The Morning Report
Thursday, January 30, 2014
INCIDENTS
Mount Rainier National Park (WA)
Seriously Injured Hiker Rescued From Panorama Point Trail
On January 26th, a 40-year-old visitor from Yakima suffered a serious leg injury while descending on ice and snow on the Panorama Point trail.
Although an air evacuation was originally considered, an interagency ground rescue was instead conducted due to her location and the non-critical nature of her injuries. Rangers requested assistance from the Tacoma and Olympic Mountain Rescue volunteer agencies to complete the low angle technical rescue. An air ambulance from Airlift Northwest was called in, but was sent back when it became apparent that nightfall would preclude a safe helicopter evacuation from the site.
The incident was managed under a Type 4 incident command structure with Mary King serving as IC. All aspects of the rescue operation were successfully executed without incident.
[Submitted by Chuck Young, Chief Ranger]
NEWS AND NOTES
Southeast Region
Storm Closures Continue Throughout Region
The winter storm that brought record snow and ice throughout the South, causing power outages, innumerable accidents, gridlock and other impacts, has led to the closure of the regional office and parts or all of many parks.
Snowfall amounts were not high by northern standards, but fell in a region that does not see much snow and does not have the equipment to handle it. Moreover, freezing rain and compacted snow caused significant icing on roads, bridges and other surfaces.
Among the hardest hit was the metropolitan Atlanta area. Although less than three inches of snow fell, heavy traffic combined with rapidly deteriorating road surfaces caused the city to shut down for over 24 hours. NPS staff attending a meeting at Chattahoochee River spent 10 to 14 hours trying to get home — a trip that would normally take less than an hour in moderate traffic. Warming trends during the day followed by temperatures that were well below freezing overnight left one to two inches of ice covering all highways across Georgia.
Southeast Regional Office will accordingly remain closed today, with employees on administrative leave. Travel conditions continue remains very hazardous.
Here are some of the other reports that came in yesterday:
- Cape Lookout National Seashore/Outer Banks Group/Fort Sumter National Monument — The North Carolina shore received freezing rain all day on Tuesday, followed by a sleet-snow combination on Wednesday, resulting in accumulation of four to six inches in some areas. Gusty north winds created significant drift conditions, making vehicular travel impossible. Temperatures were expected to drop significantly last night, causing refreezing of slushy areas. Charleston, South Carolina, has been hit by freezing temperatures, heavy precipitation, and freezing rain, which has halted travel in and around the city.
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park/Blue Ridge Parkway/Carl Sandburg National Historic Site/Andrew Johnson National Historic Site — Although the storm brought fairly typical winter mountain weather, travel conditions became hazardous due to snow accumulation combined with blowing conditions. Some road closures were reported.
Many parks and offices will remain closed today or have delayed openings.
[Submitted by Marianne Mills ]
Northeast Region
Passing Of Jeff Finch
Jeff Finch, a preservation specialist with Northeast Region's Historic Architecture, Conservation and Engineering Center, passed away on Sunday, January 26th, after a brief, valiant struggle with cancer.
Jeff undertook this struggle with the same determination and humility that he lived his life. For the past 17 years, Jeff dedicated himself to the preservation of Northeast Region's historic structures and the education of its youth in the preservation trades. He did so with the belief that his efforts mattered.
Jeff's craftsmanship was practiced on a wide range of historic buildings, representing the best of American history, and resulted in historic structures that will be better enjoyed by subsequent generations. His colleagues in Northeast Region will miss his heartfelt belief in our common mission and the importance of fulfilling that mission together.
Jeff is survived by his loving wife, Ann, three daughters, grandchildren, parents and siblings. He will be memorialized on Saturday, February 1st, at the Community Bible Church, 89 Center Street, Franklin, NY.
In lieu of flowers the family is asking that donations to be made to Franklin Emergency Squad, 75 Main Street, Franklin, NY 13775
For additional information and a guest book where you can share your thoughts of him, please click on the link below.
[Submitted by Mike Caldwell, Acting Regional Director]
GWMP/NCR
Joseph Burns Has Retired
Joe Burns, a supervisory park ranger at George Washington Memorial Parkway, retired on January 11th after more than 32 years with the National Park Service.
Joe started his journey with the National Park Service as a VIP at Fort Washington in Maryland in August of 1980. He soon learned that the NPS liked people with history degrees, which prompted him to apply for a summer seasonal position in 1981. In May of 1981, he started a NTE 180 day appointment at the Clara Barton National Historic Site.
Joe was hired as an interpretive park tech with collateral duties as a curatorial housekeeper. He was one quarter of the interpretive team and one third of the curatorial team. In 1986, he became a museum technician, with duties covering both Clara Barton and Glen Echo Park.
From 1982 until 2000, he also served as the historic weapons firing supervisor at the Claude Moore Farm and around the region at special black powder events. In 1985 he was part of the second shift of staff sent to NVCC to take emergency medical technician training and he served as an EMT for the park from 1985 to 2002.
Between 1985 and 1995, Joe spent most of his time at Clara Barton/Glen Echo on details at Manassas National Battlefield Park, Rock Creek Park, Colonial National Historic Park, and Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historic Park.
In May 1995 he was sent to Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial, to assist with reconciling the museum collection inventory after the fire in the old administration building museum storage area. While there, Joe was detailed to organize and supervise the Women in Military Service for America Memorial, which opened in 1997.
In July 1998, he was sent to Glen Echo as acting supervisory park ranger, which turned into a permanent position in February 1999. While at that park, Joe took over the operation of the YCC program for the parkway. He converted the program from a strictly maintenance program to a visitor services/maintenance program and developed programs with local Scout groups to train them and their leaders in safety, emergency preparedness and the principles of the Leave No Trace program.
In 2008, Joe was sent to Great Falls Park to take over as supervisory park ranger. Continuing to be a strong proponent of youth programs, he remained as George Washington Memorial Parkway's YCC supervisor and spent the summers of 2009 and 2010 as the ARRA youth program coordinator.
Joe's hard work, dedication, and leadership will be missed by many who he has helped and touched along the way during his career. Many of the park rangers he has taken under his wing and supervised have become excellent park rangers in their own respects, moving on to parks such as Zion, Yellowstone, and the National Mall; others remain at parks within the George Washington Memorial Parkway. Joe plans to continue to serve by volunteering at neighboring parks close to his home and will still stop by to visit his parkway family from time to time.
[Submitted by Karl E. Gallo, Karl_Gallo@nps.gov]
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Yellowstone National Park (ID,MT,WY)
GS-0025-13 Deputy Chief Ranger
Yellowstone National Park is currently recruiting for a new deputy chief ranger. This deputy will work with one other deputy and the chief ranger to manage all of aspects of a large and complex resource and visitor protection program.
Click on the link below for a copy of the announcement with full details on duties, area information, and procedures for applying.
For more information about the position, contact Chief Ranger Tim Reid at 307-344-2170 or Deputy Chief Bonnie Schwartz at 307-344-2103.
The closing date is February 12th.
More Information...
Natural Resource Stewardship and Science
GS-0401/0408/1301-14/15 Chief Of Inventory And Monitoring
An announcement has been issued for a division chief for the National Park Service's Inventory and Monitoring Division in Fort Collins, Colorado.
This is an interdisciplinary offering, which will be filled by a supervisory ecologist (GS-0408-14/15), supervisory biologist (GS-0401-14/15), or supervisory physical scientist (GS-1301-14/15).
Click on the link below for a copy of the announcement with full details on duties, area information, and procedures for applying.
For additional information on this announcement, contact Jamie Barnes at 303-985-6851 or email her at Jamie_Barnes@nps.gov.
It closes on February 10th.
More Information...