RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

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

Day/Date:  Monday, May 11, 1992

INCIDENTS

90-x - Glen Canyon (Utah/Arizona) - Follow-up on Serious Injury

On May 6, 1990, J.D., 23, of Casper, Wyoming, dove off a houseboat
into Lake Powell in Davis Gulch and sustained a fractured neck which
resulted in complete and permanent quadriplegia.  On May 4th, a Eugene,
Oregon, law firm filed a $10 million tort claim against the park on behalf
of J.D.  The claim is based on the premise that the NPS failed to
supervise ARA Leisure Services, the park's concessioner, by failing to
assure that they advise boat lessees of underwater hazards that exist in the
lake.  It is not presently known whether ARA Leisure Services will also be
sued.  The park recently completed a successful defense against another
claim of failure to supervise the concessioner when a rope broke between a
rented houseboat and a tag-a-long runabout and a passenger received severe
trauma to the head.  [CompuServe message from Larry Clark, CR, GLCA, 5/9]

92-177 - Grand Canyon (Arizona) - EMS Response to MVA with Serious Injuries

On the evening of May 3rd, rangers responded to a roll-over motor vehicle
accident on a Forest Service road outside the park's south boundary.  NPS
medical responders found two seriously injured victims on scene.  Advanced
life support was begun, and a 33-year-old female and a 37-year-old male were
transported by park ambulance to the Grand Canyon clinic.  The female had a
deteriorating head injury and internal trauma which required immediate
transportation to the Flagstaff Medical Center by park helicopter. 
Ranger/paramedics Keith Lober and Nancy Mecham were both able to attend and
treat the unstable patient in the park's newly-acquired Bell L3 Long Ranger
helicopter.  The previous helicopter allowed only one attendant, which
caused problems when a patient was combative.  The female was admitted to
the hospital and placed in intensive care; the male was transported to the
center by ground ambulance.  Alcohol is believed to be a factor in the
crash.  [cc:Mail message from Herb Gercke, RAD/WRO, 5/7]

92-178 - Pictured Rocks (Michigan) - Fatality

On the morning of May 8th, the park learned that a Michigan State Police
four-wheel drive ambulance was en route to the mouth of the Mosquito River
on the shore of Lake Superior to recover a fisherman who had reportedly died
at that location.  Because the fishing partner of the deceased individual
couldn't remember which road to take, the ambulance returned to base and the
park assumed recovery responsibilities.  Rangers Young and Schad headed to
the river by park boat and retrieved the body of the 41-year-old male.  The
victim's friend reported that the victim had said he hadn't felt well that
morning and that he had chosen to fish beside the mouth of the river.  The
friend travelled up river; when he returned about a half hour later, he
found the victim dead along the shore.  The victim had suffered a heart
attack five years earlier and had lost 40% of his heart muscle in that
attack.  A medical examiner has ordered an autopsy to determine the cause of
death.  [Ray Brende, CR, PIRO, via telefax from John Townsend, RAD/MWRO,
5/8]

92-179 - New River Gorge (West Virginia) - Marijuana Seizure

On May 5th, rangers and Fayette County deputies discovered and eradicated a
small marijuana plantation containing 19 plants at the north end of the
park.  These plants were in the same general area in which a large
plantation was discovered in 1991.  Two local individuals were subsequently
arrested in that incident.  Information leading to the recent discovery was
developed by the interagency drug task force which the park belongs to. 
[Telefax from Bill Blake, CR, NERI, 5/8]

92-180 - Sleeping Bear Dunes (Michigan) - Potential Demonstration

Late last week, the Washington office of the Environmental Protection Agency
approved the Homestead Resort's application to construct a golf course
adjacent to the lakeshore's boundary.  This construction was objected to by
various federal agencies because of potential impacts to wetlands. 
Following announcement of the approval, local radio stations announced that
opponents of the golf course would be holding demonstrations at the entrance
to the resort, which is on park lands.  Although no problems were
anticipated, the state police and local sheriff's office were planning to
monitor the situation closely.  [John Abbott, SLBE, via telefax from John
Townsend, RAD/MWRO, 5/8]

FIRE ACTIVITY

1) FIRE SITUATION - Preparedness Level 1

2) FIRE SUMMARY

State  Agency     Area            Fire               5/10    5/11    Status

 MT    BLM     Miles City       *Regrass              600     680    CN 5/11

 MN    State   State            *Deer River Comp.       -   2,510    CN 5/11
                                *Vermillion Comp.       -   3,000    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
  CL - Controlled              MN - Being monitored
  CS - Confinement strategy    NEC - No estimate of containment
  CN (date) - Expected date    CND - Contained
     of containment

3) FIRE NARRATIVES 

* Indiana Dunes (Indiana) - The park had 13 fires started by a train on 
  the 9th.  All were controlled by the park.  The two largest were about 30
  and seven acres; the rest were all under an acre.

* Lava Beds (California) - The Hovey Fire is quiet and was to be declared
  out on the 9th if all went as expected.

* Saguaro (Arizona) - Mop-up continues on the Sycamore Fire.  

4) ANALYSIS - Initial attack activity is continuing.
   
5) PROGNOSIS - No resource shortages anticipated.

[NIFCC Intelligence Section, 0535 MDT, 5/11; NPS NWFS, 5/11]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Reminder: We are interested in field reports on resource management
activities meeting any of the following criteria, which were formulated
jointly with the Wildlife and Vegetation Division:

* The completion of notable resource management projects or the attainment
  of significant benchmarks in such projects.
* New threatened and endangered species listings, significant changes in
  status to listed species, or new threats to listed species.
* Any significant lawsuit pertaining to park natural or cultural resources.
* Any newly discovered threat to park natural or cultural resources.
* Reintroduction of a species to a park.
* Any resource management action affecting park natural or cultural
  resources which is inherently controversial.

Reports may be submitted by telefax (FTS 268-6756), by CompuServe (WASO-RANGER)
or by cc:Mail (WASO Ranger Activities).

THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS

The following activities will be taking place in Congress this week on
matters pertaining to the National Park Service:

Tuesday

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Public Lands, National Parks
and Forests Subcommittee:

Hearing on S-2021, to designate a segment of the Rio Grande in New
Mexico as a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System;
S-2045, to authorize a study of the prehistoric Casa Grandes culture in
the state of New Mexico; S-2178 and HR-2502, to establish the Jemez
National Recreation Area in the state of New Mexico; S-2544, to
establish in the Department of Interior the Colonial New Mexico
Preservation Commission.

House Interior and Insular Affairs Committee, National Parks and Public
Lands Subcommittee:

Hearing on HR-473, to make it unlawful to obstruct the operation of or
harass any activity permitted under a grazing permit or lease.

Wednesday

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee:

Mark-up of pending legislation.

House Interior and Insular Affairs Committee:

Mark-up of HR-4899, to establish the old-growth forest reserve in the
Pacific Northwest and northern California.

Thursday

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee:

Hearing on S-2607, to authorize regional integrated resource planning by
registered holding companies and state regulatory commissions.

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Public Lands, National
Parks and Forests Subcommittee:

Hearing on S-1624, to amend the Alaska National Interest Lands
Conservation Act and to improve the management of Glacier Bay National
Park; S-2321, to increase the authorization for War in the Pacific NHP
and American Memorial Park.

House Interior and Insular Affairs Committee, National Parks and Public
Lands Subcommittee:

Mark-up of HR-3905, to authorize appropriations for the Advisory Council
on Historic Preservation; HR-4801, to amend the National Historic
Preservation Act to extend the authorization for the Historic
Preservation Fund.

STAFF STATUS

Division Chief: Brady at regional chief rangers' meeting, Alexandria, VA
(5/12-45/13).

Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection:  Martin and most of branch staff
(intermittently) at regional chief rangers' meeting, Alexandria, VA (5/12-5/13);
Schamp at semi-automatic weapons test; FLETC, Glynco, GA (5/11-5/22).

Branch of Fire and Aviation: Hurd and Erskine at regional chief rangers'
meeting, Alexandria, VA (5/11-5/15); Farrel at regional safety managers'
meeting (5/14-5/15); Norum at National Fire Danger Advisory Group meeting,
Kansas City, KS (5/11-5/15); Mattingly coordinating Alpine IHC season start-up,
WICA, Hot Springs, SD (5/7-5/20); Cook on IHC detail to Sequoia-Kings
Canyon for remainder of summer.

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

cc:Mail     Branch of R&VP - WASO Ranger Activities
            Branch of F&A (WASO) - WASO Fire and Aviation