RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

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

Day/date: Friday, December 14, 1990

INCIDENTS

90-438 - Biscayne (Florida) - Boat Sinking

On the night of December 8th, the shrimp vessel "Debbie L." sank in park
waters. The three crew members who were on board at the time spent the
night in the water. They were rescued early on the morning of the 9th and
taken to Black Point Marina. One of the crew members was treated for
hypothermia and released. The vessel was removed on the 10th by a towing
service. Although the boat had 150 gallons of diesel fuel on board, none of
it leaked into the water. (Wayne Landrum, CR, BISC, via telefax from
RAD/SERO, 12/10).

90-439 - Bryce Canyon (Utah) - Rescue

M.D. 21, of Cedar City, Utah, was hiking with three comparisons on
the Queens Garden Trail when he lost his way in the dark, stepped off the
trail, and slid down a 35-foot frozen scree slope. M.D. attempted to
climb back up the slope, but instead slid further down its face, stopping
just above a shear drop. M.D. stabilized his position by removing his
cowboy boots (which then slid over the cliff face) and stabbing his Buck
sheath knife into the frozen ground. His companions rushed back to M.D.'s
vehicle and pulled out the vehicle's stereo speaker wire to use as a rescue
aid. By splitting the wire lengthwise, they were able to make it long
enough to reach M.D., but the wire was not strong enough to hold his
weight. M.D. told his companions to get the tire chains from the
vehicle's trunk, then tied his car keys to the speaker wire. One companion
took the car to get help, while the others removed their clothes (in 20
degree weather), tied their jackets and pants to the car's tire chains to
fashion a rescue line, then lowered the improvised line to M.D. and pulled
him to safety. Responding rangers found the group cold but safely back on
top. (CompuServe message from CRO, BRGA, 12/11).

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Big Thicket (Texas) - Oil Operation Permit Suspension

On December 12th, Superintendent Ron Switzer suspended all operations of the
Caskids Operating Company's Carr #1 oil well in the park's Lance Rosier
Unit. The suspension order was issued after Caskids failed to complete the
compliance requirements outlined in 36 CFR Part 9, Subpart B, which required
the company to submit a substantially complete plan of operations and
provide a performance bond. This is the first time the Service has
suspended an oil and gas operation on Federal land since the 9B regulations
went into effect in 1979. The park is prepared to seek an injunction or a
temporary restraining order if Caskids fails to comply with the suspension
order or fails to meet the CFR requirements. Violations would then be
deemed as acts of trespass against the United States, and the imposed
injunction would be enforced by park rangers. (Mike Livingston, CR, BITH,
via CompuServe message from Phil Young, RAD/SWRO, 12/13).

OFFICE NOTES

1) PNRO has asked that we inform you that there's been a change in all phone
prefixes for their office. Commercial numbers now begin with 553 instead of
442. The FTS prefix continues to be 399.

STAFF STATUS

- Division Chief: Dabney at fire management meeting in Seattle, WA
  (12/9-12/13).

- Branch of Resource & Visitor Protection: Halainen at NWCG incident
  strategic communications task group meeting, Reno, NV (12/10-12/14);
  Coffey on AL (12/14).

- Branch of Fire: Hurd, Erskine, Norum, Gale, Broyles, Botti, Clark, Farrel,
  Mattingly, Rutter, Kubitschek and Kelly at fire management meeting in
  Seattle, WA (12/9-12/14).


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 (Branch of R&VP); WASO-FIRE-WO (Branch of Fire)
SEAdog:     1/650