then. The man's vehicle was found at the Whitewater Bay parking lot. An air and water search was launched on January 4th, with all high probability locations searched until nightfall. On January 5th, a volunteer found the man's canoe on land near Buttonwood Canal. Dogs were brought in late in the day to search the area around the canoe. The operation was suspended at nightfall, but air and ground searchers and dogs resumed looking for the man the next day. No further evidence was found that would provide any additional information on his whereabouts. The search continued for three more days, with ground teams conducting methodical grid searches and cadaver dogs attempting to pick up the scent of a body, before being called off on January 9th. The area where the canoe was found consists of dense tropical forest surrounded by marshland and shallow lakes. Tony Terry was IC. [Robert Gantt, Law Enforcement Specialist]
On Tuesday, January 15th, visitor R.D. stopped his car on the main park road in order to watch a crawling, six-foot-long, exotic Burmese python. As R.D. stepped out of his Ford Explorer, the python began crawling underneath the vehicle and into its engine compartment. R.D. attempted to grab the python with the curved end of his walking cane, but was unable to stop it. After several failed attempts to remove the snake, R.D. decided to drive 15 miles to the main entrance station for assistance. When ranger Willie Lopez, wildlife biologist Skip Snow, biologist's assistant Alex Wolf and firefighter Henry Delvalle checked the Explorer, they found its hood open, with only the tail end of the python visible — the rest of the snake was coiled around various parts of the engine and undercarriage. Several attempts were made to pull it out through the top of the engine, but failed because the snake tightened its hold on the car. The four responders then discussed their options. Snow reported that there had been several published articles about the successful use of tasers to loosen the tight grip of constricting snakes, so that was tried. Unfortunately, it resulted in the python contracting and excreting bodily fluids all over the responders. They then decided to disassemble parts of the Explorer's undercarriage in order to get to the python's head, which was then covered with duct tape. The snake's head and body were uncoiled and maneuvered through the engine compartment, then pulled out the top of the engine. Since Burmese pythons are exotic, prolific and aggressive, the snake was euthanized and taken to a lab to be studied. R.D.'s car was then put back together. [Submitted by Willie Lopez, Pine Island District Ranger]
On Tuesday, January 15th, visitor R.D. stopped his car on the main park road in order to watch a crawling, six-foot-long, exotic Burmese python. As R.D. stepped out of his Ford Explorer, the python began crawling underneath the vehicle and into its engine compartment. R.D. attempted to grab the python with the curved end of his walking cane, but was unable to stop it. After several failed attempts to remove the snake, R.D. decided to drive 15 miles to the main entrance station for assistance. When ranger Willie Lopez, wildlife biologist Skip Snow, biologist's assistant Alex Wolf and firefighter Henry Delvalle checked the Explorer, they found its hood open, with only the tail end of the python visible - the rest of the snake was coiled around various parts of the engine and undercarriage. Several attempts were made to pull it out through the top of the engine, but failed because the snake tightened its hold on the car. The four responders then discussed their options. Snow reported that there had been several published articles about the successful use of tasers to loosen the tight grip of constricting snakes, so that was tried. Unfortunately, it resulted in the python contracting and excreting bodily fluids all over the responders. They then decided to disassemble parts of the Explorer's undercarriage in order to get to the python's head, which was then covered with duct tape. The snake's head and body were uncoiled and maneuvered through the engine compartment, then pulled out the top of the engine. Since Burmese pythons are exotic, prolific and aggressive, the snake was euthanized and taken to a lab to be studied. R.D.'s car was then put back together. [Willie Lopez, Pine Island District Ranger]
R.K. of Naples, Florida, recently pled guilty to a single count of taking protected saltwater fish species in the southwest section of the park. R.K. illegally harvested four goliath grouper and five undersize, out-of-season snook from the Gopher Creek area. Rangers received an anonymous tip about the fish, investigated, and ended up charging R.K.. The court ordered R.K. to pay $1,850 in fines and restitution and banned him from the park for two years. He's currently serving a one-year prison sentence on unrelated charges. There have been other recent poaching events in the Gopher Creek area and rangers are aggressively pursuing these. Possession of illegal fish in the park is a Class B misdemeanor which carries a maximum penalty of $5,000 and six months in prison for each charge. The Lacey Act is invoked, however, when the poached species has a commercial value greater than $350. A violation of the Lacey Act is a felony which carries a maximum fine of $20,000, five years in prison, and forfeiture of vessels and vehicles involved in transporting the illegal harvest. Under state law, poachers can also lose their hunting and fishing privileges in Florida as well as 23 other states which have signed a cooperative wildlife violator compact. [Linda Friar, Public Affairs Officer]
Northeast District rangers were notified around 9:20 a.m. on March 19th that Chief Cecile Osceola was at the Shark Valley entrance with a large front-end loader and that he'd told an interpretive ranger there that he intended to start building a home in Shark Valley by 11 a.m. Rangers Kevin Donnell, Brien Chartier and district ranger Rick Roberts responded along with two Miccosukee tribal police officers. When they contacted Osceola, he asked them to read copies of an 11-page document that he provided. The document, dating back to 1960, referenced actions by the state of Florida granting the Seminole and Miccosukee tribes legal rights to use and occupy certain lands in Dade and Broward Counties. Osceola said that this document would answer any questions and would justify his right to construct a home within the park. He claimed to be an independent Native American and is not a member of either the Miccosukee or Seminole tribes, both of which have reservations in South Florida. Roberts and Donnell read the document and spoke with Osceola, who at first was very determined to proceed and was uninterested in speaking with anyone. It appeared that he was just informing them of his intentions before he began construction activities in the park. Osceola finally agreed to meet with park superintendent Dan Kimball, who was contacted in Homestead. Kimball immediately drove to Shark Valley and met with Osceola. Following a long and at times emotional discussion, Kimball got Osceola to accept his proposal that he would personally look into the issues raised by Osceola and would meet with him in ten days to discuss alternative housing options. The meeting was finally set for March 31st. Osceola then drove the front-end loader out of the park and left the area. [Robert Gantt, Law Enforcement Specialist]
On the morning of March 19th, Chief Cecile Osceola arrived at the park's Shark Valley entrance with a large front-end loader and told an interpretive ranger there that he intended to start building a home in Shark Valley by 11 a.m. (click on the link below for the original report). Following an extended discussion, during which Osceola showed a 1960 document that purportedly gave him the authority to build a home within the park, the superintendent, Dan Kimball, got Osceola to agree to a later meeting to discuss alternative housing options. On March 31st, Kimball and acting chief ranger Dave King met with Osceola at the Miccosukee Resort. Kimball explained that the document on which Osceola was basing his claim referred to state lands north of the park and that those lands are currently under lease to the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida. Kimball suggested three housing alternatives for Osceola to consider, but Osceola, who is not affiliated with either the Miccosukee or Seminole tribes, immediately dismissed all of them since they required dialogue with those tribes. Without admitting that his interpretation of the document was incorrect, he did show some interest in finding out more about the state lands north of the park; however, he also suggested that a next step might be for him to involve the media. The park has discussed the issue with both the criminal and civil divisions of the U.S. Attorney's Office, and has prepared for the possibility of Osceola's return to Shark Valley with his heavy equipment. [David King, Acting Chief Ranger]
Just after 8 a.m. on Wednesday, June 11th, rangers in the Flamingo District learned that two vessels had dropped off illegal migrants on the beaches of Cape Sable, located on the park's southwest coast. As rangers were mobilizing to respond, two vessels arrived at the Flamingo Marina - one a 33-foot Avanti towing a personal watercraft, the other a 26-foot Sunrunner. Rangers talked to the operators and determined that the two boats were the ones employed to smuggle in the migrants. A GPS unit onboard the Avanti also showed a track going from Cuba to East Cape Sable. The Border Patrol was notified. While Border Patrol agents questioned the ten people from the two boats, rangers traveled to Cape Sable, picked up the 27 migrants there (fourteen men, nine women, and four juveniles between the ages of two and ten), brought them to Flamingo, and turned them over to the Border Patrol. Several of them were suffering from dehydration; all were suffering from mosquito bites. The Border Patrol took both smugglers and migrants into custody and seized the boats, the PWC and three pickup trucks and trailers. The investigation continues. Rangers have previously seen several of the suspected smugglers in the Flamingo area late at night and on similar go-fast boats. [Bonnie Foist, Chief Ranger]
Tropical Storm Fay is expected to reach South Florida some time between this evening and tomorrow morning. Parks in or near its projected path are accordingly making preparations: Everglades NP/Dry Tortugas NP - The parks activated their hurricane plans on Saturday. Boats, vehicles, maintenance equipment, structures and office spaces have been secured, and both frontcountry and backcountry campsites have been temporarily closed. Dry Tortugas was closed to visitors as of 3 p.m. yesterday afternoon. Licensed commercial transport to the park, including ferry boat and seaplane services, has been suspended until it reopens. Everglades National Park closed to visitors at 5 p.m. on Sunday. All entrance stations will remain closed until the park reopens. No visitor-related services will be available at the Flamingo, Shark Valley, or Gulf Coast (Everglades City) areas during the closure. [Larry Perez, IMT, Everglades; Mark Ruggiero, SERO; Bob DeGross, Big Cypress; Susan Gonshor, Biscayne]
Tropical Storm Fay made landfall in the United States in South Florida yesterday and is currently moving up the state's east coast: Everglades NP/Dry Tortugas NP - Dry Tortugas reports no damage. The M/V Fort Jefferson will be returning to Key West from Miami today when sea conditions improve. Everglades fared well, too, with only minor tree damage and flooding reported. Park staff returned to their residences in Flamingo last night. The power is still out at the Trail Center on the Tamiami Trail. Both parks will reopen to visitors this morning. [Pedro Ramos, BICY; Susan Gonshor, BISC; Dan Kimball, EVER; Mike Anderson, SERO]
Tropical Storm Fay continues to be an issue for some parks in the southeastern United States, while others have reopened to the public. Here's a status report, as of yesterday evening: Everglades NP/Dry Tortugas NP - The park reports little damage. One park concession tour boat suffered some minor damage in the storm, but is expected to be repaired and running by today. Employees in Key West who were evacuated to Fort Jefferson were to return to their normal duty stations yesterday. Both Everglades and Dry Tortugas opened to visitors again at 10 a.m. on Wednesday. [Larry Perez, EVER; Richard Bryant, TIMU/FOCA; Dennis Parsons, CUIS; Susan Gonshor, BISC; Mark Ruggiero, SERO; Dean Ross, WASO]
Meanwhile, areas on the Atlantic coast are getting ready for Tropical Storm Hanna, forecast to make landfall as a hurricane around the North Carolina-South Carolina border early Saturday morning, and for Hurricane Ike, now a Category Four hurricane that is forecast to reach the Bahamas by Tuesday: Everglades NP - Although the Tropical Storm Hanna's track keeps it to the east of the park, the park has secured all facilities in accordance with its hurricane plan as a precautionary move. These preparations will remain in place as Hurricane Ike nears. The park is open and on a regular operational schedule. [Dean Ross, WASO; Larry Perez, EVER; Russ Wilson, CALO; Clay Jordan, GUIS]
Parks in South Florida are keeping a close eye on Hurricane Ike, waiting to see what course it takes. Two have closed down temporarily: Everglades NP/Dry Tortugas NP - The two parks continue to monitor the progress of Hurricane Ike. Both have now completed preparations for the storm. As of Sunday, the National Hurricane Center was continuing to forecast probable impacts to the Dry Tortugas, so the park is closed and will remain closed until conditions permit reopening. Everglades remained open for visitation yesterday, as the hurricane's track probable track took it south of the park, but managers are keeping a close eye on Ike. [Larry Perez, EVER; Susan Gonshor, BISC]
South Florida parks are closed today as Hurricane Ike passes by to the south, while Gulf Cost parks are keeping a close eye on its forecast path: Everglades NP/Dry Tortugas NP - Dry Tortugas closed yesterday and will remain closed today. Most employees have already evacuated to Orlando, where they are expected to remain through Wednesday. Four employees remain at Fort Jefferson to await passage of the storm. The M/V Fort Jefferson moved yesterday to safe harbor in the Miami River. Gulf Coast Visitor Center at Everglades closed at noon yesterday, Shark Valley closed at 3:30 p.m., and Flamingo remained closed. At the time of the report yesterday, the main park road was closed from Mahogany Hammock to all points south. Staff from Flamingo, Key Largo and Gulf Coast completed evacuations late yesterday. All areas of the park will be closed to visitation today. The Ernest Coe Visitor Center will continue to be staffed solely as a contact station for wayward visitors. [Larry Perez, EVER; ; Saudia Muwwakkil, SERO]
Reports have been received from parks regarding each of the above noted tropical systems: Everglades NP/Dry Tortugas NP - The park IMT continues to monitor Hurricane Ike, thought it appears both parks have fortunately escaped major impacts. While Dry Tortugas did experience tropical storm force winds yesterday, Everglades suffered relatively few effects. All areas of Everglades National Park will remain closed to visitation on Wednesday, September 10th. The closure is being extended to provide ample time to survey visitor areas, mitigate any damage, stage necessary equipment, and allow for the return of evacuated employees. All employees are asked to report to their IMT supervisors for their regularly scheduled shifts tomorrow. Efforts will be focused on reconnaissance, clearing trails, staging equipment, and preparing for a return to normal park operations. It is anticipated that all areas of the park will reopen to visitor use on Thursday, September 11th. The Main Park Road is scheduled to open at 6:00 a.m., while outlying districts will operate under regular business hours. Dry Tortugas will also remain closed today. Employees evacuated to Orlando have been instructed to begin the return trip to the park on Wednesday morning. Similarly, the M/V Fort Jefferson will begin the return trip from the Miami River on Thursday morning. [Stuart West, Acting Chief Ranger; ACAD; Susan Gonshor, Public Affairs, BISC; John Hughes, Chief Ranger, JELA; Larry Perez, IO, EVER]
While preparing for the arrival of Hurricane Ike on Sunday, September 7th, rangers received a report of a downed helicopter in Florida Bay. Rangers Brandon Moore from the Flamingo District and Dan Kiger from the Florida Bay District responded to Nine Mile Bank and found a Robinson R-44 helicopter floating upside down in approximately two feet of water. The ship was reported missing on Saturday after taking off from Tamiami Airport. All four people onboard were found uninjured. They'd spent the night in the bay and were rescued by a Miami Dade Air Rescue helicopter. Due to high winds and sea conditions moving into the area, rangers anchored the helicopter in place and will coordinate recovery efforts after the storm passes. NTSB is investigating the cause of the crash. [Bonnie Foist, Chief Ranger]
Preparations are in full swing for Hurricane Ike, both in potentially affected parks and at the national level. The Central incident management team will be deployed to Texas at the request of Padre Island NS. The Service has been tasked with its fourth FEMA search and rescue mission assignment this year and is staging 21 two-person boat crews with an urban search and rescue task force in Houston. The NPS has also updated a law enforcement roster in case there's a need to provide personnel for safety and security missions. Meanwhile, the following reports have been received from parks along Ike's route: Everglades NP/Dry Tortugas NP - All areas of Everglades NP reopened for visitation on Thursday morning. Dry Tortugas continued to feel the impacts of Ike yesterday and remains closed. Four employees remained sheltered at Fort Jefferson, and the rest were en route to the park from Orlando. The M/V Fort Jefferson was set to return to the park yesterday. [Dean Ross, WASO; John Hughes, JELA; Larry Perez, EVER/DRTO; Clay Jordan, GUIS]
Early last June 11th, rangers were advised that illegal migrants had been dropped off on the beaches of Cape Sable. While mobilizing, responding rangers saw two large vessels and a personal watercraft entering the Flamingo marina - an action that immediately raised suspicions, as personal watercraft are prohibited in the Everglades and large vessels are uncommon in Florida Bay's shallow waters. Further investigation revealed enough evidence to detain the nine people on the three vessels on suspicion of smuggling the illegal migrants. Rangers picked up the 27 migrants from Cape Sable and turned them and the nine suspected smugglers over to Border Patrol, but no criminal charges were ever filed against the alleged smugglers by the Border Patrol. On January 28th, rangers Tony Terry and Cindy Morris testified in Immigration Court in Miami against two of the suspected smugglers. Both individuals, I.G.-M. and J.C., were found guilty of aiding and abetting illegal alien trafficking and sentenced to deportation. The two men have long been suspected by rangers as the leaders of a smuggling ring that has resulted in an average of two landings per year on the capes for the last several years. [Cynthia L. Morris, Park Ranger]
Early on March 13th, rangers were notified that the US Coast Guard had received a report of migrants landing on Cape Sable. A ranger on the water and a Coast Guard helicopter soon confirmed that 26 migrants were on East Cape. Responding rangers also noticed a suspicious vessel being pulled from the Flamingo Bay Marina at the time of the report. They detained the two people onboard after determining that neither one was the owner of the vessel and that their explanations of their activities conflicted. Eight rangers in four patrol vessels responded to East Cape and picked up the migrants. There were nine men, eleven women and six children, ranging in ages from two to thirteen years old. The migrants claimed that they came over in an 18-foot plywood boat with a Russian-made engine that they sank off the Capes, then swam to shore. Investigation showed no signs of a sunken vessel or debris. The migrants were transported to Flamingo, where Border Patrol officers took custody of them and the two suspects. Recent intelligence reports indicate that this section of the park may see an increase in human smuggling activity as anti-smuggling operations have increased in other areas of Florida. A similar event occurred last June. The case remains open, with the Border Patrol investigating. [Cynthia Morris, Flamingo Park Ranger]
Tropical Storm Claudette came ashore yesterday, bringing heavy rains but not much wind. Tropical Storm Ana has dissipated and at present has a less than 30% chance of again becoming a tropical system. Hurricane Bill is strengthening, but currently forecast to miss most land areas. Here are today's reports from parks: Everglades NP - Although Ana has lost its tropical storm characteristics, the park is still keeping an eye on it. The park's IMT met briefly yesterday to discuss preparations. As it is likely that coastal districts may feel the greatest impacts, preliminary work has begun to remove nonessential vessels from the water, shutter facilities, and advise park cooperators of preliminary preparations. The IMT will meet again this morning to assess the situation. [Mark Hardgove, VIIS; Clay Jordan, GUIS; Larry Perez, EVER; Mark Ruggiero, SERO]
A civil lawsuit between the United States and D.M. was recently settled with D.M. agreeing to compensate Everglades National Park for damages caused by his vessel running aground in Florida Bay. D.M. agreed to pay $295,000 in the suit filed by the Department of Justice on behalf of the park. On February 13, 2006, D.M. was operating his 72-foot vessel, the Rebel Yell, en route from Snead Island on Florida's Gulf Coast to Miami. The vessel ran aground on Arsenic Bank in the southwestern portion of Florida Bay within the park. Attempts to power the vessel off the shoal resulted in significant damage to the sea grass environment on the shallow bank. These beds serve as nurseries for lobster, crabs, shrimp and other recreational and commercially important fish and invertebrates. The lawsuit was filed under the Park System Resource Protection Act, which allows the NPS to seek compensation for injuries to park resources and use the recovered funds to restore and monitor such resources. The park will engage in a dynamic restoration program at this site that will include filling in the large holes and planting sea grass. Florida Bay encompasses approximately 300,000 acres of the 1.5 million acres within the park. The entire bay bottom was designated as wilderness by Congress in 1978 and is included in the 1.3-million-acre Marjory Stoneman Douglas Wilderness. [Linda Friar, Public Affairs Officer]
A recent period of cold temperatures in south Florida caused widespread fish kills in Everglades National Park. Most of the impacts in the park's freshwater wetlands were on non-native fish, such as the Mayan cichlid. The cold weather helps to control populations of these non-native fish, which have invaded many areas in the park. Marine fish species were also significantly impacted by the cold weather in all areas of the park's western rivers and bays, in Whitewater Bay, and throughout all of Florida Bay. Reports from fishermen and observations from rangers and biologists suggest that the hardest hit species were snook, tarpon, ladyfish, catfish, and smaller species such as pinfish and mojarra. It appears that redfish and black drum survived the cold temperatures better than many other species. The Flamingo marina was the location of a concentrated fish kill; thousands of large dead snook, tarpon, and goliath grouper have been observed there. These fish are now floating throughout the basin and the smell of rotting fish will become more intense throughout the week. The dead fish will disperse with the tidal currents and continue to decompose. Over time, the basin's water quality and odor should return to normal. The park will continue to monitor the impacts of the fish kill, but it will be difficult to determine the percentage of each fish population that was impacted by the cold weather. However, biologists are concerned about the impact of this fish kill, and the park will work with its partners at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to evaluate management options that are in the best interest of maintaining a strong and sustainable recreational fishery in Everglades National Park and surrounding waters. The FWC recently extended the no harvest season for snook until September 1, 2010 and implemented a temporary prohibition on the harvest of bonefish and tarpon until March 31, 2010. Catch and release fishing is still allowed. For more information on the FWC's recent response to the cold-water marine fish kills, please go to the FWC website: HYPERLINK "http://www.myfwc.com/NEWSROOM/10/statewide/News_10_X_ColdWeatherSaltFishKills1.htm". [Linda Friar and David Hallac]
What initially appeared to be a medical emergency resulting from a motor vehicle crash proved to be a bizarre robbery/carjacking that occurred just outside the Chekika area of the park and ended at the Chekika Ranger Station. Two men attempted to force an elderly man off the road at SW 168 Street and 211 Avenue, but lost control of their own vehicle and had a rollover accident that completely destroyed it. When the unsuspecting victim stopped to help, the two men beat him, took his money and vehicle, and fled. Unfortunately, they were disoriented and fled at a high rate of speed west into the park instead of east. They failed to stop at the intersection at the end of SW 168 Street and crashed the victim's car into the marsh on the west side of SW 237 Avenue. They then ran to the ranger station, where firefighters - unaware of the criminal nature of the incident - requested EMS assistance. One of the men was injured, the other wasn't. As ranger Jim Cooner was assessing the injured man, several Miami-Dade police officers arrived with guns drawn and took both men into custody. The injured man was then treated for minor facial injuries and transferred to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue. Both were then taken to Jackson South Hospital in police custody. [Bonnie Foist, Chief Ranger]
Preparations continue at parks along the Gulf of Mexico for the possible arrival of the oil plume from the sunken oil rig Deepwater Horizon. This update covers oil spill response activities for the following parks - Padre Island, Jean Lafitte, Gulf Islands, and the South Florida parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, DeSoto, Dry Tortugas, and Everglades). South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, DeSoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - Park and resource managers from the South Florida NPS units met Monday with regional and WASO staff to organize a unified response to potential impacts from the Mississippi Canyon incident. During the meeting, park staff drafted an organizational structure for a Type III unified command structure supporting five park units, identified incident priorities, and drafted a joint delegation of authority for approval by all park superintendents. Rick Anderson, Everglades National Park, has been identified as the incident commander. Following guidance provided by regional and WASO resource management and incident personnel, park resource management teams are finalizing a pre-impact assessment strategy for implementation in all five south Florida units. It is currently anticipated that draft assessment plans for each park will be presented Tuesday afternoon, with follow-up discussions scheduled for Wednesday. Park and incident management staff are scheduled to meet with USCG personnel on Tuesday morning at Key West to discuss possible response efforts within the Key West Sector. It is anticipated that representatives from NOAA, FWC, USFWS, and Monroe County will also be present. [Rudy Evenson, IO, Western Incident Management Team; Larry Perez, IO, South Florida Parks Incident Management Team]
The incident management teams coordinating the NPS response to the Deepwater Horizon spill continue to prepare for the possible arrival of the oil plume at one or more Gulf Coast parks. This update covers oil spill response activities for the following parks - Padre Island, Jean Lafitte, Gulf Islands, and the South Florida parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, DeSoto, Dry Tortugas, and Everglades): South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, DeSoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - The south Florida national parks' Type III IMT continues to make preparations for potential impacts from the oil spill. Internal procedures for the team were finalized, including a template for incident action plans and a delegation of authority from all five park superintendents. US Coast Guard Sector Key West hosted a meeting to discuss plans to address the potential impacts of the spill in the Key West area. In addition to the NPS and the Coast Guard, meeting attendees included representatives of the State of Florida, the Navy, NOAA, US Fish & Wildlife Service, Monroe County, and the cities of Key West and Marathon. Based on the path of the Loop Current, Dry Tortugas National Park and the Marquesas in the Florida Key National Wildlife Refuge appear to be the area in South Florida that is most vulnerable at this point in time. An environment team, including a representative from the National Park Service, was established to focus specifically on resource impacts and resource condition assessment. Public information personnel have responded to an increasing number of media inquiries. In response, incident PIO contact information has been established for distribution to interested media. Information officers can be contacted at 305-741-4342, or by email at SouthFloridaNPS@gmail.com. This contact information is expected to stay constant throughout the duration of the incident. For more information on the overall spill response, including images and videos, please see the overall Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Response website at HYPERLINK "http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com". [Rudy Evenson, Lead Information Officer, Gulf Islands National Seashore Oil Spill Response]
The National Park Service now has approximately 80 people responding to the oil spill created by the sinking of the oil rig Deepwater Horizon on April 20th. NPS staff continue to draft plans with USCG for wildlife reconnaissance and recovery and shoreline cleanup and assessment; conduct surveys, sampling, and flyovers to document baseline conditions; mobilize resource experts to direct USCG and responsible party contractors during cleanup and recovery; and provide guidance and prioritization for protection measures such as boom placement in sensitive areas. Learn more about the NPS response at HYPERLINK "http://www.nps.gov/aboutus/oil-spill-response.htm". This update covers oil spill response activities for the following parks - Padre Island, Jean Lafitte, Gulf Islands, and the South Florida parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, DeSoto, Dry Tortugas, and Everglades): South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, DeSoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - The resource assessment branch of the south Florida national parks' Type III IMT continues to make progress on pre-condition assessment planning for all five NPS units. A final assessment plan for De Soto is now awaiting final approval, and additional plans for Dry Tortugas, Everglades, Big Cypress, and Biscayne are nearing completion. It is hoped that assessments will begin at De Soto by next week. The resource assessment branch will also be developing potential strategies for mitigation and resource rehabilitation. The IMT received confirmation that Chris Ziegler, Dry Tortugas National Park, would serve as our liaison with the US Coast Guard Sector Key West. Local media interest continues to be heavy. In consultation with the GUIS Type II team, each of the five south Florida units will be developing public information pages on their park website to facilitate access. It is anticipated that all sites will be active by tomorrow. The Everglades site can be accessed here: HYPERLINK "http://www.nps.gov/ever" For more information on the NPS and national oil spill responses, please see the following: NPS Oil Spill Response - HYPERLINK "http://www.nps.gov/aboutus/oil-spill-response.htm" National Oil Spill Response - HYPERLINK "http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com" [Rudy Evenson, Lead Information Officer, Gulf Islands National Seashore Oil Spill Response]
Approximately 80 National Park Service personnel continue responding to the oil spill created by the sinking of the oil rig Deepwater Horizon on April 20th. Ongoing work with the USCG and other agencies includes planning for wildlife reconnaissance and recovery and shoreline cleanup and assessment; conducting surveys, sampling, and flyovers to document baseline conditions; mobilizing resource experts to direct USCG and responsible party contractors during cleanup and recovery; and providing guidance and prioritization for protection measures such as boom placement in sensitive areas. Eight national parks are responding to the oil spill - Padre Island, Jean Lafitte, Gulf Islands, Big Cypress, Biscayne, DeSoto, Dry Tortugas, and Everglades: South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, DeSoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - The resource assessment branch of the south Florida national parks' Type III IMT continues to make progress on pre-condition assessment planning for all five NPS units. Final pre-impact condition assessment plans for each of the five parks are expected to be completed today. Pre-impact sampling of water, sediment and tissue is anticipated to begin early next week at DeSoto, followed by Dry Tortugas and Everglades at a date yet to be determined. Local media interest is currently low. A public information team has updated each park's website to include a page specific to the incident. Everglades' information can be accessed at HYPERLINK "http://www.nps.gov/ever". A communications center has been set up and additional public information officers have been ordered. Information officers can be contacted at 305-741-4342, or by email at HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/mailtSouthFloridaNPS@gmail.com". [Rudy Evenson, Lead Information Officer, Gulf Islands National Seashore Oil Spill Response]
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced yesterday that Director Jarvis and Acting Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service Rowan Gould have been dispatched to command centers along the Gulf Coast. They will lead efforts to protect coastal communities and natural resources from BP's Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Said Salazar: "We are continuing to put all hands on deck to support the coordinated response to this spill and to do everything we can to help BP stop its leaks and clean up its spill. The National Park Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service, under the leadership of Jon Jarvis and Rowan Gould, are on the front lines as we fight to protect the Gulf Coast from the dangers of the oil spill. Their leadership on the ground will ensure that we remain coordinated, prepared, and effective in protecting precious natural resources." Jarvis is stationed in the Mobile, Alabama, Incident Command Center. He will oversee the ongoing work with the USCG and other agencies. including planning for wildlife reconnaissance and recovery and shoreline cleanup and assessment; conducting surveys, sampling, and flyovers to document baseline conditions; mobilizing resource experts to direct USCG and responsible party contractors during cleanup and recovery; and providing guidance and prioritization for protection measures such as boom placement in sensitive areas. Eight national parks are responding to the oil spill: South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, DeSoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - The resource assessment branch of the south Florida national parks' Type III IMT continues to prepare the baseline condition assessment plans for all five NPS units. Final baseline conditions assessment plans are near completion and they are being adapted to cover a variety of ecosystems. A data management plan has been completed. Pre-impact sampling of sediment and tissue is anticipated to begin on Tuesday at De Soto and Dry Tortugas, followed by Everglades, Big Cypress, and Biscayne (in priority order) at a date yet to be determined. A cultural resource assessment was conducted at De Soto on Sunday. The park units are prioritized by proximity to the spill and the potential amount of time for oil to arrive if and when the spill becomes entrained in the Loop Current. This prioritization may change over time as weather conditions change. Staff from Biscayne attended a meeting on Thursday with numerous representatives from Miami-Dade County, the Coast Guard, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), NOAA, and various cities within Miami-Dade County. Most believe any oil arriving here will be primarily submerged tar balls pushed along the ocean bottom or suspended in the water column, but not on the surface. There is not an imminent threat because the oil may not get into the Loop Current and be transported to this location. Local media interest is currently low. Information officers can be contacted at 305-224-4215, or via email at HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/mailtSouthFloridaNPS@gmail.com". For more information on the NPS, DOI and national oil spill responses, please see the following: NPS Oil Spill Response - HYPERLINK "http://www.nps.gov/aboutus/oil-spill-response.htm" DOI Oil Spill Response - HYPERLINK "http://www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon/index.cfm" National Oil Spill Response - HYPERLINK "http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com" [Jody Lyle, Information Officer, Gulf Oil Spill Response]
Director Jarvis hosted a press conference at the Mobile unified command post yesterday afternoon. He was joined by Jon Andrew, chief of National Wildlife Refuge System for the Southeast Region, and Rick Clark, Gulf Islands National Seashore's chief of science and resource management. Superintendent Nina Kelson and Jereme Phillipps, refuge manager for Bonsecour National Wildlife Refuge, were also available to answer questions. The press conference focused on the role of the Department of the Interior in responding to the oil spill by providing expertise to the unified command in evaluating public health risks, planning shoreline cleanup and wildlife recovery. Director Jarvis is acting as incident commander for the DOI. South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, DeSoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - Final baseline condition assessment plans for four of the five south Florida parks have been completed. Assessment plans have been adapted to cover a variety of ecosystems. Pre-impact sampling of sediment and tissue will begin today at DeSoto and Dry Tortugas, followed by Everglades, Big Cypress, and Biscayne (in priority order) at a date yet to be determined. The natural resource assessment branch is currently determining trigger points at which to execute plans for Everglades, Big Cypress, and Biscayne. A cultural resource assessment was conducted at DeSoto on Sunday. Incident commander Rick Anderson spent the day with state and local officials at the Broward County Emergency Operations Center. Superintendent Dan Kimball traveled to the Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg incident command post to serve as the lead official for the Department of Interior under a unified command. Additional resources are being requested to assist. Local media interest is currently low. A public information team has updated each park's website to include a page specific to the incident. The team has also developed park-specific fact sheets that address the incident. Everglades' information can be accessed at HYPERLINK "http://www.nps.gov/ever". A communications center has been established with three information officers. They can be contacted at 305-224-4215, or via email at HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/mailtSouthFloridaNPS@gmail.com". [Rudy Evenson, Lead Information Officer, Gulf Islands National Seashore Oil Spill Response]
The National Park Service continues to support the Department of the Interior's unprecedented response to the oil spill resulting from the sinking of the drill rig Deepwater Horizon on April 20th. The Western incident management team continues to support Gulf Islands National Seashore, and the five South Florida parks - Big Cypress, Biscayne, DeSoto, Dry Tortugas and Everglades - continue to work under a type III organization preparing for possible landfall there. Director Jarvis remains in place at the Mobile Incident Command Center as DOI incident commander. Today's update follows: South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, DeSoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - Final baseline conditions assessment plans for four of the five south Florida parks have been completed. Biscayne science and technical staff are nearing completion on their baseline condition assessment plan. A cultural resource assessment will also be performed at Biscayne. Pre-impact sampling of sediment and tissue began today at DeSoto and Dry Tortugas. The natural resource assessment branch is currently determining trigger points at which to execute plans for Everglades, Big Cypress, and Biscayne. Local media interest is currently low. Everglades fact sheets can be accessed at HYPERLINK "http://www.nps.gov/ever". A communications center has been established with three information officers. They can be contacted at 305-224-4215, or via email at HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/mailtSouthFloridaNPS@gmail.com". For more information on the NPS, DOI and national oil spill responses and for a link to the BP online oil spill safety training needed by all incident staff, please see the following: NPS Oil Spill Response - HYPERLINK "http://www.nps.gov/aboutus/oil-spill-response.htm" DOI Oil Spill Response - HYPERLINK "http://www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon/index.cfm" National Oil Spill Response - HYPERLINK "http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com" Oil Spill Safety Training - HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Conferences&id=1957" [Rudy Evenson, Lead Information Officer, Gulf Islands National Seashore Oil Spill Response]
Preparations continue in parks all along the Gulf Coast for oil to come ashore from the spill following the sinking of the drill rig Deepwater Horizon on April 20th. The Western incident management team remains in place at Gulf Islands National Seashore, and the five South Florida parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, DeSoto, Dry Tortugas, and Everglades) continue to work under a type III organization preparing for possible landfall there. Yesterday, Assistant Secretary of the Interior Tom Strickland was on scene to support Director Jarvis, the Department of Interior incident commander, and other DOI staff at the Mobile Incident Command Post. South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, DeSoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - Teams under the resource assessment branch have now completed the baseline condition assessment for De Soto. A baseline assessment is also underway at Dry Tortugas, where teams continue to assess the status of cultural and natural resources spanning a variety of ecological communities. It is anticipated that work will continue there for the balance of the week. The natural resource assessment branch is currently determining trigger points at which to execute plans for Everglades, Big Cypress, and Biscayne. It is anticipated that recommended trigger points will be finalized by week's end. The South Florida IMT is committing resources to better integrate park efforts with the St. Petersburg unified command response. A public information officer has been assigned to support Dan Kimball, lead DOI official at the St. Petersburg Unified Command Center, and is scheduled to arrive on Thursday. Local media interest in South Florida is currently low. A series of park-specific fact sheets that address response efforts are available on each park's respective website. A communications center continues to be staffed by a team of information officers, and can be contacted at 305-224-4215, or via email at HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/mailtSouthFloridaNPS@gmail.com". [Rudy Evenson, Lead Information Officer, Gulf Islands National Seashore Oil Spill Response]
Preparations continue in parks all along the Gulf Coast for oil to come ashore from the spill following the sinking of the drill rig Deepwater Horizon on April 20th. Yesterday, Assistant Secretary of the Interior Tom Strickland visited DOI staff at the area command post in Robert, Louisiana. Director Jarvis returned to Washington for a few days and is expected back in Mobile on Sunday; during his absence, US Fish and Wildlife Region 4 Director Cindy Dohner will serve as acting DOI Incident Commander. South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, DeSoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - A baseline assessment is underway at Dry Tortugas, where teams continue to assess the status of cultural and natural resources spanning a variety of ecological communities. It is anticipated that the assessment at Dry Tortugas will be completed by Friday evening. The natural resource assessment branch is currently determining trigger points at which to execute plans for Everglades, Big Cypress, and Biscayne. It is anticipated that recommended trigger points will be finalized by week's end. Big Cypress superintendent Pedro Ramos attended a meeting with US Coast Guard representatives to provide general incident information to special interest group and partners. The Coast Guard came away from the meeting with a list of volunteer groups that they could tap as resources. The South Florida IMT is committing resources to better integrate park efforts with the St. Petersburg unified command response. A public information officer has been assigned to support Dan Kimball, lead DOI official at the St. Petersburg Unified Command Center, and is scheduled to arrive today. Local media interest is currently low. A series of park-specific fact sheets that address response efforts is available on each park's respective website. A communications center continues to be staffed by a team of information officers, and can be contacted at 305-224-4215, or via email at HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/mailtSouthFloridaNPS@gmail.com". [Rudy Evenson, Lead Information Officer, Gulf Islands National Seashore Oil Spill Response]
Preparations continue in parks all along the Gulf Coast for oil to come ashore from the spill following the sinking of the drill rig Deepwater Horizon on April 20. At Gulf Islands National Seashore, the NPS Midwest IMT (Pontbriand) is in command. The five South Florida parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, DeSoto, Dry Tortugas, and Everglades) continue to work under a Type III organization preparing for possible landfall there: South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, De Soto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - The cultural and natural resources baseline assessment at Dry Tortugas has been completed. Natural resources staff met today to discuss a timeline to initiate baseline sampling in Everglades. The park expects to begin sampling late next week. A cultural resource assessment of Everglades' west coast will begin on Wednesday. Three hydrocarbon sensors have been deployed to Indian, Rabbit and Mormon Keys on Everglades' west coast. These passive sampling devices will be deployed to additional sites within the park and Dry Tortugas within the next week. Representatives from Entrix, a BP contractor, will be collecting samples at four sites in Everglades and at one site in Dry Tortugas next week. They will be accompanied by a natural resources advisor. Local media interest is currently low. A series of park-specific fact sheets that address response efforts are available both through each park's respective website. A communications center continues to be staffed by a team of information officers, and can be contacted at 305-224-4215, or via email at HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/mailtSouthFloridaNPS@gmail.com" [J. Michael Johnson, Lead Information Officer, Gulf Islands National Seashore Oil Spill Response]
National Park Service sites along the Gulf of Mexico continue to collect data and monitor conditions. Dozens of park service employees from across the country are aiding in the response which is being managed by the Midwest Type III IMT (Pontbriand). The five South Florida parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, DeSoto, Dry Tortugas, and Everglades) continue to work under a Type III IMT to prepare for possible impacts there: South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, De Soto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - Biscayne superintendent Mark Lewis participated in a roundtable panel to discuss the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Initiated by U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL) much of the discussion was focused on the uncertainty of the impacts to southeast Florida and the Florida Keys due to the currents, the need for more modeling, and questions about dispersants. Natural and cultural resources staff met yesterday to discuss the baseline condition assessment sampling that is set to begin in Everglades later this week. A cultural resource assessment of Everglades' west coast will begin on Wednesday. Three hydrocarbon sensors have been deployed to Indian, Rabbit and Mormon Keys on Everglades' west coast. These passive sampling devices will be deployed to additional sites within the park and Dry Tortugas within the next week. Representatives from Entrix, a BP contractor, will be collecting samples at four sites in Everglades and at one site in Dry Tortugas. Provided they obtain the proper permits to do so, they will be sampling in Dry Tortugas on Wednesday and in Everglades later in the week. The contractors will be accompanied by an NPS natural resource advisor. Local media interest is currently low. A series of park-specific fact sheets that address response efforts are available on each park's respective website. A communications center continues to be staffed by a team of information officers, and can be contacted at 305-224-4215, or via email at HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/mailtSouthFloridaNPS@gmail.com". [J. Michael Johnson, Lead Information Officer, Gulf Islands National Seashore Oil Spill Response]
The National Park Service response to the Mississippi Canyon 252 oil spill continued yesterday in sites around the Gulf of Mexico. Dozens of NPS employees from across the country are aiding in the response which is being managed by the Midwest Type III IMT (Pontbriand). The five South Florida parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, DeSoto, Dry Tortugas, and Everglades) currently continue to work under a Type III organization, but are preparing to transition to a Type II team. South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, De Soto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - Multiple tar balls were discovered Monday on a beach in Key West. Samples are currently being analyzed by the U.S. Coast Guard and NOAA to better determine their origin. Though it has not yet been confirmed whether these are the result of the Deepwater Horizon spill in the northern Gulf of Mexico, the discovery has sparked considerable local concern and media interest. On Tuesday, on the heels of this discovery, park staff surveyed the shoreline on two keys in Dry Tortugas National Park. What appears to be a petroleum residue has been found on both Loggerhead and Garden Keys. Samples have been taken for further analysis to better determine composition and origin. Additional shoreline surveys in the park are ongoing. At the moment, visitors to Dry Tortugas are being notified to swim at their own risk and be aware that tar balls could be present in the water column or on the beaches. Due to the unexpected discovery of tar balls in the area, baseline condition assessments for Everglades, Big Cypress, and Biscayne are now scheduled to be completed in an expedited manner. Crews will begin performing natural and cultural assessments of the most threatened areas today, and it is hoped all sampling can be completed within a two-day time frame. Scientists from the NPS South Florida/Caribbean Network continued to deploy additional hydrocarbon sensors in the waters of Florida Bay. It is anticipated that, conditions permitting, additional passive sampling devices will be deployed at sites within Dry Tortugas and Biscayne National Parks. The South Florida IMT continues to coordinate response efforts with larger unified command centers in other areas of the affected region. It is anticipated that, as this incident grows in size and complexity, incident management will be transitioned to an incoming Type II team. Representatives from Entrix, a BP contractor, have now been issued permits to begin collecting samples at four sites in Everglades and at one site in Dry Tortugas. The company is scheduled to conduct sampling in Dry Tortugas on Wednesday and in Everglades later in the week. The contractors will be accompanied by an NPS natural resource advisor. Local media interest is currently very high. A communications center continues to be staffed by a team of information officers, and can be contacted at 305-224-4215, or via email at HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/mailtSouthFloridaNPS@gmail.com". [J. Michael Johnson, Lead Information Officer, Gulf Islands National Seashore Oil Spill Response]
The National Park Service response to the Deepwater Horizon (MC 252) continued yesterday in NPS sites around the Gulf of Mexico. Employees from across the country are aiding in the response, which is being managed by the Midwest IMT (Pontbriand). The five South Florida parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, DeSoto, Dry Tortugas, and Everglades) continue to work under a Type III IMT, but are preparing to transition to the Intermountain IMT (Mossman). The team, scheduled to assume command on May 22nd, will be based in Homestead, Florida. South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, De Soto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - Analysis performed on tar balls discovered Monday at a beach in Key West suggests they are not the result of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Similar analysis of samples taken from petroleum residues found Tuesday on two islands in Dry Tortugas National Park suggest that, while of a different variety than those found on Key West, they are also not affiliated with the Deepwater Horizon incident. Additional shoreline surveys were conducted at Dry Tortugas yesterday, and a small number of additional petroleum residues were located on the islands. Staff from the South Florida/Caribbean Network (SFCN) completed the deployment of seven semi-permeable membrane devices (SPMDs) to monitor the waters at Dry Tortugas. Additional shoreline surveys in the park are ongoing. Baseline condition assessments for natural resources in Everglades, Big Cypress, and Biscayne began on Wednesday. Inclement weather hampered some of the planned sampling, but it is anticipated that weather will be more conducive to operations today. Limited cultural assessments also began yesterday and are intended to continue at all parks tomorrow. The South Florida IMT continues to coordinate response efforts with larger unified command centers in other areas of the affected region. Local media interest continues to be very high. A communications center continues to be staffed by a team of information officers, and can be contacted at 305-224-4215, or via email at HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/mailtSouthFloridaNPS@gmail.com". Representatives from Entrix, a BP contractor, have now been issued permits to begin collecting samples at four sites in Everglades and at one site in Dry Tortugas. The company was scheduled to conduct sampling in Dry Tortugas yesterday and in Everglades later on this week. The contractors will be accompanied by an NPS natural resource advisor. [J. Michael Johnson, Lead Information Officer, Gulf Islands National Seashore Oil Spill Response] More Information: HYPERLINK "http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/19/science/earth/19turtle.html?scp=1&sq=padre&st=cse"
The National Park Service response to the Mississippi Canyon 252 Oil Spill continues in sites around the Gulf of Mexico. Park service employees from across the country are aiding in the response which is being managed by the Midwest IMT (Pontbriand). The five South Florida parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, DeSoto, Dry Tortugas, and Everglades) currently continue to work under a Type III organization, but are preparing to transition to a Type II team: South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, De Soto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - Baseline condition assessments continued yesterday at Everglades and Big Cypress. Assessments are expected to continue through the next couple of days. Cultural resource assessments are being performed concurrently. South Florida/Caribbean Network (SFCN) staff successfully deployed additional semi-permeable membrane devices at both Dry Tortugas and Everglades. Dry Tortugas staff continued shoreline surveys of park islands and documenting occurrences of tar balls on the islands. It is anticipated that the Coast Guard will be sending teams of contractors to Dry Tortugas to perform cleanup operations, in the accompaniment of NPS resource advisors. Baseline condition assessments continued at Biscayne and are expected to continue through the end of the week. Assessments of cultural resources at the park are scheduled to begin on Monday. The South Florida IMT continues to coordinate response efforts with larger unified command centers in other areas of the affected region. The U.S. Coast Guard Key West Sector unified command began its first operations on Wednesday. The South Florida Type III team has appointed an NPS representative to remain actively engaged with command staff. The Intermountain Type II IMT (Rick Mossman, IC) will be arriving in South Florida to assume responsibility for the response effort. Team members will begin travelling to South Florida over the weekend, and the transition is scheduled to occur at 9 a.m. Monday morning. Local media interest continues to be very high. A communications center continues to be staffed by a team of information officers, and can be contacted at 305-224-4215, or via email at HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/mailtSouthFloridaNPS@gmail.com". [J. Michael Johnson, Lead Information Officer, Gulf Islands National Seashore Oil Spill Response]
The Midwest Incident Management Team (Pontbriand) continues to manage the National Park Service response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill at Gulf Islands National Seashore. The Intermountain Incident Management Team (Mossman) will assume management of the South Florida incident this morning. Assessment and monitoring continue throughout the area, with shoreline cleanup assessment technique (SCAT) teams responding to reports of oil and/or oiled wildlife. South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, DeSoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - Baseline condition assessments continued yesterday at Everglades, Big Cypress, and Biscayne. Cultural resource assessments are also being performed concurrently at Everglades and Big Cypress. Dry Tortugas staff have conducted additional shoreline surveys park islands and continue to document occurrences of tar balls on the islands. Two new tar balls were discovered on Loggerhead Key. The South Florida IMT continues to coordinate response efforts with larger unified command centers in other areas of the affected region. The south Florida Type III team has appointed an NPS representative to remain actively engaged with command staff. Archeologists from the Southeast Archeological Center (SEAC) embedded at the IC in Mobile have completed pre-damage condition assessments for archeological sites at Gulf Islands National Seashore and are providing support to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by conducting site assessments in refuges that may be affected by the oil spill. To date, the team has completed 67 site assessments at Gulf Islands and nine on Fish and Wildlife lands. The team will continue to assess refuge archeological sites across the northern Gulf of Mexico from Louisiana to the Big Bend of Florida. Additional archeological teams from SEAC are conducting assessments in the South Florida parks. The Mobile team has drafted guidelines for site assessment and monitoring of clean-up efforts for archeological sites and cultural resources; these guidelines are currently under review. [J. Michael Johnson, Lead Information Officer, Gulf Islands National Seashore Oil Spill Response]
The Midwest IMT (Pontbriand) continues to manage the National Park Service response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill at Gulf Islands National Seashore. The Intermountain IMT (Mossman) is managing the South Florida incident. Assessment and monitoring continue, with shoreline cleanup assessment technique (SCAT) teams responding to reports of oil and/or oiled wildlife: South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, DeSoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - Baseline condition assessments continued yesterday at Everglades and Biscayne. Assessments are expected to continue throughout the week. Cultural resource assessments are also being performed concurrently at Biscayne. Entrix, BP's environmental consulting firm, continued conducting baseline sampling at Everglades, accompanied by an NPS advisor. Over the weekend, the US Coast Guard successfully coordinated a contracted cleanup of beaches at Dry Tortugas that had been impacted by tar balls last week. Park staff were on hand to act as resource advisors and helped oversee the effort. Subsequent surveys of the islands have thus far revealed no new occurrences of tar balls. Daily beach surveys are expected to continue at least through the end of the week. The South Florida IMT continues to coordinate response efforts with larger unified command centers in other areas of the affected region. The south Florida Type III team has appointed an NPS representative to remain actively engaged with command staff. The South Florida IMT conducted a briefing for the incoming Intermountain Region IMT. The team will operate from a newly established incident command post in Homestead. Local media interest is light. A communications center continues to be staffed by a team of information officers, and can be contacted at 305-224-4215, or via email at HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/mailtSouthFloridaNPS@gmail.com". [J. Michael Johnson, Lead Information Officer, Gulf Islands National Seashore Oil Spill Response]
In the five weeks since the oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, the national parks located along the Gulf of Mexico have been planning and preparing for heavy oil to arrive on shore. To date, only tar balls and oily debris has been recovered from the shores of these parks. Initial indications were that the oil would be arriving in the parks soon after the explosion, but this has not been the case. This extra time has allowed for significant planning in which to take baseline data, collect samples, assess conditions of natural and cultural resources, educate visitors, and plan for the time heavy oil does arrive. All the plans and data being collected by NPS operations are being shared with the unified command and are being used and implemented by all agencies responding to the spill across the Gulf of Mexico. South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, DeSoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - Natural resource baseline condition assessments continued yesterday at Everglades and cultural resource assessments continued at Biscayne. Assessments are expected to continue throughout the week. Entrix, BP's environmental consulting firm, continued conducting baseline sampling at Everglades, accompanied by an NPS advisor. NPS personnel continue to conduct daily surveys of the island of Dry Tortugas. The incidence of new tar balls since this past weekend's USCG cleanup has been minimal. Daily beach surveys are expected to continue at least through the end of the week. Local media interest continues to be light. A communications center continues to be staffed by a team of information officers, and can be contacted at 305-224-4215, or via email at HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/mailtSouthFloridaNPS@gmail.com". [J. Michael Johnson, Lead Information Officer, Gulf Islands National Seashore Oil Spill Response]
As the oil spill response continues in the Gulf of Mexico, park units around the Gulf are planning for high visitation this Memorial Day weekend. Gulf Islands National Seashore in Mississippi and Florida has been reporting only small amounts of tar balls and oiled debris on its shores. There has not been any oily sheen on its beaches. The parks in South Florida have not had any confirmed tar balls from this oil spill. All NPS units in the Gulf remain open and are conducting normal park operations. Visit individual park websites to view a list of ranger activities and programs that are available this weekend. South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, DeSoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - Natural resource baseline condition assessments continued yesterday at Everglades and cultural resource assessments continued at Biscayne. Assessments are expected to continue throughout the week. Entrix, BP's environmental consulting firm, continued baseline sampling at Everglades, accompanied by an NPS advisor. NPS personnel continue to conduct daily surveys of the island of Dry Tortugas. Divers began a baseline assessment of a shipwreck site at Biscayne yesterday. The incidence of new tar balls since this past weekend's USCG cleanup has been minimal. Daily beach monitoring is expected to continue at least through the end of the week. [J. Michael Johnson, Lead Information Officer, Gulf Islands National Seashore Oil Spill Response]
All NPS units in the Gulf remain open and are conducting normal park operations. Parks along the Gulf have yet to receive the types and concentrations of oil that are impacting the coastline of Louisiana. Jean Lafitte has yet to receive oil due to its location, buffered from the Gulf by miles of marsh and waterways. Gulf Islands continues to receive small and varied amounts tar balls and oiled debris on its beaches. South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, DeSoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - Natural resource baseline condition assessments continued yesterday at Everglades and cultural resource assessments are being completed at Biscayne. Entrix, BP's environmental consulting firm, completed baseline sampling at Everglades. NPS personnel continue to conduct daily surveys of the island of Dry Tortugas. A baseline assessment of a shipwreck site at Biscayne was completed yesterday. Daily beach monitoring is expected to continue at least through the weekend. [J. Michael Johnson, Lead Information Officer, Gulf Islands National Seashore Oil Spill Response]
All NPS units along the Gulf remain open and are conducting normal park operations. None has yet received the types and concentrations of oil that are impacting the coastline of Louisiana. Jean Lafitte has yet to receive oil due to its location, buffered from the Gulf by miles of marsh and waterways. Gulf Islands continues to receive small and varied amounts tar balls and oiled debris on its beaches. South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, DeSoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - Natural and cultural resource assessments have been completed at Everglades and Biscayne. Personnel continue to conduct daily surveys at Dry Tortugas. An underwater robot nicknamed "Waldo" that was launched by Mote Marine to patrol waters looking for oil and dispersants became the focus of NPS personnel at Dry Tortugas. The robot went astray in strong currents and stopped signaling valuable information. A successful rescue at sea was played out with the help of skilled NPS employees. "Waldo" has been examined and is resting securely, waiting to be deployed to continue his mission in the waters north of the park. [J. Michael Johnson, Lead Information Officer, Gulf Islands National Seashore Oil Spill Response]
All NPS units along the Gulf Coast remain open and are conducting normal park operations. They have yet to receive the types and concentrations of oil that are impacting the coastline of Louisiana. Jean Lafitte has yet to receive oil due to its location, buffered from the Gulf by miles of marsh and waterways. Gulf Islands continues to receive small and varied amounts of tar balls and oiled debris on its beaches. South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, DeSoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - Natural and cultural resource assessments are complete at Everglades and Biscayne. Personnel continue to conduct daily surveys at Dry Tortugas. Beach monitoring is expected to continue. A communications center can be contacted at 305-224-4215, or via email at HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/mailtSouthFloridaNPS@gmail.com_" SouthFloridaNPS@gmail.com . [Mindi Rambo, Gulf Islands National Seashore Oil Spill Response]
The men and women of the National Park Service have been an integral part of the national federal response to the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig which occurred in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20th. Oil leaking from the well currently threatens Padre Island National Seashore in Texas; Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve in Louisiana; Gulf Islands National Seashore in Mississippi and Florida; and DeSoto National Memorial, Big Cypress National Preserve, Everglades National Park, Dry Tortugas National Park, and Biscayne National Park in Florida. These parks preserve wildlife habitats and historical areas that are unique to our country. As of 5 p.m., Wednesday, all NPS units in the Gulf remain open and are conducting park operations. South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, DeSoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - Recreational and commercial fishing waters approximately 20 miles west of Dry Tortugas NP have been closed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, but this closure does not affect all areas near the park, so people are advised to check the NOAA website at HYPERLINK "http://www.noaa.gov/". NPS personnel continue to conduct daily surveys of the islands of Dry Tortugas NP. Monitoring continues at all South Florida park coastal areas. There has been no oil from Deepwater Horizon in the parks. Visitors are continuing to enjoy the Islands and beaches and all the related recreational opportunities they offer. A communications center continues to be staffed by a team of information officers and can be contacted at 305-224-4215, or via email at SouthFloridaNPS@gmail.com. [Mindi Rambo, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
The men and women of the National Park Service have been an integral part of the national federal response to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. All NPS units in the Gulf remain open and are conducting park operations. South Florida Parks (Big Cypress NP, Biscayne NP, DeSoto NM, Dry Tortugas NP, Everglades NP) - Recreational and commercial fishing waters approximately 15 miles west of Dry Tortugas NP have been closed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; however, this does not affect all areas near the park, so people are advised to check the NOAA website at www.noaa.gov . The Key West Tar Ball Incident has been re-opened based on additional tar balls found at Duck Key. South Florida incident command has stationed Wayne Elliot, deputy operations chief in Key West, to continue coordination with the USCG Key West Sector and other partner agencies. Personnel continue to conduct daily surveys of the islands of Dry Tortugas National Park. Monitoring continues at all South Florida park coastal areas. There has been no oil from Deepwater Horizon in the parks. Visitors are continuing to enjoy the islands and beaches and all the related recreational opportunities they offer. A communications center continues to be staffed by a team of information officers and can be contacted at 305-224-4215, or via email at SouthFloridaNPS@gmail.com. [Mindi Rambo, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
The men and women of the National Park Service continue to be an integral part of the national federal response to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. All NPS units in the Gulf remain open and are conducting regular park operations. South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, DeSoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration moved the "no fishing" boundary further to the west of the Dry Tortugas on Friday. The area boundary has not changed and remains about 100 miles to the west of the Dry Tortugas and 180 miles West of Key West. A team of resource advisors has been working on the oil spill clean-up response plan and the final draft is being reviewed. This document will provide baseline information on how to proceed with clean-up effort while protecting resources and visitor safety. An early warning system to monitor for oil has been implemented by the Coast Guard's Florida Peninsula Unified Command Post, in coordination with BP and the Department of Interior, to alert Dry Tortugas NP and the Florida Keys at the earliest indication of a threat. NPS personnel continue to conduct daily surveys of the islands of Dry Tortugas NP. Monitoring continues at all South Florida park coastal areas. There has been no oil from Deepwater Horizon in these parks. Visitors are continuing to enjoy the islands and beaches and all the related recreational opportunities they offer. A communications center continues to be staffed by a team of information officers and can be contacted at 305-224-4215, or via email at SouthFloridaNPS@gmail.com. The national parks in the Gulf of Mexico and south Florida preserve wildlife habitats and historical areas that are unique to our country. Coral reefs, mudflats, mangroves, marshes, and sea grass beds provide nurseries, refuge, and feeding areas for wildlife, while lighthouses, seacoast fortifications, and shipwrecks preserve evidence of trade, war, and maritime technology dating back to the 16th Century. Millions of people come to these seashore and island national parks for relaxation, inspiration and fun. In national park lands and waters the oil spill could contaminate and destroy the food sources and nesting areas for marine wildlife, including endangered least terns and Kemp's ridley turtles. Spilled oil can permanently damage historic brick coastal fortifications on the water's edge, like Fort Massachusetts at Gulf Islands National Seashore, or underwater shipwrecks like the Windjammer at Dry Tortugas National Park. Of additional concern, oil clean-up crews and equipment could disturb or damage sensitive wildlife habitats and archeological sites. Beaches, bayous, and waters will be closed if they become contaminated. [Mindi Rambo, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
The men and women of the National Park Service have been an integral part of the national federal response to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. All NPS units along the Gulf remain open and are conducting park operations. South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, DeSoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration moved the "no fishing" boundary further to the west of the Dry Tortugas last Friday. The area boundary has not changed and remains about 100 miles to the west of the Dry Tortugas and 180 miles west of Key West. A team of resource advisors has been working on the oil spill clean-up response plan and the final draft is being reviewed. This document will provide baseline information on how to proceed with clean-up effort, while protecting resources and visitor safety. An early warning system to monitor for oil has been put into operation by the Coast Guard, in coordination with BP and the Department of Interior, to alert Dry Tortugas NP and the Florida Keys at the earliest indication of a threat. NPS personnel continue to conduct daily surveys of the islands of Dry Tortugas NP. Monitoring continues at all South Florida Parks' coastal areas. There has been no oil from Deepwater Horizon in these parks. Visitors are continuing to enjoy the islands and beaches and all the related recreational opportunities they offer. A communications center continues to be staffed by a team of information officers and can be contacted at 305-224-4215, or via email at SouthFloridaNPS@gmail.com. The national parks in the Gulf of Mexico and south Florida preserve wildlife habitats and historical areas that are unique to our country. Coral reefs, mudflats, mangroves, marshes, and seagrass beds provide nurseries, refuge, and feeding areas for wildlife, while lighthouses, seacoast fortifications, and shipwrecks preserve evidence of trade, war, and maritime technology dating back to the 16th Century. Millions of people come to these seashore and island national parks for relaxation, inspiration and fun. In national park lands and waters the oil spill could contaminate and destroy the food sources and nesting areas for marine wildlife, including endangered least terns and Kemp's ridley turtles. Spilled oil can permanently damage historic brick coastal fortifications on the water's edge, like Fort Massachusetts at Gulf Islands National Seashore, or underwater shipwrecks like the Windjammer at Dry Tortugas National Park. Of additional concern, oil clean-up crews and equipment could disturb or damage sensitive wildlife habitats and archeological sites. Beaches, bayous, and waters will be closed if they become contaminated. [Mindi Rambo, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
The men and women of the National Park Service continue to be an integral part of the national federal response to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. All NPS units along the Gulf remain open and are conducting regular park operations. South Florida Parks (Big Cypress , Biscayne, DeSoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - No new developments. The national parks in the Gulf of Mexico and south Florida preserve wildlife habitats and historical areas that are unique to our country. Coral reefs, mudflats, mangroves, marshes, and seagrass beds provide nurseries, refuge, and feeding areas for wildlife, while lighthouses, seacoast fortifications, and shipwrecks preserve evidence of trade, war, and maritime technology dating back to the 16th Century. Millions of people come to these seashore and island national parks for relaxation, inspiration and fun. In national park lands and waters the oil spill could contaminate and destroy the food sources and nesting areas for marine wildlife, including endangered least terns and Kemp's Ridley turtles. Spilled oil can permanently damage historic brick coastal fortifications on the water's edge, like Fort Massachusetts at Gulf Islands National Seashore, or underwater shipwrecks like the Windjammer at Dry Tortugas National Park . Of additional concern, oil clean-up crews and equipment could disturb or damage sensitive wildlife habitats and archeological sites. Beaches, bayous, and waters will be closed if they become contaminated. For more information on the NPS, DOI and national oil spill responses and for a link to the BP online oil spill safety training needed by all incident staff, please see the following sites: HYPERLINK "http://www.nps.gov/aboutus/oil-spill-response.htm" NPS Oil Spill Response HYPERLINK "http://www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon/index.cfm" DOI Oil Spill Response HYPERLINK "http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/site/2931/" National Oil Spill Response HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Conferences&id=1957" Oil Spill Safety Training [Mindi Rambo, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
The men and women of the National Park Service continue to be an integral part of the national federal response to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. All NPS units along the Gulf remain open and are conducting regular park operations. South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, Desoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - An early warning system to monitor for oil has been put into operation by the Coast Guard in coordination with BP and the Department of Interior. The crew on a vessel patrolling waters northwest of Dry Tortugas identified oil approximately 247 miles from the park. This ship continues to monitor the situation. [Mindi Rambo, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
The men and women of the National Park Service continue to be an integral part of the national federal response to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. All NPS units along the Gulf remain open and are conducting regular park operations. South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, Desoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - A press conference will be held Tuesday on Stock Island in Key West to highlight proactive efforts to assess possible oil in nearby water. The use of specialized nets called Neuston nets, typically used on boats to collect plankton, will be utilized to detect possibly approaching oil. These monitoring efforts will assist in early recognition of spilled oil, and will help facilitate appropriate responses if detected. [Bobbie Altomare Visnovske, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
The men and women of the National Park Service continue to be an integral part of the national federal response to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. All NPS units along the Gulf remain open and are conducting regular park operations. South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, Desoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - Network and local media attended a press conference sponsored by the South Florida Joint Information Center in Key West yesterday. Personnel from the NPS, Coast Guard, and representatives from BP attended a boat tour and demonstration of specialized nets which detect the presence of oil in the water. These efforts highlight proactive monitoring efforts to detect the possibility of approaching oil and illustrate how these measures could facilitate appropriate responses if oil is detected. Currently, there have been no reports of oil reaching shore in the Florida Peninsula. For more information on the NPS, DOI and national oil spill responses and for a link to the BP online oil spill safety training needed by all incident staff, please see the following sites. Note that a new link has been added to GeoPlatform, an interactive GIS web page on the spill: HYPERLINK "http://www.nps.gov/aboutus/oil-spill-response.htm" NPS Oil Spill Response HYPERLINK "http://www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon/index.cfm" DOI Oil Spill Response HYPERLINK "http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/site/2931/" National Oil Spill Response HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Conferences&id=1957" Oil Spill Safety Training HYPERLINK "http://www.geoplatform.gov/gulfresponse/" GeoPlatform [Bobbie Altomare Visnovske, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
The men and women of the National Park Service continue to be an integral part of the national federal response to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. All NPS units along the Gulf remain open and are conducting regular park operations. South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, Desoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - The South Florida IMT is transitioning to a smaller staff in south Florida. This smaller group will continue to manage incident operations and coordinate with the U.S. Coast Guard sectors, including the South Florida Peninsular Joint Information Center) The U.S. Coast Guard Florida Peninsular JIC coordinated a flyover of the gulf coast out of Key West for offshore oil observations. There are no current reports of oil reaching shore on the Florida Peninsula. [Bobbie Altomare Visnovske, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
The men and women of the National Park Service - both current employees and numerous retired employees - continue to be an integral part of the national federal response to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. All NPS units along the Gulf remain open and are conducting regular park operations. South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, Desoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - Plans are being developed with the South Florida Peninsular JIC on a press advisory for all public land managers on Monday, June 20th. More information will follow as plans develop. For more information on the NPS, DOI and national oil spill responses and for a link to the BP online oil spill safety training needed by all incident staff, please see the following sites. Note that a new link has been added for the ICS 209 Incident Status Summaries prepared each day and posted on an NPS web page; among other things, these provide details on significant events, major problems and current resource commitments. HYPERLINK "http://www.nps.gov/aboutus/oil-spill-response.htm" NPS Oil Spill Response HYPERLINK "http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/doctype/2931/53023/" BP Oil Spill Response HYPERLINK "http://www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon/index.cfm" DOI Oil Spill Response HYPERLINK "http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/site/2931/" National Oil Spill Response HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Conferences&id=1957" Oil Spill Safety Training HYPERLINK "http://www.geoplatform.gov/gulfresponse/" GeoPlatform HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/waso/custommenu.cfm?lv=3&prg=1006&id=9336" NPS ICS 209 Incident Status Summaries [Bobbie Altomare Visnovske, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
The men and women of the National Park Service - both current employees and numerous retired employees - continue to be an integral part of the national federal response to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. All NPS units along the Gulf remain open and are conducting regular park operations. South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, Desoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - No new developments. [Bobbie Altomare Visnovske, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
The men and women of the National Park Service - both current employees and numerous retired employees - continue to be an integral part of the national federal response to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. All NPS units along the Gulf remain open and are conducting regular park operations. South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, Desoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - A media event was held at Everglades National Park's Key Largo Ranger Station to showcase different marine and coastal habitats that may be affected by the spill and also measures that will be taken to mitigate these effects. Five NPS boats were utilized for the field portion of the event. Approximately 15 media outlets participated. [Lynne Murdock, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
Some small tar balls and tar mats were reported at Gulf Islands yesterday, and a health advisory was posted for parts of the park due to oil coming ashore. A stranded dolphin was also rescued. Here are today's updates: South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, Desoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - Scientists are analyzing baseline data that has been collected from five Florida national parks. This data will be important - if and when Florida parks receive oil impacts - in making damage assessments. [Lynne Murdock, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
Advisories remain in effect for beaches and offshore waters along Gulf Islands due to either significant amounts of oil coming ashore or oil-related chemicals in the water. Here are today's updates: South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, Desoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - No new report. [Lynne Murdock, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
The NPS Office of Public Health has prepared a video and public notices on the potential impacts of oil on human health. Tar balls have been found and recovered on Loggerhead Key in the Dry Tortugas. Here are today's updates: South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, Desoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - The regular watch for tar balls has turned up four more at Loggerhead Key in Dry Tortugas. These were found above the debris line over a period of 48 hours and were processed through the proper channels to the Coast Guard and have been sent for analysis. Though they are old and weathered, it is important to note that this discovery emphasizes the importance of Dry Tortugas as South Florida's "best all-weather outpost" for early warning should oil products move into the South Florida area, as weather keeps driving sentry vessels off station and into shelter, while observations continue unabated in the park. The sentry vessel program continues to augment this watch for potential oil impacts, though with tropical storm forecasts and small craft advisories in place the sentry operations may be interrupted depending on the weather. The Florida Peninsula Command Center, where Dan Kimball, lead DOI representative in Florida, is stationed, is gearing up for a media open house on Tuesday. Science advisors have been working with other trustees to track the approximately 125 natural resource-specific damage assessment studies being conducted. NPS scientists are participating in most of the 11 workgroups established across the country. The South Florida NPS team is working to ensure that these technical working groups are acquiring the appropriate research permits and supporting logistics for sampling efforts in the parks of concern. In addition, efforts are underway to assure that NPS resources are explicitly included in the baseline outcomes. For more information on the NPS, DOI and national oil spill responses and for a link to the BP on line oil spill safety training needed by all incident staff, please see the following sites: HYPERLINK "http://www.nps.gov/aboutus/oil-spill-response.htm" NPS Oil Spill Response HYPERLINK "http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/doctype/2931/53023/" Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Response HYPERLINK "http://www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon/index.cfm" DOI Oil Spill Response HYPERLINK "http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/site/2931/" National Oil Spill Response HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Conferences&id=1957" Oil Spill Safety Training HYPERLINK "http://www.geoplatform.gov/gulfresponse/" GeoPlatform HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/waso/custommenu.cfm?lv=3&prg=1006&id=9336" NPS ICS 209 Incident Status Summaries HYPERLINK "http://classicinside.nps.gov/documents/NPS%20-%20Public%20Health%20Notice%20SIGNAGE%206-26-10.pdf" Gulf Islands Public Health Precautions Notice HYPERLINK "http://www.nps.gov/archive/features/oilspillresponse/OilSpillSafety/index.htm" Public Health Service Oil Spill Safety Video [Lynne Murdock, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
Gulf Islands is currently experiencing its worst oiling to date. Here are today's updates: South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, Desoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - The South Florida incident command PIO and a NOAA PIO travelled to Miami to participate in the Florida peninsular media availability event hosted by the JIC. The event went well, with Fox national, ABC local, CBS local, Channel 51 (Spanish), and the Miami Herald present. Dr. Erik Stabenau from the NPS provided the media with an update on the status of the oil and what the peninsula ICP is focusing on. The media were able to ask questions of the unified command representatives available, including BP, USCG, DOI, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission. The media was most interested in how far the oil was from any location along the peninsula, the number of land management areas that could be impacted, and the best projections on where oil might eventually wind up. South Florida parks continue to meet daily for a planning call with the incident team in place to ensure that NPS units in Florida stay coordinated and updated on the incident. PIO Linda Friar worked with the Florida peninsular JIC to be part of a local fishing show as part of last week's outreach/media event. [Lynne Murdock, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
Weather in the Gulf of Mexico pushed up oil products yesterday on several Gulf Islands beaches. A new oil spill response multimedia page has been completed and launched. Here are the details: South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, Desoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - No new developments. HYPERLINK "http://classicinside.nps.gov/documents/NPS%20-%20Public%20Health%20Notice%20SIGNAGE%206-26-10.pdf" Gulf Islands Public Health Precautions Notice HYPERLINK "http://www.nps.gov/archive/features/oilspillresponse/OilSpillSafety/index.htm" Public Health Service Oil Spill Safety Video HYPERLINK "http://www.nps.gov/archive/features/oilspillresponse/" Oil Spill Media Page [Lynne Murdock, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
High seas from now dissipated Hurricane Alex have pushed more oil ashore at Gulf Islands. Padre Island has reopened with the storm's passage. Here are the details: South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, Desoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - No new developments. [Lynne Murdock, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
Severe weather along the Gulf Coast on Sunday kept cleanup crews off park beaches. Here are the details: South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, Desoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - No new developments. [Denise Robertson, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
Well over a thousand workers were engaged in cleaning oil from several beaches at Gulf Islands NS on Tuesday. Here are the details: South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, Desoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - No new developments. [Denise Robertson, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
Although crews at some locations at Gulf Islands faced serious challenges in cleaning up oil from park beaches due to tide and surf conditions yesterday, a crew at Perdido Key was able to fully clean a section of beach for a wedding there on Tuesday. Here are the details: South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, Desoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - No new developments. [Andy L. Fisher, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
The weather and surf conditions have improved at Gulf Islands, making it possible for crews to resume cleanup of park beaches. Here are the details: South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, Desoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - No new developments. [Andy L. Fisher, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
Cleanup at Gulf Islands went well yesterday due to good weather, but a survey team has found an unusually large pool of oil on Cat Island that will prove challenging to remove. Here are the details: South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, Desoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - No new developments. [Andy L. Fisher, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
Gulf Islands National Seashore is planning for its first sea turtle egg relocation. Southern Florida reports that parks there are still oil free. Here are the details: South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, Desoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - All vessel and flight patrols continued yesterday and no oil was spotted in the Florida Peninsula Command area of responsibility. A total of 153 oil samples from around the peninsula have been processed to date and none are connected with the oil spill; another 35 samples are in process and not expected to be positive either. Community meetings and development of qualified community responder programs are underway in the St. Petersburg and Key West Branches and planning continues in all branches. A cultural resource plan is being developed at the Florida Peninsula Command Post for all branches and will become a part of the planning package that will be handed down to the branches to incorporate with the tactical planning they have done so that everything will be in place should oil hit a trigger point offshore and operations be initiated. [Andy L. Fisher, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
Gulf Islands has held an evening event to recognize volunteers who've been working to provide the public with current information on spill operations. The membership of the team managing the response in South Florida will be changing this week, with some new people coming on board. Here are the details: South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, Desoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - The South Florida NPS incident command was set up to support the five south Florida parks. The team has evolved over the duration of the oil spill to respond to NPS-specific needs in the south Florida area and has extended its operations to support and coordination with Canaveral NS. The team began as a Type 3 team made up of park staff, transitioned to a Type 2 team from Intermountain Region, and then scaled down to a smaller team that includes an incident commander, PIO, lead resource advisor, chief of finance, document lead, and two liaison officers, one stationed at the Florida Peninsula Incident Command Post and one in Key West. The scaled-down team consists of retired NPS professionals who were willing to travel to south Florida for 30-day assignments. The team's other duties, such as safety, reverted to the individual parks. This scaled-back structure was put in place due to the uncertainty of oil product impacts on the south Florida parks and to make it possible to quickly ramp up should oil impacts be identified in the area of concern. The current team has been in place for 30 days and is now transitioning to new ADs who will also serve 30 day periods working closely with park superintendents and staff to coordinate activities, share information, and address park concerns and spill-related issues. This will be a transition week, with Phil Perkins replacing Jay Wells at Key West, Bob Panko replacing Fred Bird at Homestead, and Larry Murphy (retired submerged resources) going out to Dry Tortugas. Gary Davis, Julie Bell, Dan Kimball and Bill Pierce will still be on the incident. This team has been able to support extensive planning and preparations for the parks in south Florida so that response plans are in place and needed resources are clearly identified. These plans include baseline inventories for each of the five parks, including collection of field data and implementation of a data management plan. Team members have worked with the USCG to update the area contingency plans to address the full range of possible oil impacts, including tar balls, sheets of oil, subsurface oil, and other types of potential impact to park resources. The team has also developed a volunteer plan, modeled after the Gulf Island volunteer plan, that will be put in place as appropriate. The team PIO continues to communicate regularly with other PIO's working on the incident and to keep the team informed of the broader public information strategies being developed [Andy L. Fisher, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
Crews totaling several hundred people continued removing oil products from locations throughout the Mississippi and Florida Districts at Gulf Islands yesterday. Here are the details: South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, Desoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - No new developments. [Andy L. Fisher, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
There are approximately 250 people working 24 hours a day to clean the beaches along the gulf shore. Some worked this past weekend under a black flag warning and a heat index of 137° F. They are armed with shovels, plastic bags and improvised tools as they work their way along Perdido Key in Gulf Islands National Seashore, scraping oil stained sand off the beach, one shovel scoop at a time, and putting each into a plastic bag. Once filled, each bag weighs 10 to 12 pounds. A pile can reach 80 bags before it is picked up by utility terrain vehicles (UTVs). In the three days after Tropical Storm Alex, these crews filled over 18,000 bags - a total of 216,000 pounds of oiled sand, all collected by hand. Dave Stout, task force leader for Perdido Key, makes a point of saying "thank you" to each and every one of the workers as he greets them. He also tells them that the work that they are doing is important, that endangered species including sea turtles and nesting birds are depending on them to get the sand clean, and that 300 million Americans are cheering them on. Visitors to the beach are starting to notice how clean the sand is looking and Stout is quick to remind them that the progress is due to his crews working 12 hour shifts in difficult conditions. It might also be in part to Dave Stout's leadership on the beach. Meanwhile, here's what's been going on in the affected parks: South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, Desoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - Staff at the South Florida incident command post continue to monitor oil spill impacts and keep the south Florida parks informed. Over the past few days, incident managers have developed a plan to continue to consolidate incident resources and identify continuing roles of incident and regular NPS employees involved in the oil spill operation. No oil is expected to make landfall in the near future. There are now 29 samples awaiting analysis at or en route to the USCG Marine Safety Lab. None of the previously submitted 174 samples have shown any association with the current spill. Two boats - the Fish Finder and the Ocean Star - continue on sentry duty northwest of Dry Tortugas. Another, the Becker, is in Key West re-provisioning and will put to sea on Tuesday. Observation flights were made yester by two HH-60 helicopters along the western coast of the Florida Peninsula, an HC-144 over the northern part of the gulf, and a Falcon flight along the Keys and to the west of the Tortugas. A C-130 flight was cancelled due to a maintenance problem. Neither boats nor aircraft spotted any oil. For more information on the NPS, DOI and national oil spill responses and for a link to the BP online oil spill safety training needed by all incident staff, please see the following sites: HYPERLINK "http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/doctype/2931/53023/" Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Response HYPERLINK "http://www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon/index.cfm" DOI Oil Spill Response HYPERLINK "http://www.nps.gov/aboutus/oil-spill-response.htm" NPS Oil Spill Response HYPERLINK "http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/site/2931/" National Oil Spill Response HYPERLINK "http://www.restorethegulf.gov/" Restore The Gulf HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Conferences&id=1957" Oil Spill Safety Training HYPERLINK "http://www.geoplatform.gov/gulfresponse/" GeoPlatform HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/waso/custommenu.cfm?lv=3&prg=1006&id=9336" NPS ICS 209 Incident Status Summaries [Andy L. Fisher, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
Towed sand sifters have been tested at Gulf Islands and have worked so well that they are now being employed in cleanup operations. Here are the details of yesterday's operations: South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, Desoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - No new developments. [Jeff Wolin, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
The Department of the Interior recognized from the very beginning of the oil spill event that the cleanup effort had the potential to create additional impact on the fragile shorelines of the Gulf of Mexico. Early on, the NPS and other federal agencies, specifically the US Fish and Wildlife Service, created a "sensitive lands" branch as part of overall incident management. The keystone of the sensitive lands approach to the cleanup effort is the cooperative effort between work crews on the beach and the resource advisors (READs) assigned to accompany them. READs are specially-trained natural resource professional employed by land management agencies, including the National Park Service and Fish and Wildlife Service, who are on the ground with the crews to identify known nesting sites and dune vegetation as well as looking for new nesting sites of sea turtles, birds and beach mice. READs also assist when new ecologically sensitive resources are documented, assist managers in the sensitive lands office to develop amended recommendations for the critical area, and communicate those recommendations back down to the people doing the work. The Department of the Interior believes in using techniques and tools that are effective to get the job done while impacting the landscape the least. According to JD Swed, branch chief for the sensitive lands office at Mobile Incident Command, the national parks and wildlife refuges are being treated like the sea pods of the future. If these areas can be cleaned up while still preserving the biology and ecology of the area, they can be the catalysts to speeding natural recovery of other coastal areas which have been impacted more deeply. The goal of the sensitive lands branch is to clean these areas effectively, and carefully. Meanwhile, here's what happened in the parks yesterday: South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, Desoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - No new developments. [Jeff Wolin, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
Personnel at areas around the Gulf of Mexico are keeping a close eye on Tropical Storm Bonnie and making preparations for its arrival. Eggs will be removed from an endangered Kemp's Ridley sea turtle nest at Gulf Islands today and sent to the Kennedy Space Center for incubation. South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, Desoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - No new developments. For more on Tropical Storm Bonnie's probable course, click on the link below. [Jeff Wolin, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response] HYPERLINK "http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at3+shtml/085015.shtml?5-daynl#contents"
After a stand down for Tropical Storm Bonnie, workers and equipment will head back to the beach today to resume cleanup operations. South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, Desoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - No new developments. [Jeff Wolin and Ken Wires, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
Cleanup operations continued at Gulf Islands, but operations in South Florida began winding down to the low probability of oil impacts there. Here are the particulars: South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, Desoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - Operations are beginning to wind down in South Florida, as the probability of impact from oil has been deemed to be low. [Jeff Wolin, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
Many NPS retirees have been called out to assist in the agency's response to the oil spill, or to assist other DOI agencies. Among them is the retired superintendent of Kenai Fjords, who was at that park during the big Exxon Valdez spill of 1989. Here are the particulars: South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, Desoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - No new developments. [Jeff Wolin, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
Buckets are now being used by workers cleaning up beaches, thereby reducing the number of non-biodegradable plastic bags deposited in landfills. Here are the particulars: South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, Desoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - No new developments. [Jeff Wolin, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
Despite climatic and operational constraints, crews are becoming steadily more efficient in cleaning up beaches, with daily collection totals more than tripling since early July. Here are the particulars: South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, Desoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - No new developments. [Brigid Jennings, Alyse Cadez, and Jeff Wolin, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
Despite fears that oil would have a serious impact on nesting birds on West Ship Island, a normal number of chicks have hatched and fledged. Here are the particulars: South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, Desoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - No new developments. [Ken Hires and Mary McBurney, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
Cultural resources of all types at Gulf Islands NS have so far been spared by the spill, partly due to the placement of booms. Current estimates are that no oil will reach parks in South Florida. Here are the particulars: South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, Desoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - The South Florida parks have not been impacted by oil from the Gulf oil spill. Southern Florida, the Florida Keys, and the east coast of the Florida peninsula are not likely to experience any effects from oil remaining on the surface of the gulf, as it continues to degrade and remains hundreds of miles away from the loop current. This analysis assumes the Deepwater Horizon/BP wellhead will remained capped. [Anne Castellina and Mary McBurney, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
Interpretive rangers at Gulf Islands NS have changed their programs to deal with the realities of the oil spill and to discuss related issues. Here are the particulars: South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, Desoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - No new developments. [Ken Hires and Mary McBurney, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
A cleanup crew that found a moving letter in a bottle on the shore at Horn Island in mid-July has sent a letter and a T-shirt with all their names on it to the author in Wales. Here are the particulars: South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, Desoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - No new developments. [Kelly Moore, Lynette Sprague-Falk and Mary McBurney, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
South Florida Parks (Big Cypress, Biscayne, Desoto, Dry Tortugas, Everglades) - No new developments. [Barbara Dougan and Mary McBurney, Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response]
On the evening of Saturday, March 6th, park staff at Flamingo began a search for a 67-year-old man who had been reported missing by his family after going for a walk in the Flamingo campground area. Ground search teams, K-9 units, dive teams and aircraft were utilized in the search. They focused on the Flamingo campground and the Eco-Pond area. The search area was expanded after no clues or signs of the man were found in the primary search area. A week of intense ground and air searches followed, during which no further information on his location and no further clues were discovered. Aircraft, K-9 units and ground search teams were accordingly released last Friday. Operations continue at this time with specialized teams and local resources. The support of all divisions has been crucial in this search effort. The incident management team extends its thanks to all the park employees who helped with the search. In addition to Everglades staff, employees from Big Cypress NP assisted along with personnel with Miami Dade Fire Rescue, Miami Dade Police Department, Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, Florida Department of Corrections, Monroe County Sheriff's Office, Miramar Police Department, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Miami Dade Emergency Operations Center. [R. Bruce Gantt, SERO]
Rangers in the Florida Bay District were notified of an overdue boater by park dispatch on the morning of August 12th. When the rangers contacted the Coast Guard for more information, they learned that the boat had just been found in the park at Ramshorn Shoal and that there was a body onboard. Rangers responded with officers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. They were soon joined by a homicide detective from the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, who found a loaded Sig Sauer .45 handgun and a single shell casing near the man's body. The boat was towed to shore and the body turned over to the county medical examiner. While this was occurring, an investigator from the sheriff's office was in town found a suicide note presumed to have been written by the man. The county is continuing the investigation. [Bonnie Foist, Chief Ranger]
On Tuesday, rangers began looking for 23-year-old J.O. Though he has not been officially declared a missing person, J.O.'s vehicle has been parked at Pine Glades Lake since August 24th and has not moved. Park rangers have spoken to his family and learned that J.O. has no known friends or family in the area. The park has no information regarding how long J.O. intended to stay in the park and have begun a search as a precaution. A Miami-Dade Police Department helicopter assisted with the search on Tuesday but had to leave the scene due to thunderstorms and intense rain in the search area. A more intensive search with dogs and trackers and aircraft took place yesterday. [Linda Friar, Public Affairs Specialist]
The search for visitor J.O. has concluded with the park officially declaring him as missing and transferring the case to other law enforcement authorities. After a week of searching in the park and investigating clues from the search and those provided by the public, J.O.'s whereabouts remains unknown. The search, which involved 45 staff from several agencies, three dog units and two helicopters, began on August 30th when rangers on routine patrol noticed that a vehicle that had been parked at the Pine Glades lake area for a number of days had not been moved. Rangers ran a vehicle check on the 1998 green Isuzu pickup, which had a Texas license tag, and contacted the vehicle owner of record, T.O., who identified the current operator of the vehicle as his son, 23-year-old Ja.O.. Further investigation determined that Ja.O. had entered the park on August 24th. Anyone who may have seen J.O. while visiting the park or who might have other information as to his whereabouts is requested to contact park dispatch at 305-242-7740. [Linda Friar, Public Information Specialist]
Rangers joined with Coast Guard personnel in the search for a missing Palm Beach Gardens man last Saturday afternoon. W.C., 66, dove into park waters to retrieve his flatboat, which had broken loose from a rented houseboat anchored in the Oyster Bay area of the park. When W.C. disappeared, his brother-in-law, who was on the houseboat, notified the Coast Guard. They in turn notified the park. A search was begun employing park vessels and a Coast Guard helicopter, but had to be terminated around 10 p.m. due to darkness. The search resumed on Sunday despite severe thunderstorms in the area. W.C.'s body was found in the area where he first disappeared. [Linda Friar, Public Affairs Officer]
Several reports have been received by parks affected or potentially affected by Tropical Storm Isaac, which passed by Puerto Rico yesterday and is forecast to become a hurricane by this weekend and make landfall somewhere between Florida and Louisiana: Everglades and Dry Tortugas National Parks - The parks have transitioned from routine operations to management by the standing Type 3 incident management team (Mike Jester, IC). Current forecasts suggest possible park impacts due to Tropical Storm Isaac, which is forecast to become Hurricane Isaac by the time it arrives. Although both parks will remain open through today for use, camping has been suspended at Dry Tortugas and backcountry camping permits are not being issued in Everglades. An all-employee meeting will be held this morning. Additional reports will be posted on Monday and thereafter, as appropriate. [Ernesto Padilla, SAJU; Leslie Velarde, EVER; Vanessa McDonough, BISC]
Tropical Storm Isaac has moved into the Gulf of Mexico and is expected to become a hurricane shortly. Landfall is expected along the Louisiana-Mississippi coastline on Wednesday. Since last week and through this past weekend, Southeast Region has held daily hurricane planning teleconferences with forty or more participants, including all affected and potentially affected parks, key central office staff from WASO, SERO and NERO, the Eastern Incident Management Team, meteorologists and other principals. All necessary preparations have been made and actions taken. Here's how things stood as of late Sunday night: Everglades NP - The park, including the Gulf Coast Visitor Center, Shark Valley Visitor Center, East Everglades, Flamingo and the main park road, were closed to visitors on Friday evening. All licensed commercial services and visitor services in the park were suspended until the storm's passage. The Eastern IMT remains on standby to report to any park or parks needing assistance after the storm's passage. [Compiled from IMT and park reports]
Tropical Storm Isaac, which was on the verge of becoming a hurricane early this morning, continues on its steady course toward a landfall along the Gulf Coast. It should be near or over the Louisiana coast tonight or early on Wednesday. The following is a summary of reports received from parks that Isaac has already passed by or that are in the storm's probable path: Everglades NP - The park experienced only minor impacts from Tropical Storm Isaac. Employees are working to open all visitor facilities; the park plans to reopen at noon today. Areas reopening include the main entrance west of Florida City, Flamingo, Shark Valley and the Gulf Coast Visitor Center at Everglades City. The Eastern IMT remains on standby to report to any park or parks needing assistance after the storm's passage. [Compiled from IMT and park reports]
Hurricane Isaac is moving slowly along the coast of southeast Louisiana and producing a dangerous storm surge and flooding from rainfall. Maximum sustained winds this morning were around 80 mph with higher gusts. The HYPERLINK "http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at4+shtml/031835.shtml?5-daynl?large" "contents" current track map has it moving slowly ashore and then on a northwest track over Arkansas and Missouri. NOAA's Hydrometeorological Prediction Center HYPERLINK "http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/qpf/tcqpf.php" projected rainfall map shows substantial to heavy rains falling over much of the center of the country over the next few days. Here's today's park status report: Everglades NP - The park reopened at noon on Tuesday. The storm caused only minor damage; there was no surge or flooding at Flamingo. The Eastern IMT remains on standby to report to any park or parks needing assistance after the storm's passage. [Compiled from regional and park reports]
On June 29th, Rangers Mike Herrin and Nate Hawley of the park's Gulf Coast District, assisted by ISB Special Agent Dave Mayeski, participated in Operation Dry Water, a nationwide BUI (boating under the influence) prevention program sponsored by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators. While working the Indian Key Pass area, the rangers saw a commercial vessel well offshore as it was returning to Everglades City. Two patrol boats were set up to intercept this vessel as it entered a narrow area of the pass while the sun was setting. As they stopped the boat, they saw the captain of the vessel immediately leave the helm and point to his crew to have them jettison something from the boat. The rangers were able to determine that a piece of line that was tied to a loggerhead sea turtle had been cut. The turtle was alive and picked up by rangers but did not survive. It had a long piece of trap line tied to one of its flippers as it was being pulled behind and underneath the boat. As a result of the investigation, the four men onboard were all cited and released. The captain pleaded guilty to one count of violating the Endangered Species Act; he was fined $5000 and gave up his commercial saltwater license for two years. One of the crew members was found guilty of possession of a sea turtle and fined $1500; the other two were found guilty of possession of a sea turtle and fined $1000 each. [Linda Friar, Chief of Public Affairs]
Park dispatch was notified of a possible downed aircraft near the Canepatch backcountry campsite just after 9 a.m. on November 11th. Rangers responded along with personnel onboard aircraft from the U.S. Coast Guard, Miami-Dade Police Department, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission. The crew of a Coast Guard helicopter located the aircraft and the pilot, who was the plane's sole occupant. The pilot was uninjured and was transported to USCG Air Station Miami. A joint multi-agency investigation into the cause of the crash continues at this time. [R. Bruce Gantt, Law Enforcement Specialist]
On the afternoon of Tuesday, December 3rd, a local fishing guide alerted park staff to a pod of whales stranded in the Highland Beach area of the park. Responding park staff found a group of HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot_whales" pilot whales at that location. Some of the whales were already dead, but staff were able to move others back into deeper water. On Wednesday, park staff joined NOAA and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation personnel at the site and continued rescue operations under a unified command. Attempts were made to herd the surviving whales back out into the ocean. On Thursday morning, observers in a Coast Guard helicopter located the remaining surviving whales nine miles north of the original stranding site. The whales were tracked as they continued to move further offshore. Pilot whales, which normally live far out in the deep ocean, are one of the most common marine mammals to be involved in mass strandings due to their close knit social structure. NOAA biologists believe there is a high probability of survival for the remaining whales as long as they continue to move back into their normal habitat. [R. Bruce Gantt, Law Enforcement Specialist]
Ranger Steve Mullett contacted a woman sleeping on the backseat of her vehicle in the Ernest Coe Visitor Center parking lot on the night of Saturday, January 25th. While approaching the vehicle, Mullett saw an axe lying on the floorboard within her reach. The woman, who provided a Kansas driver's license, was run through HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Crime_Information_Center" NCIC. She was reported as a missing person and as a person of interest in a homicide and was also to be considered armed and dangerous. Dispatch confirmed that she was wanted in Lawrence, Kansas, for a murder in Douglas County. She was accordingly placed under arrest. Numerous weapons were discovered during a search of the vehicle. [Mike Michener, Chief Ranger]
During the morning of August 9th, the pilot of a small airplane had to make an emergency landing on the Shark Valley Tram Road due to a possible engine failure. Three men from the ages of 25 to 30 on board. The men, each of whom had a private airline license, were practicing for their commercial license by doing several maneuvers. They were heading back to the Tamiami Airport when the plane lost power over the Everglades. The pilot said that he had visited Shark Valley about a month earlier and remembered the paved road there. He was attempting to land on the popular West Road, but saw visitors walking and biking there so maneuvered the aircraft to the relatively unpopulated East Road. He was able to make the emergency landing by briefly touching the plane down on the road before it went off into the Everglades sawgrass. Everglades rangers and Miami-Dade County and Miccosukee units all responded. There were no injuries. The plane was removed without complications following a NEPA review to determine the safest method to prevent damage to the natural and cultural resources in the area. [Mike Michener, Chief Ranger]
The park received a call at 1 a.m. on January 17th reporting that a father and son were overdue from a fishing trip. The two were thought to have launched their boat the day before into Florida Bay from the Flamingo Marina; their direction was unknown. An immediate land-based search led to the discovery of their empty truck and boat trailer at the Flamingo parking area. Rangers began a water-based search at first light. Everglades rangers and volunteers were joined by a United States Coast Guard vessel and five Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission vessels. A Coast Guard helicopter and two fixed-wing planes from the Coast Guard and commission were also utilized. Interviews were also conducted with family and Friends in an effort to determine if the party had a specific itinerary. Everglades rangers located the missing father and son in good condition about a mile offshore in the Gulf of Mexico just before noon. They were safely reunited with family waiting at the Flamingo Ranger Station. Follow-up interviews with the subjects revealed that they had decided to spend the night on the water without advising the reporting party of the change in plans. [Mike Michener, Chief Ranger]
On the evening of February 6th, R.R., 68, and F.T., 70, were in a 17-foot aluminum canoe powered by a small 4 horsepower outboard motor, en route to Jewell Key to camp for the night. This was to be the first night of a multi-day camping trip. The men had navigated Sandfly Pass and made a wrong turn to the southeast and were in the vicinity of Rabbit Key when they saw another vessel and asked for directions. When they turned back to the northwest to head towards Jewell Key they began taking a forward quartering sea over their starboard bow. Due to the low freeboard of the canoe, they began taking on small amounts of overspray and had to bail water. They made it to Demijohn Key, where they bailed and rested but then decided to head the final mile to Jewell Key, which was across Chokoloskee Pass. Upon entering the pass, they hit deeper water and a falling tide. With the tide and the wind both going in the same direction, the larger waves caused them to take on too much water and the vessel quickly swamped. Both men had on lifejackets. R.R. was able to swim to Jewell Key, where he spent the night. On February 8th around noon he was able to wave down a passing boater. The search for F.T. ended on the afternoon of February 9th when rangers found him floating in a debris field about 11 miles off shore in the Gulf of Mexico. He did not survive. Assisting in the search were personnel from the Collier County Sheriff's Office, Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, Coast Guard and NPS staff from both Everglades and Big Cypress. [Tom Iandimarino, Gulf Coast District Ranger]
Hurricane Irma's long path from the Leeward Islands to the interior Southeast carried it over numerous parks. Reports are still coming in, but some early submissions are now available (below). The National Park Service's Eastern Incident Management Team has mobilized in Atlanta to begin coordination of recovery operations in the affected South Florida and Caribbean parks. The team's focus is on ensuring the safety of employees at impacted parks, organizing for the work ahead, and bringing in additional staff resources to conduct damage assessments, coordinate debris removal, and provide access to park areas. An operational branch has been established specifically for the Caribbean parks, and personnel to provide peer support for employees and damage assessments are en route. The IMT's advance team headed to South Florida on Monday afternoon; the remainder of the team will tentatively follow on Wednesday. The NPS is also coordinating closely with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to support the federal response to Irma. Here's what we currently know, sorted by area: Florida Parks All non-essential NPS employees in Dry Tortugas, Everglades, and Biscayne National Parks were released before the storm, and all parks on the Florida peninsula are closed to visitors. The Eastern Incident Management Team will establish operations in South Florida on Wednesday to begin information systems, peer support, damage assessments, and recovery operations. Source: NPS Hurricane and Severe Weather Response webpage.
The Service's Eastern Incident Management Team, now in its second week of operations, is working in parks throughout South Florida, the Caribbean, and along the Atlantic coast, coordinating the bureau's response to Hurricane Irma. Immediate objectives are to support employee emergency needs, conduct damage assessments, and remove debris in the affected areas. Everglades National Park — All employees returned to work yesterday. A notice to mariners has been posted regarding hazards in Florida Bay. In the Gulf Coast area, cleanup efforts utilizing heavy equipment are continuing. Fuel has been delivered, and, with the assistance of a generator, several employees are returning to park housing. At Shark Valley, park signs on Highway 41 were destroyed; trees are partially blocking the entrance gate, access road, and parking lot. Portions of the Tram Road are impassable due to downed trees and high water. The tower restrooms are blocked and port-a-johns are damaged. The entrance station has standing water and a storage shed was destroyed. Efforts to clear the Flamingo road continue. At Key Largo, there is extensive debris scattered throughout Florida Bay. Numerous vessels are grounded or have been pushed into mangroves, causing severe damage. Vessels were boarded to confirm no casualties. Facilities at north Nest Key, including the dock and port-a-johns, have been destroyed. Monroe County remains under a "boil water" advisory. Additional closures exist throughout Southeast Region, but local park employees are handling cleanup efforts. A full list of affect parks and updates on the status of these parks can be found at http://go.nps.gov/irma. Source: NPS Incident Management Team Hurricane Irma Update for September 18th, found at the NPS Hurricane and Severe Weather Response website.
The Service's Eastern Incident Management Team continues to prioritize support for employee emergency needs, especially for staff in the six national parks in the Caribbean. Support staff have responded to the parks in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico to help establish communications and provide critical supplies. An IMT will likely be dispatched to the Caribbean later this week, when travel conditions improve. The IMT currently has 392 laborers, saw team members, arborists, heavy equipment operators and other employees on the ground in South Florida, along the Atlantic coast and in the Caribbean, clearing debris and working to safely reopen parks damaged by Hurricane Irma. The team is beginning its third week of operations and is composed of NPS employees from 111 national parks in 38 states. Everglades National Park — Terrestrial areas of the park remain closed, but park waters are open, including for use by commercial permit holders. Boaters are advised that the Flamingo Marina is closed and no services are available. Internet and cell services have been restored. Areas east of the L-67 Canal and south to Buzzards Roost/Grossman's Ridge (commonly known as East Everglades) have opened for private airboating. Multiple hazards exist throughout park waters. Twenty-six housing units in the Flamingo Bay Area were mucked out on Sunday. Power washing operations are now underway in the Flamingo Bay Visitor Center. Dump trucks are working in the Flamingo Bay area to remove mud, salt, and debris. Sawyer crews and an Arborist Incident Response (AIR) team are working on damaged and downed trees near the Flamingo Bay Visitor Center. Sawyer crews are clearing roads in the Long Pine Key area and continuing to clear the main park road south to Flamingo Bay. A plan is being developed to address derelict vessels. Source: Incident Management Team Hurricane Irma Update, Monday, September 25th
In addition to the primary objectives of caring for park employees and providing emergency stabilization of park sites, the National Park Service IMT has also deployed a team of resource specialists to assess natural and cultural resource damage. Specialists are surveying resources in park museums, unique natural habitats (including coral reefs), and archaeological sites on park lands and underwater. More than 244 NPS employees from 90 national parks and offices across 36 states continue to support seven parks in South Florida and the Atlantic Coast to help them ready for reopening. Parks plan to open more areas throughout the week as stabilization work continues. The following update was prepared on Monday: Everglades National Park — The park is partially open. The Homestead visitor entrance is currently open to Paurotis Pond. Several trails, including the Gumbo Limbo Trail, and Pa-hay-okee Overlook remain closed. Clearing operations continue along the main road toward Flamingo in addition to operations in the Flamingo, Shark Valley, and Gulf Coast areas. The park will close at night for safety and security purposes. Restrooms and water options are limited throughout the park. Park boat operators continue marking underwater debris. Shark Valley, the Gulf Coast Visitor Center, and the Flamingo area remain closed. Rising flood waters in the Shark Valley area are threatening administrative buildings and housing. Source: IMT Update, October 2, 2017.
Post-hurricane recovery operations continue in several parks as crews remove hazardous branches and clear trails and roads. Though many employees from across the nation are returning to their home parks, local crews continue to prepare parks for the upcoming winter season. Every park is at least partially open at this time, with further progress expected this week. Everglades National Park — The park is partially open:
Source: IMT Update, October 9, 2017.
Although the better part of six months have passed since several hurricanes struck the Caribbean, Southeast and Gulf Coast, parks are continuing to repair damage and restore operations: Everglades National Park — On December 21st, the park opened a temporary visitor contact station at its Gulf Coast entrance in Everglades City. Facilities in Everglades City were severely damaged by Hurricane Irma last September and most are scheduled to be demolished. Sources: Everglades NP news release, Virgin Islands NP news release.
Forecasters continue to predict that Hurricane Dorian will closely follow the coastline from Florida to North Carolina before it moves out into the open ocean. Watches and warnings have been issued for portions of the Florida coast and evacuation orders are in place for coastal areas in the Southeast. National parks from Big Cypress to Cape Hatteras are preparing for potential impacts and implementing storm plans. The parks below have closed or will soon close in preparation for the storm: Florida — Big Cypress National Preserve, Biscayne National Park, Canaveral National Seashore, Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, Everglades National Park, Fort Caroline National Memorial, Fort Matanzas National Monument, Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve Source: National Park Service.
On Friday, January 10th, an 18-year-old visiting the park with a teacher and around 15 other members of a college class suffered two puncture wounds when she was bitten in the leg by an alligator. The was swimming in the water when the reptile bit her. Rangers and Miami Dade Fire and Rescue personnel responded. The teenager was calm following her ordeal and reported that she wasn't experiencing much pain. First responders offered to take the girl to hospital by air ambulance, but she declined. She later made her own way to a hospital. A park biologist said the alligator may have bitten the woman in an act of defense, according to officials. This can happen even if the alligator is provoked accidentally. As a result of the incident, the Movie Dome area around the Pa-hay-okee Trail has been temporarily closed to allow officials to evaluate the animal and assess the situation. "While the park is a safe place to visit," said spokesperson Allyson Gantt, "we remind visitors to stay alert and exercise caution, especially around wildlife, and do not recommend swimming in the park." Source: Kashmira Gander, Newsweek.
A Virginia man who disappeared while on a solo kayaking trip in the park has been found. M.M., 67 of Williamsburg, Virginia, was located shortly before noon last Monday. He left for his trip on January 23rd and was due back a week ago today, January 29th. M.M.'s bag with his wallet and phone washed up on the bank of the Lopez River and were found by rangers on Sunday. Deputies worked with the park and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to locate M.M.. They downloaded data from M.M.'s phone Sunday night and found his most recent coordinates logged on January 31st. The sheriff's office aviation unit then began a targeted search of the area. They found him and guided rescuers on the ground to his location, which was a few miles from where his belongings were found. He is receiving medical treatment. Source: Jake Allen, Naples Daily News.
Below are short follow-ups on incidents previously reported in this newsletter. Everglades NP — Additional details have been received regarding the solo kayaker who was rescued on Monday, February 3rd, after being missing in the park for a week. When found, the 67-year-old man was covered in mud, hypothermic and convulsing. After the man's bag, with his wallet and phone, washed up on the bank of the Lopez River and was found by rangers on Sunday, deputies worked with the park and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to find him. They downloaded data from his phone Sunday night and found his most recent coordinates logged on January 31st. The sheriff's office aviation unit began a targeted search of the area and found him a few miles from where his belongings were found. Source: Jake Allen, Naples Daily News.
What was supposed to be a three-day kayak trip through the Everglades turned into a battle for survival, as a kayaker went missing for two days in Florida's 1.5-million-acre wetlands. The unnamed kayaker arrived at the park and took off from Hell's Bay last Thursday morning. His plan was to return on Saturday, but that didn't happen. On Sunday, rangers started searching for the kayaker but couldn't find him. They called in the Coast Guard from Key West on Monday morning. The man was spotted in Whitewater Bay from a USCG airplane later on Monday. The plane's crew dropped him food, water and a radio. The kayaker told them he had been lost for two days. Rangers rescued him. Source: Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald.
Eight people were rescued last week from two separate small plane crashes in South Florida. In the first crash, campers helped bring to shore four people who were in a single-engine Piper Saratoga that crashed near Cape Sable, the southernmost point of the Florida mainland. The small plane had taken off from Page Field in Fort Myers headed for Marathon in the Florida Keys when it went down about a half-mile from shore in about 10 feet of water, according to the National Park Service. No one was injured. The plane's tail remained protruding from the water, so a warning was issued to boaters. No information was released about the possible cause of the crash. In the second crash, a Piper Saratoga aircraft with four people went down about 25 miles northeast of Marathon on Friday. Park rangers and officers from the Monroe County Sheriff Office rescued them. No one was injured. Source: WINK News.
A team of trackers from the Conservancy of Southwest Florida was able to find and catch the largest Burmese python yet found in the park (and in the state of Florida), weighing 215 pounds. The snake had 122 eggs inside of her, also a record. They were able to find the snake by using a "scout snake," a male with a tracking device, looking to find a female to mate with. The New York Times article about the python also outlined the extent of the python issue and various methods officials are using to try to eradicate the invasive species. Source: The New York Times
From September 25-30, many parks around the southeastern United States enacted closures due to the forecasted path of Hurricane/Tropical Storm Ian. Biscayne, Fort Pulaski, Gulf Islands, and Timucuan have reopened for normal operations. Canaveral National Seashore, Carl Sandburg, Everglades and Dry Tortugas partially reopened some areas. Other parks remain closed and have not yet publicly disclosed the effects of the storm, as of October 2. Source: WALA, Everglades National Park, Blue Ridge Parkway, Congaree National Park, Gulf Islands National Seashore, Charles Pinckney National Historic Site, Fort Frederica National Monument, Cumberland Island National Seashore, Canaveral National Seashore, Fort Pulaski National Monument, Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, National Parks Traveler
On November 11, the park reopened the Gulf Coast region for the first time since late September, when Hurricane Ian landed at the park and damaged facilities and roads in the area. Source: WGCU
On June 23, a person was washing their hands off the side of a boat while out fishing in Florida Bay when a shark leapt out of the water and bit the individual's hand. The individual was pulled off the boat into the water and other people on the boat pulled them back in. NPS staff treated the individual's wounds and Miami Dade Fire Rescue transferred the individual to a local hospital. The attack was caught on film by another individual on the boat. The footage indicates the species was likely a bull shark. Source: ABC News
The Everglades Foundation has filed a civil complaint against a former employee, a scientist, for stealing "trade secrets" and destroying files when they left the organization in February 2022. It claims a possible motive of personal enrichment or for the benefit of Friends of the Everglades, where the individual is now a paid contractor. The items in question include internal memos and reports, white papers, and confidential presentations. The scientist worked for the foundation for 17 years and has done research in the Everglades for 42 years. In May, a circuit judge found the individual guilty of indirect criminal contempt. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled and the individual plans to appeal the ruling. Source: Inside Climate News
On March 10, a 68-year-old capsized their recreational sailboat in the basin at Flamingo Marina. They were attempting to swim back to shore with the boat when they were observed going under the water. NPS staff responded immediately and found the individual on shore with a laceration on their leg, believed to be a crocodile bite. The individual was transported by Miami Dade Fire and Rescue to a nearby hospital and was said to be stable. Park staff are coordinating with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and are monitoring the suspected crocodile, "which is easily identifiable." The park has an American Crocodile-Human Interaction Response Plan and will follow its protocols. Source: Everglades National Park
Many parks were affected by Hurricane Helene, up and down the Eastern seaboard. The following updates are as of Tuesday, October 1. For the latest update, please see each park's website. Closed temporarily, but now re-opened after clean-up: Big Cypress National Preserve, Biscayne National Park, Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, Charles Pinckney National Historic Site, Everglades National Park, Fort Pulaski National Monument, Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park, Gulf Islands National Seashore, Horseshoe Bend National Military Park, Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park
On April 12, an individual was bitten on the hand by a shark while inside the park. The individual was transported by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue to a local hospital. No further details have been released about the incident. Source: Miami Herald
On June 27, the Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity issued a 60-day notice of intent to sue federal and Florida state agencies over the failure to consider environmental impacts of the immigrant detention center located on a private inholding surrounded by Big Cypress. On July 11, the groups filed a Notice of Violations of Federal Environmental Law, detailing changes and problems already occurring and issuing a legal warning to stop development and operations. Source: The Wildlife Society
On June 17, lightning started the Coptic Fire in the northeastern area of the park, south of Highway 41 and west of the L-31N Canal. As of June 19, the Coptic Fire was 4,793 acres and 40% contained. Source: Everglades National Park
On June 17, lightning started the Coptic Fire in the northeastern area of the park, south of Highway 41 and west of the L-31N Canal. As of July 6, the Coptic Fire was 5,685 acres and 100% contained. Source: Everglades National Park, Watch Duty
On August 2, a lightning-caused fire was detected in the park nine miles east of Shark Valley and a quarter-mile south of Highway 41 at Mile Marker 26. As of August 3, the fire was 815 acres and 75% contained. Source: Everglades National Park
On August 2, a lightning-caused fire was detected in the park nine miles east of Shark Valley and a quarter-mile south of Highway 41 at Mile Marker 26. As of August 4, the Bluegill Fire was 815 acres and 100% contained. Source: Everglades National Park, Watch Duty
On August 19, a lightning-caused fire was started near Shark Valley. As of August 24, the Movie Dome Fire was 6,207 acres and 100% contained. On August 21, a lightning-caused fire was reported two miles southwest of Shark Valley. As of August 26, the Chipmunk Fire was 17,956acres and 100% contained. On August 22, a lightning-caused fire was reported east of the Shark Valley Tram Road. As of August 24, the Vulture Fire was 347 acres and 100% contained. The Shark Valley area closed for several days, and reopened on August 24. Source: WUSF, Everglades National Park | |||||||||||||||||||||||||