RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

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

Day/date: Tuesday, September 25, 1990

INCIDENTS

90-311 - Appalachian Trail (Pennsylvania) - Follow-up on Double Homicide

The man who Harpers Ferry rangers arrested on the 21st for the murders of
M.L. and J.H. has been identified as a fugitive from justice
from Florida who is on the FBI's "Ten Most Wanted" list. A check of the
fingerprints of the man who identified himself as D.C.H. showed
that he was in fact P.D.C., 38, of Lor is, South Carolina, who was
being sought by the FBI for the 1986 murder of a 59-year-old widow in
Bartow, Florida. P.D.C. had been incarcerated in that state, but escaped
from custody. It is believed that P.D.C. will fight extradition to
Pennsylvania. P.D.C. has been the subject of a televised segment in the
television show, "America's Most Wanted." Fox Television was in the park
yesterday filming a follow-up segment to that show. (Telefaxed report from
Bill Sanders, CR, ANST, 9/24, with supplemental information from UP story,
9/24).

90-322 - Guadalupe Mountains (Texas) - Rescue

On the afternoon of the 23rd, rangers were summoned to McKittrick Canyon to
rescue C.K., of Dallas, Texas, who was stranded in the canyon
following a flash flood. Although they were aware of flash flood warmings,
C.K. and her husband, R., had hiked into the canyon earlier that
day. They crossed one wash, but were blocked from hiking further by a
second wash, which was running with water. When they attempted to retreat,
they found that the first wash was now filled with water as well. R.K.
attempted to cross it, but was swept from his feet and washed
downstream approximately 50 yards. He managed to reach the bank on the
downstream side, however, and was able to go for help. Rangers helped
C.K. across the stream at a safer spot with the assistance of a
rope and harness. (CompuServe message from RAD/SWRO, 9/24).

90-323 - Cape Cod (Massachusetts) - Marijuana Eradication

Since August 20th, park rangers have teamed with Army National Guard members
in a marijuana eradication effort. Six separate plots were discovered on
park land during that period in the towns of Wellfleet, Truro and
Provincetown, and 57 plants with an estimated street value of $73,000 were
eradicated. (CompuServe message from Dennis Burnett, DR, CACO, 9/24).

90-234 - New River Gorge (West Virginia) - Drowning; Rescues

On September 25th, B.B., 29, of Centerville, Virginia, drowned while
kayaking in the Gauley River. B.B.'s kayak became pinned vertically in
the Class TV "Shiprock Rapids", and B.B. was underwater for approximately
15 minutes. CPR was begun on him after he was extricated; he was then
medevaced to a hospital in Beckley, where he died. Rangers were also
involved in 16 additional Whitewater SAR's during the weekend, including the
rescue of Congressman N.R. (D-WV), who fell out of a park raft in the
Class VI "Pillow Rock Rapids." Congressman N.R. was recovered by an NPS
rescue kayaker. (Telefax from Bill Blake, CR, NERI, 9/24).

90-235 - Isle Royale (Michigan) - Rescue

On the evening of the 23rd, a 24-foot boat with five people on board - four
adults and a child - left the protected south side of the island and
encountered 12- to 15-foot waves and strong winds between Rainbow Cove and
Cumberland Point. The boat was blown around and eventually broke up.
Despite poor communications, which hampered search efforts, all five members
of the party were eventually located and brought to shore. Rangers were to
hike in to the victims yesterday and lead them to Feldtmann Lake, where a
Forest Service float plane was to evacuate them. (Stu Croll, CR, ISRO, via
telefax from John Townsend, RAD/MWRO, 9/24).

90-236 - Chaco Canyon (New Mexico) - Fatality

Around 6 p.m. on the 23rd, L.H., 50, of Santa Monica, California,
suffered an apparent heart attack while participating in a ceremony in a
kiva with the Kokopelli Society, a "New Age" religious group. Two
physicians were in the group - one a cardiologist - and they immediately
began first aid efforts. The cardiologist reportedly diagnosed the attack
as a stroke rather than a heart attack. At 7:15 p.m., L.H. was put in the
park wagon and driven towards Bloomfield. A park staff member drove while
the two physicians administered CPR. They met the Bloomfield ambulance at a
halfway point, and transferred L.H. to it. L.H. died at the Bloomfield
hospital sometime thereafter. The physicians were said to be very critical
of the park's equipment, and there is some indication that a claim may
result. (Irv Francisco, CR, CHCU, via telefax from RAD/SWRO, 9/24).

90-237 - Coulee Dam (Washington) - Assist to Agencies

Between September 4th and 13th, rangers participated in a multi-agency task
force which located six marijuana gardens and destroyed 211 plants with an
estimated value of $211,000. Three suspects were arrested. None of the
plants were on NPS property. Participating agencies included the NPS, the
Forest Service, the Steven's County Sheriff's Apartment, the Spokane Tribal
Police and the Washington Air National Guard. (SEAdog message from Mike
Blankenship, RAD/PNRO, 9/21).

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No reports today.

FIRE ACTIVITY

1) PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - II

One geographic area experiencing high fire danger. Numerous Class A, B, and
C fires occurring and a potential exists for escapes to larger (project)
fires. Minimal mobilization of resources from other geographic areas
occurring. The potential exists for mobilizing additional resources from
other geographic areas.

2) NATIONAL FIRE SUMMARY

State  Agency      Area             Fire                    9/24           9/25  Status

WA     USFS      Colville NF       Wind                       99             86  Yes

MT     USFS      Flathead NF      *Upper Truman
                                    Eagle - T2                 -             93  CN 9/25

UT     BLM       Shoshone Dist.    Davis Mountain             750           750  Yes

GA     FWS       Okefenokee NWR    Shorts                   2,620         5,000  None

NOTES:

- Fires - Asterisk indicates newly reported fire (on this
  report). T1 and T2 indicate assigned Type I and Type II Teams.
- Status - The following abbreviations are employed:

  * NR - No report received      * MS - Modified suppression strategy
  * CN - Contained               * MN - Being monitored
  * CL - Controlled              * None - No estimate of containment
  * CS - Confinement strategy    * Yes - Fire has been contained

3) NATIONAL FIRE ACTIVITY - 236 fires for 7,019 acres in past 24 hours.

4) NPS FIRE DANGERS (9/24) -

       High                Very High                 Extreme

Bighorn Canyon           Cumberland Island       ** No areas **
Golden Gate              Hawaii Volcanoes
Great Basin              Joshua Tree
Indiana Dunes            Theodore Roosevelt
Lassen Volcanic          Badlands
Lava Beds                Scotts Bluff
Natchez Trace
Point Reyes
Redwood
Wind Cave

5)  NPS MOBILIZATION/DEMOBILIZATION -

  Resource             9/23      9/24

Firefighters            60        74
Monitors                 0         0
Overhead personnel      20        20
Type I crews             0         0
Engines                  6         6
Helicopters              3         3

6) ANALYSIS - Increased fire activity is occurring in the northern Rockies,
northern California, and the Southeast.

7) PROGNOSIS - Resources remain adequate.

(Telefax from Marla Mino, Branch of Fire, Boise, 1500 MDT, 9/24; NICC
Intelligence Section, Fire Management Situation Report, 0530 MDT, 9/25).

OFFICE NOTES

1) An NPS employee who was on the Snowshoe Fire in Oregon this summer has
been diagnosed as having an active case of infectious tuberculosis. The
Center for Disease Control has informed the NPS that anyone coming into
contact with the individual must be tested for infectious TB. Employees
assigned to that fire or with concerns regarding this matter should contact
Terry Morton at the personnel office in Great Smokies (FTS 856-1222). [Mary
Martin, WASO]

2) Doug Bernard, the chief ranger at Grand Teton, has gone to Seattle for
three to four months for extensive cancer treatment. Anyone who would like
to make a donation to the Bernard Cancer Fund should send a check to the
Jackson State Bank, P.O. Box 1788, Jackson, WY 83001. [J.T. Reynolds,
RAD/RMRO]

STAFF STATUS

- Division Chief: Dabney at meeting at Assateague (9/25) and at uniform
contractor in Nashville (9/26-9/27).

- Branch of Resource & Visitor Protection: Martin at board of inquiry for
  shooting death of Bob MoGhee at Gulf Islands (9/24-9/26); Halainen in
  Nashville (9/26-9/27) and on AL (9/28).

- Branch of Fire: Gale and Broyles at all-risk cadre meeting in Shenandoah
  (9/24-9/26); Erskine, Botti and Gale reviewing housing potential for
  Alpine hotshot crew at Zion and Bryce Canyon (9/27-9/28).


Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities