RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
MORNING REPORT
Attention: Directorate
Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
CC: RAD Information Net
Day/date: Wednesday, August 21, 1991
INCIDENTS
91-308 - Olympic (Washington) - Followup on Oil Spill
A suction hose was successfully placed through a porthole in the
Tenyo Maru and into the interdeck area last week, and oil is
being pumped to the surface. The amount of oil leaking from the
wreck has consequently decreased dramatically. The ship had 17
fuel oil four lubricant oil, two bilge and two fishoil tanks,
though, and its unclear how many of these are leaking into the
interdeck area and can therefore be pumped out. Pumping
operations will continue as long as oil continues to emerge.
Crews are now surveying a third of the park's beaches each day
on a rotating basis. Over 3,500 bags of oil and oiled debris
had been removed by late last week.
[Telefax from Michael Smithson, Information Officer, Tenyo Maru
ICS Team, 8/16]
91-419 - Delaware Water Gap (New Jersey/Pennsylvania) - Rescue
On August 17th, a ten-year-old boy and his father attempted to
climb the shale cliff near Route 209. The boy became stuck on a
ledge after climbing about half way up the 120-foot-high cliff; he
was unable to safely climb up or down because of the loose,
crumbly nature of the rock. His father attempted unsuccessfully
to reach him. Ranger William Cardwell saw the boy's father
attempting to reach his son, instructed both to stay put, and
summoned the park rescue team. Cardwell was joined by Randy
Seese, Ron Matthews, Scott Stevens, Marshall Neeck and Steve
Clark. They climbed and traversed the slope north of the boy,
then lowered one team member to him. The boy was secured in a
harness and both he and his rescuer were lowered to the ground.
The youth was not injured. [Barry Sullivan, Acting CR, DEWA,
via CompuServe message from Ginny Paci, RAD/MARO, 8/19]
91-420 - Sunset Crater (Arizona) - Fee Theft
A seasonal fee collector was fired on August 19th for misusing
government funds after an audit discovered $90 in missing
receipts. After a visitor reported to rangers that he hadn't
received his entrance fee receipt, rangers Janice Pauley and
Steve Shoner immediately conducted a road and fee register audit.
Discrepancies were found in both audits, so the fee collector
was advised of his rights and interviewed. He confessed to
taking $90 and subsequently returned the money to the park. No
charges were brought against him since this was his first
offense. [Anna Fender, SUCR, via CompuServe message from Bonnie
Winslow, RAD/SWRO, 9/19]
91-421 - North Cascades (Washington) - Motorcycle Accident with
Fatality
A male motorcyclist was seriously injured on August 16th when
his bike went into a ditch off Highway 20 near Diablo. CPR was
begun at the scene and a medical flight was requested, but the
victim died before he could be transported to a medical facility.
Park rangers and state highway patrol officers are investigating.
[Dave Spirtes, CR, NOCA, via SEAdog message from Mike
Blankenship, RAD/PNRO, 8/19]
91-422 - Lake Meredith (Texas)- Boating Fatality
A sailboat carrying two passengers capsized on the lake on
August 18th. One person was able to return to the boat, but the
second, a 31-year-old male, disappeared. Rangers and Texas Parks
and Wildlife personnel immediately began a search of the lake
and its shoreline, but have not yet found him. The person who
returned to the boat was able to right it but could not stop it.
A ranger with sailboating experience boarded the runaway boat
and got it under control. [Larry Nielson, LAME, via CompuServe
message from Bonnie Winslow, RAD/SWRO, 8/19]
91-423 - Colonial (Virginia) - Special Event
A celebration of the 300th anniversary of the founding of
Yorktown was held between August 16th and 19th. Many of the
activities took place in the park. Attendance was estimated at
about 35,000 people and there were no significant problems.
Rangers from Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania assisted park staff in
managing the event. The day's activities were capped by
preparations for Hurricane Bob, which fortunately had little
effect on the area. [CompuServe message from Ginny Paci,
RAD/MARO, 8/19]
91-424 - Mount Rainier (Washington) - Park Vehicle Fire
A fire broke out in the cab of a park-owned 1987 Dodge Dakota 4x4
pickup parked in the Longmire maintenance area just before
midnight on the 15th. The vehicle operator summoned the park
fire brigade and attempted unsuccessfully to contain the blaze
with an extinguisher. The brigade was on scene in six minutes,
but the vehicle was fully involved by that time. Although the
truck was parked near other vehicles and park buildings, the
firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the fire and
prevent further damage. The operator stated that an electrical
fire started under the dashboard on the passenger side when he
started the truck, and that the entire cab was in flames within
a few minutes. The pickup is a total loss. An investigation is
continuing. [Dispatch, MORA, via SEAdog message from Mike
Blankenship, RAD/PNRO, 8/19]
91-425 - Mammoth Cave (Kentucky) - Storm Damage
A severe thunderstorm struck the park's headquarters area on the
afternoon of August 17th. A large tree in the headquarters
campground was struck by lightning during the storm. As it fell,
it damaged a comfort station, knocked down a powerline and
damaged a visitor's recreational vehicle. Power was restored
late that evening. [Telefax from RAD/SERO, 8/19]
FIRE ACTIVITY
1) ACTIVITY LEVEL Planning Level II
2) FIRE SUMMARY
State Agency Area Fire 8/20 8/21 Status
ID USFS Salmon NF Kitchen T1 1,790 1,790 CN
BLM Shoshone Dist. * Black Canyon 175 CN 8/20
MT BIA Crow Agency Medicine Tail T2 6,000 4,900 CN 8/22
Gray Blanket 100 100 NR
NV BLM Elko Dist. Coyote Creek 4,000 3,500 CN
State Tuscarora * Tuscarora 2 150 CN 8/21
OR USFS WallowaWhitman NF Big Sheep T2 140 140 CN
BLM Burns Dist. Skull Creek T2 425 425 CN 8/21
AK USFWS Tetlin NWR 113349 T2 7,000 8,000 NEC
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) 45,982 3,660,294
1991 (Year-to-date) 58,867 1,930,145
1990-1991 (% difference) + 28% 48%
4) FIRE ACTIVITY 253 fires for 9,350 acres reported in the past
24 hours.
5) ANALYSIS - The Northwest, Nevada, and the northern Rockies
currently have the highest levels of initial attack activity.
6) PROGNOSIS - No resource shortages anticipated.
[Fire Management Situation Report, NIFCC Intelligence Section,
8/21]
OPERATIONAL NOTES
1) If you haven't made reservations for this Sunday's 75th
anniversary celebration on the Mall in D.C., please note that
tomorrow is the last day to make reservations. All regional
75th anniversary coordinators should contact Terry Wood, the
executive director of the Employee and Alumni Association, with
their final tallies. Terry can be reached at either FTS 2684481
or 202-208-4481. No reservations will be accepted after Thursday
afternoon. All raffle tickets must be in by noon tomorrow.
[Peggy Sandretzky, Policy, WASO]
2) Eight slots are still open for the health and fitness
coordinator training program to be held in Cincinnati, Ohio,
from September 16th to the 20th. A WASO account will pay $745
per person for lodging, per diem and travel. Benefitting
accounts will pick up the balance. Nominations should be in to
Employee Development in MWRO by Friday. Questions may be
directed to course coordinator Reed Johnson at 614-774-1126. [Jim
Lee, RAD/WASO]
STAFF STATUS
Division Chief (Acting): No leave or travel scheduled.
Branch of Resource & Visitor Protection: Marriott on drug
program review at Great Smokies (8/18-8/22).
Branch of Fire & Aviation: Erskine in ARO, Anchorage, AK
(8/19-8/28); Spruill on aviation program orientation in Alaska
(8/18-8/29]; Gale in WASO on allrisk management team selection
(8/20-8/22); Norum on trip to approve research sites, Fairbanks,
AK (8/16-8/26); Cook on annual leave (8/19-8/23).
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