RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                             MORNING REPORT

Attention: Directorate
           Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
           Ranger Activities Division Information Network

Day/Date:  Monday, January 6, 1992

INCIDENTS

91-678 - Mount Rainier (Washington) - Animal Harassment

On December 31st, ranger Randy Brooks came upon three radio-collared hunting
dogs who had treed a cougar on Backbone Ridge, almost two miles within the
park's boundary.  As Brooks was attempting to catch and remove the hounds,
the branch on which the cougar had sought refuge broke, causing it to fall
about 30 feet to the ground.  The hounds resumed the chase and again treed
the cougar about a quarter mile further up the ridge.  During the second
attempt to either capture or drive away the dogs, one charged Brooks, who
shot and killed all three hounds in order to protect both himself and the
cougar from harm.  The dog's owner, who lives near the park in Packwood,
Washington, had previously been cited by a ranger for running dogs off
leash.  The cougar hunting season is open outside the park, but the dogs'
owner did not have a cougar hunting tag at the time.  He had released the
hounds outside the park, then lost track of them.  [SEAdog message from Mike
Blankenship, LES, RAD/PNRO, 1/7]

92-1 - Assateague Island (Maryland/Virginia) - Follow-up on Storm Damage

The park has now mobilized necessary resources to respond to the damage
inflicted by the storm which hit the area on January 4th.  The incident
command system has been fully implemented, all employees have been briefed
on the situation, and a large damage assessment team has been established
under the incident command team's plans section.  Representatives from
Mid-Atlantic Regional Office have arrived in the park and are reviewing the
damage with the superintendent.  Damage assessments will continue until late
today; a preliminary report will then be made.  Standing water in some
locations may hamper the park's ability to complete assessments quickly. 
The park remains closed to all public use and will remain so for some time.
[Telefax from Gordon Olsen, ASIS, 1/7]

STAFF STATUS

Division Chief: No leave or travel scheduled.

Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection: Schamp on AL (12/23-1/8);
Marriott on AL (1/10).

Branch of Fire and Aviation: Hurd at NWCG meeting, Tallahassee, FL (1/6-1/10);
Broyles at NWCG prescribed fire working team qualifications task
group meeting, Denver, CO (1/5-1/10); Farrel at wildland/urban interface
initiative meeting, Tallahassee, FL (1/5-1/8); Mattingly conducting
preliminary administrative work for crew placement at Wind Cave, SD
(1/7-1/9); Gale at meeting in WASO (1/6-1/8).

Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities

Telephone:  Branch of R&VP - FTS 268-4874/6039 or 202-208-4874/6039
            Branch of F&A (WASO) - FTS 268-5572/5573 or 202-208-5572/5573

Telefax:    Branch of R&VP - FTS 268-6756 or 202-208-6756
            Branch of F&A (WASO) - FTS 268-5977 or 202-208-5977

CompuServe: Branch of R&VP - WASO-RANGER
            Branch of F&A (WASO) - WASO-FIRE-WO

SEAdog:     Branch of R&VP - 1/650
            Branch of F&A (WASO) - 1/655