On Saturday evening, May 26, 59 year old Eddie Ramsey was ferrying camping gear across the New River to a camp near Short Creek above Double Z rapid when the jon boat he was in capsized. Ramsey and his extended family were gathered for their traditional Memorial Day weekend near Nuttalburg, West Virginia. Ramsey, who grew up in the area, had many years of experience operating a jon boat. The New River was flowing approximately 8,000 cubic feet per second at the time, about 4.5 feet above normal summer pool. He and his son had just started across the river when the boat filled with water and capsized. Neither man was wearing a life vest. Ramsey's son made it to shore, but Eddie Ramsey was having trouble. Family members went in the river to help him ashore, but he was unresponsive. A passing private raft stopped to assist, and they began CPR. Paramedics arrived about 20 minutes later and continued working on the man until Medical Control advised them to discontinue CPR. Rangers and numerous volunteers assisted in recovering Mr. Ramsey's body from the steep terrain, and he was transferred to the state Medical Examiner's Office. Rangers recovered the jon boat the next day. The incident is under investigation by the National Park Service.
[Submitted by Jeff West, Chief Ranger]


FIRE MANAGEMENT

National Fire Activity - Preparedness Level 2

NIFC is at PL 2. Initial attack was light yesterday. Critical fire weather conditions from gusty winds and low relative humidity are anticipated across Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico.

Fire Weather Forecast

Heavy rain and thunderstorms over Georgia and the Carolinas associated with Tropical Depression Beryl will gradually decrease as the storm moves offshore. Showers and thunderstorms will develop along a cold front moving into the mid-Atlantic and New England states. An upper low will drop into the Plains, producing critical fire weather conditions from gusty winds and low relative humidity over Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. Scattered showers will form across the eastern Plains of Montana and Wyoming. Warming will take place over much of the West. In Alaska, widely scattered thunderstorms will develop across the Interior while rain continues along the Gulf coast.

To see a NOAA map of today's critical fire weather areas, click on this link:
http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/fire_wx/fwdy1.html

Fire Summary (Five Day Trend)

Day	Sat	Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed
Date	5/26	5/27	5/28	5/29	5/30
Initial Attack Fires	111	85	65	124	136
New Large Fires	2	2	1	0	1
Large Fires Contained	0	3	2	0	1
Uncontained Large Fires	11	10	8	8	8

National Resource Commitments (Five Day Trend)

Day	Sat	Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed
Date	5/26	5/27	5/28	5/29	5/30
Area Command Teams	0	0	0	0	0
NIMO Teams	0	0	0	0	0
Type 1 Teams	3	4	3	3	3
Type 2 Teams	2	0	1	1	1

NPS Fire Summaries

Park	State	Fire	Type	Acres	Percent Contain	Est. Full Contain
Wrangell - St Elias National Park & Preserve	AK	DROP CREEK FIRE	Wildfire	~22 acres		September 30, 2012
	Latest Narrative: The fire was flown today and no smokes were observed.

For additional information on all fires, check the following web sites:

• Archived fire news - http://www.nps.gov/applications/fire/public/pub_firenews.cfm?orderby=DateToShow&archive=true
• Map of fire locations - http://activefiremaps.fs.fed.us/lg_fire2.php
• Details on all current major fires - http://www.nifc.gov/nicc/sitreprt.pdf
• Fire news and fire year in perspective - http://www.nifc.gov/fireInfo/nfn.htm
• InsideNPS Fire and Aviation - http://inside.nps.gov/fire
• InsideNPS Structural Fire - http://inside.nps.gov/fire/structuralfire
• NPS Fire and Aviation - http://www.nps.gov/fire

Lieutenant Commander Adam Kramer has been selected as Chief of the Field Services Branch for the National Park Service's Office of Public Health (OPH) and the National Capitol Region's Public Health Consultant.

"I look forward to the challenges posed by the myriad of special events, and the opportunity to work with Parks that are associated with a great deal of American history," said Kramer.

Kramer is a Lieutenant Commander in the US Public Health Service and assigned to the OPH since 2004.  Initially he was stationed in Flagstaff, AZ covering Parks in Northern Arizona (including Grand Canyon and Glen Canyon), and then as a Regional Public Health Consultant in the Intermountain Region based in Lakewood, CO.

Kramer earned a BS in Fermentation Science from the University of California, Davis, and a Master's in Public Health from the University of Arizona.  He is currently pursuing advanced public health coursework at Tulane University.  He is married with a 16-year-old son.  In his spare time, Adam enjoys cooking and working on the "to-do list" at home.

Kramer has already taken over his new duties from his current location in Denver but will be moving to Washington, DC in early June.
[Submitted by Captain Chuck Higgins, director of the NPS Office of Public Health]


Southeast Region
In Memory Of Dana Bruce, Blue Ridge Parkway

Maintenance worker Dana Bruce of Blue Ridge Parkway was killed while performing his duties at Haw Creek Overlook of Blue Ridge Parkway on Monday, May 7, 2012. Anyone interested in making a contribution in celebration of Dana's life and love of nature may do so as follows:

The Nature Conservancy online at http://my.nature.org/donate/memorial-giving.html, by phone (800) 628-6860, or by mail: The Nature Conservancy, Attn: Treasury (web/memorial giving), 4245 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 100, Arlington, VA 22203

Please keep the Bruce-McMillan family in your thoughts.
[Submitted by Marianne M. Mills, Public Affairs Specialist]  More Information...


Sitka National Historical Park (AK)
GS-0025-11, Chief Ranger

Here's your chance to work and live in Alaska! Sitka National Historical Park is recruiting for a chief ranger. This is an opportunity for an individual who enjoys the hands-on experience of managing resource protection while playing an active management team role that will effect positive change in the park for years to come. Experience Southeast Alaska's temperate maritime climate, enjoy ample outdoor recreation opportunities and live in a very active family-friendly community of 8,000 people. In the Alaska Region, chief rangers participate on regional teams that set policy direction, secure funding, and address statewide issues affecting parks within Alaska and across the nation. Join the small, closely-knit team in the only national park focused on Russian America, with our world-renowned collection of Tlingit and Haida totem poles. Experience the clean air and water, majestic views, world-class fishing, and abundant wildlife in America's last great frontier. For more information contact Randy Larson at 907-747-0111.

Click on the link below for a copy of the announcement with full details on duties and procedures for applying. The announcement closes on June 14th.
[Submitted by Randy Y. Larson, Superintendent]  More Information...


Gulf Islands National Seashore (FL,MS)
GL-0025-7/9 Protection Ranger

Gulf Islands National Seashore is recruiting for one GL 7/9 permanent protection ranger for West Ship Island in the Mississippi District.  For more information contact DeDe Mladucky at 850-934-2615.

Click on the link below for a copy of the announcement with full details on duties and procedures for applying. The announcement closes on June 12.
[Submitted by DeDe Mladucky ]  More Information...