RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

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

Day/date:  Wednesday, December 13, 1989

INCIDENTS

89-124 - Yellowstone (Wyoming) - Follow-up on Takeover of Visitor Center

On the afternoon of June 9th, 18-year-old B.H. of Baton Rouge,
Louisiana, took over the visitor center at Old Faithful and held eight
people hostage for about three hours before surrendering to park rangers.
On the 12th, U.S. District Court Judge Clarence Brimmer found B.H.
innocent of kidnapping due to mental illness and ordered him held in a
mental hospital until it can be shown that he is no longer a threat to
himself or others. Brimmer issued the judgement after hearing testimony
from three psychologists who said B.H. had a history of mental illness
and that at the time he took the hostages his mental state had deteriorated
further as a result of being diagnosed as suffering from skin cancer.
(United Press report, 12/12/89).

89-348 - Isle Royale (Lake Superior) - Follow-up on Assist to USCG

The park's tug, the J.E. Colombe, arrived at the scene of the grounding on
the 8th, but attempts by the Colombe to get a barge close enough to the
Mesquite to begin off-loading that ship's fuel proved fruitless due to high
seas. The high seas also forced the tug to take shelter in a nearby harbor.
Weather conditions improved by Monday, however, and the Colombe was finally
able to get the barge in place. The Mesquite's fuel has since been removed,
and the Coast Guard is now considering leaving the ship in place through the
winter due to its list and the hazardous nature of salvage work under winter
conditions. There have been no further indications of any serious spillage
of oil on the lake's waters. The chairman of the House Merchant Marine and
Fisheries Committee's Coast Guard subcommittee has ordered that an
investigation be initiated into the Mesquite's grounding. (Telefaxed
reports from John Townsend, RAD/MWRO).

89-349 - Glen Canyon (Utah) - Follow-up on Shooting

The shooting of concession employee D.A. at Bullfrog Marina is now
being treated as an attempted suicide. D.A. is in stable condition and
expected to live, but is suffering some memory loss, vision problems and
loss of some motor control. (Denny Davies, CVS, GLCA, via CompuServe
message to RAD/WASO).

89-353 - Cabrillo (California) - Assist on Search and Recovery

On December 11th, park and Coast Guard personnel initiated a search for
three San Diego men - C.H., 33, H.N., 24 and P.T., 26 -
who were reported missing after a boating accident in nearby waters.
Despite a lack of boating experience, the three men had purchased a boat and
headed out to sea at night. The number of life jackets subsequently found
in the area where they were apparently lost suggests the possibility that
their boat collided with a second vessel. The body of C.H. was found
in kelp beds off the park's shore; the search for the other two men and any
other possible victims continues. (Robert Randall, CABR, via CompuServe
report from Herb Gercke, RAD/WRO).

89-354 - Death Valley (California) - Structural Fire

At 8:30 p.m. on the 10th, the park's fire department responded to a
structural fire at the Death Valley elementary school at Cow Creek, which is
only a few hundred yards from the fire station. Due to the promptness of
their response, the fire was contained to a utility room, and there was
limited smoke and fire damage to the building. An investigation into the
cause of the fire is underway. (Dale Antonich, CR, DEVA, via CompuServe
report from Herb Gercke, RAD/WRO).

STAFF STATUS

Kreis on AL, Loach at FLETC for ARPA training.

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)