RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

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

Day/date:  Thursday, December 14, 1989

INCIDENTS

88-269 - Great Smokies (Tennessee/North Carolina) - Follow-up on
Assault on Rangers

Late on the afternoon of November 18, 1988, rangers Rick Yates and David
Little were assaulted by a trio of hunters while in pursuit of a poacher.
The two rangers were forced to draw their weapons when one of the three men,
later identified as T.L.B., Jr., pulled a knife. T.L.B. then fled
the area, but took a .243 semi-automatic rifle from his truck and pointed it
at the rangers before leaving. After a month-long investigation, T.L.B. and
the other assailants were identified and a case was filed against them with
the U.S. Attorney in Knoxville. Last June 22nd, T.L.B. was indicted on
three counts of assaulting and impeding Federal officers. On December 11th,
T.L.B. was convicted of two felony counts of assaulting a Federal officer
and sentenced to four months in prison and one year of supervised probation
and fined $1,000. (CompuServe message from Bob Marriott, VPS, GRSM)

89-352 - Big Bend (Texas) - Follow-up on Search in Progress

The search for P.P., 16, of Miami, Florida, entered its fourth day
yesterday. It's since been learned that P.P. was hiking with a "peer
reintegration into society" group and that he had chosen to join the group
rather than be assigned to a halfway house. P.P. was reported to have
become agitated last Sunday when members of the group started "getting on
his case." He was last seen by counselors around 2:30 that afternoon.
P.P., a diabetic, left his pack with the group, but took insulin, needles,
cheese, fruit, nuts, Gatoraid and water with him. P.P.'s journal was
later found to contain several references to suicide. The search is
currently focused in an area known as Reed's Camp, three to four miles north
of the river in the park's Castollon Subdistrict. Three helicopters, seven
search teams and several dog teams are now involved in the search. On the
12th, a bloodhound picked up P.P.'s scent and followed it for three miles;
the dog was to have been put back on the trail again yesterday. Searchers
are concerned about P.P.'s condition because area temperatures were in the
teens during two of the first three nights since he left the group, and he
did not take either a jacket or hat with him. (Telephone and CompuServe
reports from Phil Young, RAD/SWRO).

89-355 - Lake Clark (Alaska) - Volcanic Activity

At 1:20 p.m. yesterday afternoon (5:20 p.m. EST), the Alaska Regional Office
received a call from the Alaska Volcano Observatory reporting that steam
began puffing from Mt. Redoubt in Lake Clark on Friday afternoon and that
seismic activity at the volcano had increased drastically during the
previous two hours. The Observatory was unable to determine what this
activity meant, and an overflight was not possible due to weather
conditions. The state's Office of Emergency Services has been notified.
(CompuServe message from Rich O'Guin, RAD/ARO).

89-356 - Friendship Hill (Pennsylvania) - Fire

On the afternoon of the 11th, a kerosene heater erupted into flames on the
west porch of the Gallatin House; the building filled with smoke and set off
the fire alarm, which alerted park and Denver Service Center employees in
nearby office trailers to the blaze. The fire was put out with dry chemical
fire extinguishers before it spread to nearby plastic tarps and construction
materials. The porch deck underneath was scorched, but only slightly
damaged. The kerosene heater had been used by workmen that morning to heat
up a space for laying brick. When they were unable to get the area warm
enough, they turned off the heater using the spring-loaded emergency shut-
off. They returned shortly thereafter and ensured that it was off, since
they had trouble getting it to turn off last week. Flame or smoldering
embers apparently remained in the wick, however, and subsequently ignited
the fuel tank. If it had not been for the prompt response by employees, it
is believed that major damage to the house would have occurred. (Steve
Linderer, CR, FRHI, via CompuServe message from Joanna Scafetta, RAD/MARO).

89-357 - Colorado NM (Colorado) - Vehicle Accident; Three Fatalities

Just after 2 p.m. on the 12th, a park ranger headed westbound on the park's
main road passed a Ford pickup truck heading in the opposite direction which
was being driven in an erratic manner. He turned to catch up with the
truck, but by that time the truck's driver had lost control on a sharp
right-hand curve and hit the right shoulder of the road. The truck then
crossed the roadway and went over a 75-foot cliff. All three of the
occupants - M.D., 28, of Roosevelt, Utah, M.K., 26, of Grand
Junction, Colorado, and G.M., 39, of Clifton, Colorado - were killed.
Many beer cans were found at the scene, and alcohol is suspected as a cause
of the accident. (Telephone report from Dick Powell, Safety, RMRO).

STAFF STATUS

All staff members present.

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)