- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Tuesday, September 19, 1989
- Date: Tues, 19 Sep 1989
RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
MORNING REPORT
Attention: Directorate
Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
CC: RAD Information Net
Day/date: Tuesday, September 19, 1989
NOTICE: There was no morning report on Monday, September 18th.
INCIDENTS
89-279 - New River Gorge (West Virginia) - VIP Visit; Water Rescues
On September 16th, Congressmen Bruce Vento (D-Minnesota) and Nick Rahall (D-
West Virginia) presided over a ceremony dedicating Gauley River NRA, which
will be administered (along with Bluestone NSR) by New River Gorge. A dozen
other VTP's, including MAR Regional Director Jim Coleman, were also in.
attendance. After the ceremony, they were taken, on a white water rafting
trip down the upper stretch of the Gauley, which is world-renowned for its
Class V and VI rapids. Two of the three rafts making the trip were provided
by the park and were guided by park, rangers - one for VIP's and. one for
protection and rescue services. Several incidents occurred during the trip.
While passing through the Class V Shiprock Rapid, Assistant Superintendent
Henry Law was swept out of his rescue raft, but was able to get back after a
short swim. In the Class VI Sweet Falls Rapid, one of the VIP/media rafts
flipped, and all six passengers were dumped, into the river. Park staff in
the rescue raft assisted them in recapturing and righting their raft, then
went to the assistance of eight park visitors from two other water craft
that had also been overturned. (Bill Blake, CR, NERI, via telefaxes to
RAD/MARO and RAD/WASO).
89-280 - C & O Canal (Maryland) - Shooting
During the early hours of September 15th, Park Police officers received a
report that a juvenile had been involved in an accidental shooting in the
park near Violet's Lock. The juvenile was taken to Suburban. Hospital and
treated for an injury to his right hand. The incident is being investigated,
by the USPP's Criminal Investigation Branch. (CompuServe message from Capt.
Dave Blackburn, RAD/NCRO).
89-281 - Virgin Islands (V.I.)/San Juan (Puerto Rico) - Hurricane Hugo
SERO has been attempting to contact both parks to determine the scope and
nature of the damage caused by the hurricane. They're working with Region 8
of the USFS to get a phone message through to San Juan via Caribbean NF and
with a USFS ham operator to contact Virgin Islands. Further information
will be relayed as soon as it is received. (Telephone reports from. Bill
Springer and Steve Smith, RAD/SERO).
FIRE ACTIVITY
1) FIRE SITUATION: Planning Level I.
The NIFCC fire situation report is not available this morning.
2) FOTES - The NPS wildland fire situation report has been completed
for the period from September 7th to the 13th:
- Fire Danger:
ARO Low
MAR Low
MWR Mod
KCR LOW
MAR Low
PNR Low-High
RMR Low-High Extreme: Bryce Canyon, Zion UT, Dinosaur CO
SER Low-High
SWR Low-High
WRO Low-High Very High: Whiskeytown, Yosemite CA, Great Basin NV
Extreme: Lava Beds, Redwood, Sequoia-Kings Canyon
CA, Hawaii Volcanoes HI
- Wildfire Occurrence:
Region Park # Fires # Acres
Rocky Mtn Dinosaur CO 1 0.6
Grand Teton WY 1 0.1
Mesa Verde CO 4 0.4
Southeast Big Cypress FL 1 4
Natchez Trace MS 1 0.1
Western Sequoia-Kings CA 1 0.1
Yosemite CA 2 0.3
---- -----
Total 11 5.6
- Prescribed Natural Fire Occurrence:
No prescribed natural fires are being conducted, pending revision
and approval of area, fire management plans.
- Prescribed Burn Occurrence
Southeast Big Cypress FL 1 200
Everglades FL 1 + 1 carry-over 100
---- -----
Total 3 300
- National Situation:
Very little wildfire activity occurred during the week. Fire
danger continues to be very high to extreme in much of California,
Nevada, and Utah.
The Arrowhead Interagency Hotshot Crew was dispatched to the
Layman Fire on the Plumas National Forest. No other personnel
movement was reported.
- Fire Occurrence, Year-To-Date
Fire Type # Fires # Acres
Wildfires 663 169,000
Natural Outs 64 2,101
Prescribed Natural Fires 0 ---
Prescribed Burns 92 41,927
False Alarms 54 ---
Mutual Aid by NPS 128 44,895
(NIFCC Intelligence Section, 0530 MDT, 9/19/89; NPS National Wildland Fire
Situation Report prepared, by Judi Zuckert, BFM/Boise).
CALENDAR
Asterisks indicate new or revised entries:
September 25 - 29 - Interpretive Skills II, Tower Mountain Ledge, Hancock,
Massachusetts. Sponsored and. taught by NARO Interpretive Skills Team. This
course meets the second half of the 80-hour- interpretive skills training
recommended for permanent interpreters. Contact David Day, NARO, Division
of Interpretation (617-223-5073).
October 1 - 5 - Rocky Mountain Chief Rangers' Conference, Wort Hotel,
Jackson, Wyoming.
October 11 - 13 - International Symposium on the Columbus Quincentennial,
Santa Fe, NM. Jointly sponsored by the NPS and the University of New
Mexico. Announced as an NPS training opportunity. Further information can
be obtained from the Spanish Colonial Research Center (FTS 474-8743 or
commercial 505-766-8743).
October 16 - 20 - Southwest Regional Chief Rangers' Workshop, Hot Springs,
Arkansas.
October 22 - 27 - Rendezvous XIII, joint meeting. Association of National
Park Rangers and Employee and Alumni Association, Arlington Resort Hotel and
Spa, Hot Springs, Arkansas.
October 23 - 26 - Interagency Workshop on Managing Vertebrate Fossils on
Federal Lands, Albuquerque, NM. Contact Dr. Milford Fletcher, FTS 476-6870.
October 24 - 27 - "The Scientific Challenges of MEPA: Future Directions
Eased on 20 Years of Experience", symposium, Knoxville, Tennessee.
Sponsored by Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Address inquiries to Dr.
Stephen Hildebrand, Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National
Laboratory, Post Office Box 2008, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6036 (615-574.
November 5 - 10 - "Homespun to High Tech: Interpreting for Urban Audiences",
workshop. National Association of Interpretation, St. Paul/Minneapolis,
Minnesota. Contact NAI, PO Box 1892, Fort Collins, CO 80522 (303-491-6434)
November 6 - 9 - Employee Development Officers' Workshop, FLETC, Glynco,
Georgia.
November 6 - 8 - Regional Fire Coordinators' Meeting, Denver, Colorado
(tentative). Key topics will include FY 90 FIREPRO financial management, FY
90 recruitment, rewriting NPS-18 and an FMO orientation session for the
spring of 1990.
November 7 - 9 - "Symposium on the Interpretation of Literary and. Visual
Arts Sites", Concord, Massachusetts. Sponsored by NARO Interpretive Skills
Team. The symposium will examine the relationship between the creative
process, writers and artists and their works, and the physical resources
through which they are interpreted.. Contact David Day, NARO, Division of
Interpretation (617-223-5073).
November 10 - 11 - Fourth. Annual Wilderness Emergencies Conference, Los
Abrigados Resort, Sedona, Arizona. Topics include wilderness improvisation
and rescue, management of backcountry trauma, long term care of the injured,
environmental illnesses, and survival and medical equipment. The
registration fee is $75 ($135 for physicians). For further information,
contact Sharon Harbeck, R.N., Flagstaff Medical Center (602-779-3366,
extension 4185).
November 13 - 17 - Law Enforcement for Managers, training session, FLFJTC,
Georgia. Rescheduled from October 30 - November 3. The course is targeted
at the management level and is intended to familiarize participants with
recent changes in. Federal law, NPS authority and. jurisdiction, policy and
guidelines, and civil liability. Contact Bill Supernaugh (FTS 230-2246 or
912-267-2246).
November 28 - 30 - Seasonal Law Enforcement Training Program (SLETP)
Curriculum Conference, FLETC, Georgia. School coordinators will meet with
NPS staff to review curriculum in light of NPS-9 revisions and Servicewide
needs. Field input and suggestions welcome. Contact. Bill Supernaugh (FTS
230-2246 or 912-267-2246).
November 28 - 30 - "Interpretation of Critical Resource Issues", Sheraton
Ocean Park Inn, Eastham, Massachusetts. Sponsored, by the NM80 Interpretive
Skills Team. The workshop will focus on the issues and techniques involved
in the interpretation of critical cultural and natural resource management
issues. Contact David Day, NARO, Division of Interpretation (617-223-5073).
*December 11 - 15 - Fire Management for Managers, 36-hour course. Branch of
Fire Management, Boise, Idaho. CAFOilBED. The course has been tentatively
rescheduled for mid-March.
(Calendar appears in each Monday's rooming report. If you know of a
conference, meeting or training session with Servicewide interest and
implications, please provide the specifics to Bill Halainen in Ranger
Activities).
STAFF STATUS
Ringgold on SL.
Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities
Telephone: FTS 343-4874/6039 or 202-343-4874/6039
Telefax: FTS 343-5977 or 202-343-5977
CompuServe: WASO-RANGER
SEAdog: 1/650 (Phone:343-6014; BAUD:2400)