Park News September 30,2008

Big Thicket National Preserve

Recovery and clean-up efforts continued in the park last week under the oversight of a Type 3 incident management time (Mike Bland, IC). The team was augmented late in the week by equipment operators and PTRC and Joshua Tree saw teams. Accomplishments included:

• The reopening of the Beaumont and Village Creek Corridor Units.


• Saw teams cleared the White Beach day use area, Village Creek Corridor Unit, Big Sandy trail, Davis cemetery, the area around the Lily house, the Big Sandy repeater tower area, the Holly Grove day use area and half of Birdwatchers’ trail. At week’s end, work was continuing in the Big Sandy Unit and Menard Creek Corridor Unit.


• The Chickasaw NRA bucket truck and  grade-all and crews continued to clear roads in the Big Sandy Creek Unit


• The destroyed kiosk and hurricane debris were removed from the Edgewater day use area in the Beaumont Unit.


• FMSS staff completed a preliminary damage assessment of the park’s infrastructure and facilities.


• Resource managers and rangers began making aerial damage assessments of the Neches River and of oil and gas facilities within the park, employing a plane provided by Big Bend.

Just under 50 people were committed to the incident as of last Friday.

 

Big Thicket National Preserve

A fuel tanker truck crashed on a highway next to the Big Sandy Unit before dawn on Thursday, September 25th, killing the 51-year-old driver. The bulkheads that separated the gasoline from the diesel fuel in the tanker were ruptured in the crash and just over 3,500 gallons of the mixed fluid poured out of a broken hatch lid and into the park. The fuel ran downhill into a forested wetland area, where it killed vegetation and wildlife, including fish, amphibians, reptiles and other species. Resource management specialist Haigler “Dusty” Pate spent Thursday and Friday monitoring the cleanup, which was done by a private environmental company. The cost of the cleanup is estimated to be at least $300,000. The accident was investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety. Big Thicket rangers assisted with the road closure and enforcement of the safety perimeter until the hazmat team determined that it was safe to reopen the road. The incident occurred while the Hurricane Ike Type III team was still in the process of clearing thousands of downed trees from roads, parking areas, trailheads and trails within the park. Work on the Beaver Slide trail only a few hundred yards from the crash site had to be postponed due to safety concerns.

 

Lassen Volcanic National Park

On September 25th, rangers received a 911 call reporting that a 60-year-old visitor at around 9,500 feet on the Lassen Peak trail was experiencing chest pain and suffering from an altered level of consciousness. They responded immediately and summoned the assistance of a California Highway Patrol high-altitude helicopter with hoist capability. Intermittent cell phone calls from the party on the peak trail indicated that the man's condition was deteriorating. An advanced life support ranger and a litter team comprised of park firefighters began hiking to his location while the CHP helicopter attempted to insert a paramedic. Despite gusty winds, the helicopter crew was successful in its efforts. The ailing visitor was hoisted onto the skid of the hovering helicopter, then taken to a life-flight helicopter waiting in the peak parking lot and flown to a hospital for further care. Initial indications are that he suffered a pulmonary embolism, a potentially fatal condition in which a blood clot blocks one of the arteries in the lungs.

 

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The National Park Service Law Enforcement Training Center (NPS-LETC) is seeking interested candidates for a 60 to 90 day detail as its basic academy program manager. This is a GS-0025-12/13 supervisory park ranger position. The detail will run from October 14th to December 20th, with a possible extension through January 16th. Duties include serving as the agency representative at FLETC for all basic student matters (there will be 18 ranger trainees in the LMPT during this time) and assisting with other NPS-LETC training programs as assigned by the superintendent.  Interested parties should contact superintendent Don Usher by email Don_Usher@nps.gov or phone 912-267-3190. Responses must be received by October 8th.

 

Saguaro National Park

The park is seeking qualified candidates for a lateral transfer to a GS-0025-9 commissioned law enforcement ranger position. The ranger in this position is responsible for diverse visitor and resource protection duties in the Tucson Mountain District (West) of Saguaro National Park. She/he will:

• 
  Work independently in an area of concurrent jurisdiction where criminal offenses at felony and misdemeanor level are frequent.


• 
  Conduct investigations and perform frontcountry, backcountry and boundary patrols via vehicle and foot. 


• 
  Undertake resource protection, emergency medical services, search and rescue, and wildland fire duties.

Saguaro National Park is located adjacent to Tucson, Arizona.  The Tucson area has a rich cultural heritage and unique blend of Native American, Spanish, Mexican and Anglo-American influences.  The Sonoran Desert is blessed with an unsurpassed climate, including 360 sunny days a year.  Summertime high temperatures can often be in the mid 90’s to low 100’s.  The wintertime temperatures are mild and comfortable.  The Tucson metropolitan area is rapidly approaching one million citizens – services are plentiful and readily available.  Abundant and outstanding educational and recreational opportunities exist in the area.  Occupancy of government housing is required.

If interested, please submit the following items:

• 
  OF-612, Optional Application for Federal Employment; resume; or SF-171, Application for Federal Employment. Please include all experience, training, and/or education related to the position duties.


• 
  Copy of your latest SF-50 that indicates your current title, series, grade, and step.


• 
  OF-306, Declaration for Federal Employment.


• 
  Copy of your latest performance appraisal

Applications must be received by October 13th. Submit your application package t Saguaro National Park, 3693 South Old Spanish Trail, Tucson, Arizona 85730.

For additional information about the position, contact district ranger Robert E. Stinson at (520) 733-5116.