RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

Attention: Directorate
           Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
           CC: RAD Information Net

Day/date:  Tuesday, November 28, 1989

INCIDENTS

89-340 - Delaware Water Gap (Pennsylvania/New Jersey) - Arson Fire

At 6 p.m. on the 25th, a ranger saw smoke issuing from a corner of the upper
story of the Shanna House, a National Register historic structure off
Highway 209 about two miles south of Milford. Fire departments were
summoned, and 12 volunteer companies - four each from Pennsylvania, New York
and New Jersey - responded. The fire, which spread to the roof and burned
portions of the building's upper stories, was brought under control just
after 9 p.m. Highway 209 was closed from 6:15 p.m. until after midnight.
Investigators have since determined that the fire was started by an
arsonist. There have been a half dozen arsons in that area over the fall,
and two people have been arrested. Damage to the house, which served as an
inn during the 19th century and was acquired by the NPS in 1983, has been
estimated at approximately $150,000. It was being readied for historic
leasing at the time of the fire. (Jim Arnott, CR, DEWA, via CompuServe
message from Kathy Jope, RAD/MARO).

89-341 - Natchez Trace (Mississippi) - Motor Vehicle Fatality

On the afternoon of the 22nd, L.D., 40, of Canton, Mississippi, was
driving on the parkway near Milepost 114 when an on-coming vehicle attempted
to pass in a no passing zone and struck his vehicle head-on. L.D. was
killed; the driver of the other vehicle survived the accident. (Telephone
report from Bill Springer, RAD/SERO).

OTHER NEWS...

James Pratt, the man who killed Forest Service officer Brent Jacobson last
January, has been sentenced to death. His brother, Joe Pratt, has been
sentenced to life in prison. Jacobson, the first USES officer to die in the
line of duty, was helping Idaho police track the brothers following their
attempt to rob a house and kidnap its occupant last January 12th.
Prosecutors had argued that the Pratts ambushed Jacobson in the woods, and
that the killing had therefore been premeditated. The Pratts were also
convicted of more than a dozen other felonies, including attempted murder
and kidnapping. (UPI report, 11/27/89).

OFFICE NOTES

1) We've been advised of an error on the pinks that should be corrected.
The position at Natchez Trace (SER-90-16) which appears as a GS-401-9
WILDLIFE specialist should in fact be a GS-401-9 WILDFIRE specialist. The
closing date on that position is December 8th.

STAFF STATUS

All hands on board.

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)