Yosemite Cited for Threat of Fires by Michael Doyle The Fresno Bee -- July 20, 2000 WASHINGTON - Add structural fire danger to the serious challenges confronting Yosemite National Park. Pressed by other priorities, Yosemite officials have let structural fire hazards pile up like cordwood, congressional investigators have concluded. From defective sprinklers to faulty fire alarms and insufficiently trained firefighters, investigators cited Yosemite on Wednesday as a particularly vulnerable national park. But the fire danger facing Yosemite's 800 buildings is not unique to the popular Sierra Nevada park, investigators with the General Accounting Office warned. Similar problems were identified at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, as well as other parks nationwide. "The safety of park buildings, employees and visitors is still in jeopardy," General Accounting Office supervisor Jim Wells told a House Budget Committee panel. "We're talking about such fundamental things as inadequate training for employees and Inadequate or no fire inspections." For example, the latest GAO study that was begun late last year found 42 of the 46 firefighters stationed in busy Yosemite Valley lacked the 16 hours of training considered to be a bare minimum, or had no record of such training. The GAO investigators further found that more than 1,000 defective sprinkler heads had been left in Yosemite's buildings, despite a recall. "Identical sprinkler heads have failed to function in at least 20 fires," the GAO noted in its 36-page report. At Yosemite's beloved, 123-room Ahwahnee Hotel, investigators were troubled to find only one exit route from the hotelÕs upper floors, as well as reports of frequent false alarms and a smoke-alarm system that's more than 20 years old. "The Ahwahnee system is quite antiquated," agreed Ed Duncan, Yosemite's fire-management officer. "It's hard to get replacement parts." Duncan, in a telephone interview, agreed with the thrust of the new report and said it was useful in calling attention to some long-standing needs. The park already has budgeted $137,000 to replace the AhwahneeÕs aged smoke alarm, and Duncan is laying plans for additional firefighter training.