RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
MORNING REPORT
Attention: Directorate
Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
CC: RAD Information Net
Day/date: Thursday, May 3, 1990
INCIDENTS
90-61 - Joshua Tree (California) - Follow-up on Injury to Ranger
Ranger Grady Arrington's condition improved over the past week. His
pneumonia has been reduced and he is now off the respirator. Grady is also
receiving therapy twice a day and his upper body movement has increased
slightly. Visitors other than his wife may see him. A trust fund has been
established to reduce the high cost of his medical bills. Anyone interested
in helping can send their donations to the Ranger Grady Trust Fund, c/o
Kathy Davis, Administrative Officer, Joshua Tree NM, 74485 National Monument
Drive, Twentynine Palms, CA 92277. (Paul Henry, CR, JOTR, via CompuServe
message from Herb Gercke, RAD/WRO, 6:30 p.m. EDT, 5/2/90).
90-88 - Delaware Water Gap (Pennsylvania/New Jersey) - Rescue
Just after 6 p.m. on the 28th, rangers were notified that E.T.,
30, of Atlanta, Georgia, had fallen about 150 feet down a steep slope along
one of the larger falls in Adams Creek on the Pennsylvania side of the park.
The park's search and rescue team reached the area approximately two hours
later and found E.T. in a bowl-like area at the bottom of steep vertical
cliffs. E.T. was suffering from hypothermia after over four hours in cold
water and had two broken vertebrae in her back, a fractured ankle and
lacerations to her face and hands. Rescue efforts were hampered by the
terrain and E.T.'s medical condition, but she was finally extricated and
brought out six hours later following a very difficult rope rescue. Local
paramedics transported her by ambulance and helicopter to a hospital in
Allentown, Pennsylvania. The superintendent and chief ranger cite the team
members for their "sheer determination and skill" in this rescue. Team
members include Bill (Tardwell, Randy Seese, Phil Mennenoh, Marion Damiano-
Nittoli, Susan McIntyre, Marshall Neeck, Art North, Mike Steel, Wayne
Valentine and Bill Wright. (Chris Ward, CR, DEWA, via (CompuServe message
from Ginny Paci, RAD/MWRO, 3:30 p.m. EDT, 5/2/90).
RESOURCE PROTECTION/MANAGEMENT
Great Smokies (Tennessee/North Carolina) - Partly as a result of input from
the park and regional office, the plan for a waste disposal incinerator in
Knoxville has been cancelled. The park was primarily concerned with the
potential negative impacts on the airshed. Acid rain is already considered
a major force in the demise of certain plant species in the park. (Bob
Miller, GRSM).
FIRE ACTIVITY
1) FIRE SITUATION - Preparedness Level I
2) FIRE SUMMARY
State Agency Area Fire Acres Contain
FL NPS/FL Everglades NP DOF 291 9,980 5/4
NM USFS Gila NF Turkeyfeather 86 Yes
NOTES:
- Fires - Asterisk indicates newly reported fire.
- Areas - T1 and T2 indicate assigned Type I and Type II Teams.
- Contain - Containment dates are estimates; "none" means no
estimate; "yes" means the fire has been contained.
3) FIRE NARRATIVES
a) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE:
- DOF 291 (Everglades) - Approximately 4,000 acres of the fire are in
the park, with the remainder on state land. A good deal of progress
was made yesterday. The head of the fire was suppressed, and the section
of the north flank closest to the structures at Pine Island and Royal
Palm was contained. The south flank remains very active, and accounts
for much of the increased acreage. A Type I crew arrived yesterday and
worked on that flank last night. Another crew will go out to join them
this morning, and together they will make an all-out effort to suppress
the fire. If they make significant progress by 10 a.m., the hotshot
crew will be kept in the field. [A map of the fire is attached].
b) OTHER AGENCIES:
N/A
4) FIRE ACTIVITY - 134 fires for 3,611 acres during 24-hour period
ending 1600, 5/2/90.
5) ANALYSIS - High fire danger continues to be reported in Florida.
Except for Everglades, the fire danger in all reporting units of the NPS
is from low to moderate.
(NIFCC Intelligence Section, 1600 MDT, 5/1/90; NPS National Wildland Fire
Summary, 0400 MDT, 5/1/90; update on DOF 291 from Keith Whisenant, plans
chief, 0730 EET, 5/3/90).
STAFF STATUS
- Division Chief: Dabney on AL (4/30-5/4).
- Branch of Resource & Visitor Protection: Coffey at resource management
workshop in Lakewood, CO (5/1-5/5); Martin at SERO chief rangers'
conference (5/1-5/5).
- Branch of Fire: Norum at CACA to direct site analysis prescription
development and hazard fuels, with site visits to GUMO and ELMA
(4/29-5/5); Broyles at RX-90 burn boss cadre at CHIR (4/29-5/11); Botti on
site visit to ELMA and GUMO (4/30-5/5); Gale on site visit to ELMA
(4/30-5/2).
Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities
Telephone: FTS 268-4874/6039 or 202-208-4874/6039
Telefax: FTS 268-5977 or 202-208-5977
CompuServe: WASO-RANGER
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