RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

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

Day/date:  Monday, December 18, 1989

INCIDENTS

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

According to press reports, P.P. has told rangers that he
deliberately ran away from the wilderness survival group he was hiking with
and avoided detection by the helicopters, dogs and ground searchers who
searched more than 25,000 acres looking for brim. P.P., a diabetic, said
that he had enough insulin with him to take care of himself. He told
rangers that he buried his trash to avoid detection, buried himself in dirt
so that helicopters would not see him, and used a false name when he was
eventually found by three hikers. (United Press, 7 p.m. EST, 12/15).

89-355 - Lake Clark (Alaska) - Follow-up on Eruption

Mt. Redoubt, the 10,200-foot volcano which rises from the western shore of
Cook Inlet, continued to erupt through the weekend. Although dense clouds
prevented any flights around the mountain yesterday, continuing tremors
suggested that the more ash plumes were rising from the volcano. Residents
at a lodge 20 miles north of the mountain also reported a hail of lava rocks
on Friday. The scientist-in-charge for the US Geological Survey has told
park superintendent Andy Hutchison that all data suggest that activity is
confined, to the mountain's summit and north side, and that danger is limited
to the North Face Glacier and Drift River. Crescent Lake, which is on the
south side of the mountain, should not be threatened, but a helicopter from
Alaska Helicopters in Anchorage has nonetheless evacuated a couple and their
young son who were serving as caretakers at a fishing lodge on the lake.
(Telefax from John Quinley, PA/ARO, 4 p.m. EST, 12/15; Washington Post
article, 7 a.m. EST, 12/18).

89-357 - Colorado NM (Colorado) - Follow-up on Fatal Accident

Just, prior to the accident which killed the three men on the 12th, a park
ranger had observed them acting in a manner that suggested they might be
contemplating poaching a Christmas tree and began following them at a
distance. At that time, the vehicle was being driven in a normal manner.
When a visitor complained that he had almost been run off the road by the
truck, however, the ranger picked up his pace and attempted to catch up with
the vehicle. By that time, the truck had failed to negotiate a curve and
plunged 200 feet into Columbia Canyon. Subsequent blood alcohol checks
revealed high levels of alcohol in all three victims - 0.135 in M.D.,
0.284 in M.K. and 0.260 in G.M. There have been five traffic-related
fatalities within a half-mile section of Rim Rock Drive in the last 18
months, a fact which has prompted local demands for guard rails. A recent
Denver Service Center traffic safety study of the road did not indicate that
this section was a high risk area, and it is unlikely that guard rails would
have changed the outcome in at least two of the accidents, each of which
involved high speed. The monument will be reviewing road conditions in the
area to determine if any changes are warranted. (CompuServe message from
Jon Paynter, Park Ranger, COLM, 1:30 p.m. EST, 12/15).

89-360 - Gateway - Sandy Hook Unit (New Jersey) - Oil Spill

On the afternoon of the 11th, the US Coast Guard notified the park that oil
in the form of tar balls had appeared on the beaches of the Coast Guard area
on Sandy Hook and asked that the park be checked for signs of oil. Tar-
balls ranging in size from two to 18 inches in diameter were found from the
Coast Guard area south to Batteries Kingman and Mills. There were one to
two balls every 20 feet. The density of oil was greatest along the north
end of the shore. Subsequent discussions with the Coast Guard revealed that
the oil came from a 2,000-gallon spill which had occurred earlier in the
week during a fuel transfer from a tanker to a tug. Representatives from
the park, Coast Guard and the tanker's insurance company met the following
day, and the insurance company representative advised that a clean-up crew
was on site and would remove the oil from the park. It was estimated that
it would take three days to collect all of the oil. Little or no damage
appears to have occurred to park resources. (Telefaxed report from Frank
Mills, CR, SAHO, 3:30 EST, 12/14).

89-361 - Zion (Utah) - Car Clouting Arrest

On November 20th, rangers arrested. L.P., 43, of Cedar City, Utah, on
two counts of felony theft in the Kolob Canyon section of the park. The
arrest marks the culmination of an investigation into several car clouts in
that area over the past few years. Following the arrest, a search warrant
was obtained for L.P.'s home, and two credit cards, a bank card and
numerous wallets were found. It is possible that these may be traced to
vehicle thefts which occurred up to 15 years ago. L.P.'s mode of operation
was to stake out trailheads, then enter vehicles after he saw visitors
leaving them for hikes. (Telefax report from Dave Buccello, Acting CR,
Zion, via FAD/PMRO, 10:30 EST, 12/15).

CALENDAR

Asterisks indicate new or revised entries:

February 25 - 28 - National Conference on Urban Entomology, University of
Maryland, College Park, Maryland. Contact Dr. Pat Zungoli, Department of
Entomology, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634-0365 (803-656-3111).

March 12 - 16 - Concessions Evaluation and Pricing, training course,
Yosemite NP, CA. This 40-hour course is designed for NPS employees with
concessions responsibilities. Participants will complete rate studies of
various concession services and conduct actual on-site concession
evaluations in accordance with policy and current administrative procedures.
The filing deadline is January 31st. Class size will be 20 people. For
further information, contact your regional training officer or Ann Baugh at
Albright TC (FTS 602-638-2691).

March 26 - 30 (tentative) - Regional uniform coordinators' meeting,
Nashville, TN.

(Calendar appears in each Monday's morning 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

Farabee and Kreis on leave.

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)