RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
MORNING REPORT
Attention: Directorate
Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
CC: RAD Information Net
Day/date: Tuesday, August 13, 1991
INCIDENTS
91-308 - Olympic (Washington) - Followup on Oil Spill
Oil continues to leak from the Tenyo Maru. The streak currently
extends north for approximately one mile, then turns to the
westnorthwest. Blossoms of oil from the ship are also reported
to be converging and forming silvery ribbons of sheen. Several
skimmers remain in operation in the area; they have been joined
by two sea tugs pulling a newlydesigned boom which has greatly
enhanced skimming operations. About 90% of the oil entering the
boom is captured and funneled to the skimmers. Weather
prevented attempts to deploy the Canadian ROV submersible on
Sunday, but efforts were to be made again yesterday and pumping
will begin as soon as possible once the piping is in place.
Crews have now removed 34,411 bags of oily residue from park
beaches. Crews worked at Cape Alava, Ozette River, Tatoosh
Island and Coastie Head during the weekend, and helicopters
continued to remove previously bagged debris from the beaches.
A crew will be dispatched again to Second Beach, since several
areas along the beach have received new tar balls. An
assessment team made a preliminary check of the park's shoreline
on Sunday and reported that 65% of the beaches have been cleaned
satisfactorily. The bird recovery count as of the 12th was
3,610 recovered, 770 alive, 2,840 dead. A total of 122
personnel from the following agencies and organizations are
currently involved in cleanup operations the NPS, Coast Guard,
NOAA, Forest Service, BIA, the Makah Tribe, Global Diving and
Salvage, and Clean Sound. [Telefax from Cat Hoffman,
Information Officer, Tenyo Maru ICS Team, 8/12]
91-389 - Mammoth Cave (Kentucky) - Death of Recently Retired
Employee
Joe Wagoner, the recently retired chief of interpretation at
Mammoth Cave, died of cancer on August 10th. Graveside services
were held yesterday. The family has asked that donations be
made to the Edmonson County Hospice Association in Brownsville,
Kentucky, in lieu of flowers. Besides his wife, Virginia,
Wagoner is survived by two sons, Chip and Kimerick, and a
daughter, Katrinka. Messages of condolence may be sent to
Virginia at 407 Ollie Ridge Road, Mammoth Cave, KY 42259.
[Telefax from John Beck, RAD/SERO, 8/12]
91-390 - Rocky Mountain (Colorado) - Lightning Injury
On the afternoon of August 9th, V.F., 29, was
returning to her vehicle at Lava Cliffs overlook on Trail Ridge
Road when she was struck by lightning. CPR was begun by
bystanders and continued by responding park EMT's and paramedics
until an Air Life helicopter arrived and transported V.F. to a
hospital in Fort Collins. V.F. was initially in intensive
care, but is now reported to be in stable condition.
[CompuServe message from ROMO, 8/12]
91-391 - Chattahoochee (Georgia) - Lightning Fatality
D.C. and J.W., 38, both of Canton, Georgia, were
fishing on the Chattahoochee on the afternoon of August 11th
when a thunderstorm passed through the area. The two went
ashore on Charlie's Island and took refuge under a pine tree.
The tree was soon hit by lightning; although both were struck
down, D.C. suffered only minor burns and was able to begin
CPR on J.W.. Rescuers responded in short order and J.W. was
transported to a local hospital within 90 minutes of the
incident. He was pronounced dead on arrival. [Telephone report
from Steve Smith, RAD/SERO, 8/12]
91-392 - Antietam (Maryland) - Assault on Rangers
On the evening of August 10th, ranger Mike Stumbaugh confronted
D.W.C. after finding his moped lying in the center
of a park roadway along with a 12pack of beer. Stumbaugh and
ranger Jim Seibert of C&O Canal, who arrived at the scene to
back Stumbaugh up, attempted to place D.W.C. under arrest for DWI.
As they attempted to handcuff D.W.C., he punched and kicked both
rangers in the face and chest, broke free and attempted to
escape. He was soon recaptured, though, and arrested with the
assistance of C&O Canal rangers Bill Orlando and Mike Larsen.
During the arrest, it was learned that the moped was stolen.
Officers from the Washington County Sheriff's Department
responded and transported D.W.C. to the county detention center,
where D.W.C. refused a breath test. Further investigation revealed
several previous DWI arrests, a failure to appear in court, and
a probation violation. D.W.C. was scheduled to appear before a
federal magistrate in Baltimore yesterday on assault, escape and
motor vehicle theft charges. Seibert was treated for two broken
ribs at a local hospital. No other serious injuries were
reported. [Telefax from Mel Poole, RAD/NCRO, 8/12]
91-393 - Wilson's Creek (Missouri) - Special Event
A reenactment of the Battle of Wilson's Creek was held on lands
next to the park over the threeday period from August 9th to the
11th to mark the 130th anniversary of the battle. Over 3,000
Civil War reenactors and an estimated 50,000 spectators attended
the event. A regional special events team, comprised of rangers
from Ozark, Indiana Dunes, Isle Royale, Voyageur, Scotts Bluff,
Jefferson, Buffalo and Fort Larned, provided crowd control,
while rangers from Fort Scott, George Washington Carver and Pea
Ridge provided visitor services. Deputy Secretary Bracken and
MWR Associate Director Hill attended. [John Sutton, CR, WICR,
via telefax from John Townsend, RAD/MWRO, 8/12]
91-394 - Yosemite (California) - Assault on Ranger
Rangers Totten and Obernesser were flagged down by a group of
young adults near Stoneman Bridge a few minutes after midnight
on August 10th. They told the ranger that two drunk males who
were throwing bottles and yelling obscenities had chased them
off the bridge. The rangers made contact with the two men J.M.,
21, of Newport Beach, California, and M.A.,
25, of Ontario, California and saw that they were significantly
under the influence of alcohol or drugs. While attempting to
arrest them, one of the rangers was struck in the face by
J.M., who subsequently ran from the bridge and into a nearby
campground. After securing M.A., the two rangers pursued
J.M. on foot. J.M. was waiting behind a tree and lunged
at the first ranger, striking him several times in the face and
head with his fists. One of the rangers employed an extendable
baton to strike J.M., but without effect. J.M. then ran
from the rangers again, and again turned and attacked the same
ranger. J.M. was finally subdued and arrested. He was
charged with two counts of assault on an officer and several
misdemeanor charges, including resisting arrest, disorderly
conduct and being under the influence. [Rick Obernesser, YOSE,
via CompuServe message from Herb Gercke, RAD/WRO, 8/12]
91-395 - Yosemite (California) - Drug Arrests
Rangers executed a search warrant at the residence of J.T.,
22, a concession employee in Yosemite Valley, on the
evening of August 6th. The action, which came about as the
result of information provided by a confidential informant, led
to the seizure of LSD, marijuana and documents which revealed
details about an active drug distribution network in the
Yosemite and San Francisco areas. Acting on that information,
which corroborated additional information from the informant,
rangers sought and received permission for a consent search of
the residence of N.T., 28, also a concession employee
in Yosemite. The search revealed more LSD, U.S. currency, and
further documentary evidence. Both were charged with violations
of 21 USC; they have been arraigned on the felony counts and are
currently awaiting detention hearings. [Vince Johnson, YOSE,
via CompuServe message from Herb Gercke, RAD/WRO, 8/12]
FIRE ACTIVITY
1) ACTIVITY LEVEL Planning Level II
2) FIRE SUMMARY
State Agency Area Fire 8/12 8/13 Status
UT BLM SLC Dist. Cold Springs 450 450 CN
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 NEC No estimate of containment
CS Confinement strategy DM Demobed
3) 1990/1991 COMPARATIVE ACTIVITY SUMMARY
Fires Acres
1990 (Year-to-date) 44,566 3,369,368
1991 (Year-to-date) 56,393 1,906,118
1990-1991 (% difference) + 27% 43%
4) FIRE ACTIVITY 207 fires for 844 acres reported in the past
24 hours.
5) ANALYSIS - Initial attack activity continues to be reported
in all areas, but no large fires are occurring. Very high
indices are being reported in several areas.
6) PROGNOSIS - Initial attack activity is expected to continue.
No problems are anticipated.
[Fire Management Situation Report, NIFCC Intelligence Section,
8/13]
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Assateague Island (Maryland/Virginia) - Surfwater Contamination
On the afternoon of August 9th, the park closed the ocean waters
in the Toms Cove District to swimming, wading and related
activities after a laboratory analysis of surfwater samples
taken in conjunction with the seashore's water quality
monitoring program on July 30th and August 6th indicated that
fecal contamination was present. The EPA standard is 104
enterococci per 100 ml of water per single sample on heavy use
beaches; the lab result from one site in the Toms Cove district
was as high as 600 enterococci per 100 ml. After consultation
with EPA, the US Public Health Service, the Delaware State
Laboratory, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the State of
Virginia, the waters were closed as a public health precaution.
Water samples were taken again on August 9th and processed at
the Delaware State Lab. Results from these samples indicated
that the enterococci counts in the heavy use area ranged from 18
per 100 ml to 44 per 100 ml, so the waters were opened again to
public use on the afternoon of the 11th. Followup testing was
to take place yesterday. The source of contamination is unknown
at this time, but arrangements for a followup investigation by
appropriate agencies are being made at this time. [Brion
FitzGerald, CR, and Gordon Olson, CRM, ASIS, 8/12]
STAFF STATUS
Division Chief (Acting): No leave or travel scheduled.
Branch of Resource & Visitor Protection: Coffey on annual leave
(8/12-8/16); Schamp at semiautomatic weapon evaluation task force
meeting, Arlington, VA (8/13-8/15); Marriott in SER (8/13-8/15).
Branch of Fire & Aviation: Bristol at computer specialist
management information meeting, Seattle, WA (8/12-8/14); Norum on
trip to approve research sites, Fairbanks, AK (8/16-8/26); Botti
at Western Region budget formulation meeting, San Francisco, CA
(8/13-8/14); Erskine on annual leave (8/128/16); Broyles on
annual leave (8/12-8/14).
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