RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

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

Day/Date:  Wednesday, May 13, 1992

INCIDENTS

92-180 - Sleeping Bear Dunes (Michigan) - Follow-up on Demonstrations

On the evening of May 8th, about 60 people participated in a demonstration
on park lands directly across from the entrance to the Homestead Resort. 
The rally, which protested EPA's approval of the resort's application to
build a golf course next to the lakeshore, was limited to the singing of
songs and the display of banners, posters and placards.  The group was
cooperative and abided by all regulations and requests of law enforcement
rangers.  A second and similar demonstration consisting of about 100
demonstrators occurred at the same location on the afternoon of May 9th. 
The group marched along highway M-22 to County Road 675 and the Crystal
River.  The group was again cooperative, and only a few minor traffic
violations were recorded.  The park expects that there will be more
demonstrations in the future, particularly when golf course construction
begins.  [Al Haeker, CR, SLBE, via telefax from John Townsend, RAD/MWRO,
5/11]

92-187 - Denali (Alaska) - Rescue in Progress

A 28-year-old Korean man fell an estimated 300 meters while attempting a new
route on the south face of Mount McKinley on the afternoon of May 11th.  He
suffered severe head injuries and was evacuated by members of the Korean
Alpine Club to the Kahiltna Glacier base camp at 7,000 feet at 4 a.m.
yesterday morning.  Visibility at the camp was zero and heavy snow was
falling at the time of the report.  Continued poor flying conditions are
predicted.  Doctors who are in the camp as part of other expeditions are
treating him.  [cc:Mail message from John Quinley, RAD/PNRO, 5/12]

92-188 - Denali (Alaska) - Rescue

A 26-year-old French woman was rescued from 17,000 feet on Mount McKinley on
the evening of May 11th by ranger Ron Johnson and three volunteers.  The
woman had been left at that altitude by her climbing partners, who descended
to the ranger station at 14,000 feet at 2:30 p.m. and advised the rangers
there that the woman was exhausted and unable to continue.  She reportedly
had a sleeping bag and tent, but no stove.  Weather forecasters were
predicting the arrival of the worst storm in ten years that evening; it
would bring heavy snow and winds up to 100 mph.  A four-man rescue team was
sent after her and arrived at her location in four hours.  They found her in
fine condition.  She descended the West Buttress to 14,000 feet on her own
power in about two hours.  Rangers plan to question the climbers as to why
they did not descend as a group.  [cc:Mail message from John Quinley,
RAD/PNRO, 5/12]

92-189 - Grand Canyon (Arizona) - Rescue

Rangers and maintenance staff responded to a serious motor vehicle accident
at the east boundary of the park on Highway 64 early on the afternoon of
April 29th.  Two vehicles had collided, and 20-year-old M.I. of
Durango, Colorado, was trapped inside one of the vehicles.  Ranger/EMT Joan
Blais was able to reach M.I., who was breathing but unconscious, and
provided basic life support for severe injuries until medics Tammy Luplow,
Ken Phillips and Patti Thompson arrived via park helicopter and ambulance. 
A structural fire engine and extrication crew also arrived on scene, and
removed M.I. from her car after a difficult 34-minute-long extrication
effort.  Extremely warm temperatures hampered rescue efforts.  M.I. was
taken to Flagstaff Medical Center; all other parties were taken to the park
clinic with minor injuries.  Chuck Sypher was the IC on the incident. 
Blais' investigation revealed that the new uni-body construction of M.I.'s
vehicle, which was built to prevent complete vehicle passenger compartment
collapse, had failed due to the nature of the high speed impact between the
two vehicles.  [Dispatch, GRCA, via cc:Mail message from Herb Gercke,
RAD/WRO, 5/11]

92-190 - Glen Canyon (Utah/Arizona) - Multiple Incidents

During the week of May 3rd, rangers were involved in a number of significant
incidents.  Among them were:

* 13 EMS responses, including a double finger amputation, a SCUBA diving
  decompression accident, and a neck fracture resulting from a 170-foot
  cliff dive;
* four motor vehicle accidents and two boat accidents;
* five search and rescue missions; 
* three larcenies;
* five sanitation cases, including a sewage spill of 200 gallons into the
  lake at Dangling Rope and another at Bullfrog in which the sewage ran
  down the pipeline into the sewage lagoon; and
* the dedication of a new visitor center and clinic at bullfrog which
  features a contact station and bookstore, a medical center, office space,
  helispot, and a two-cell, four-bunk detention center.

[CompuServe message from Larry Clark, CR, GLCA, 5/12]

92-191 - Pipestone (Minnesota) - Liquid Fertilizer Spill

Approximately 200 gallons of liquid fertilizer was spilled by Thermogas
Company into Pipestone Creek about three-quarters of a mile upstream from
the park's boundary on the afternoon of May 6th.  The park was not notified,
but local officials and representatives from the state pollution control
agency responded and completed construction of a temporary earthen control
dam by that evening.  At about 5:00 p.m. on the afternoon of May 7th, park
prescribed fire crew members noticed earth moving equipment and activity
immediately east of the park boundary on Pipestone Creek.  Shortly
thereafter, they saw a torrent of water, mud and debris rushing down the
stream channel.  Photographic and video documentation of the resultant flood
and after effects on the creek was undertaken and completed, and the park
has begun communicating with state agencies, the EPA, local county officials
and Thermogas Company employees for specific information, details and
explanations of the incident and mitigation efforts and to work on
communications protocols.  Long-term effects to park resources will be
monitored.  [Vincent Halvorson, SUPT, PIPE, via telefax from John Townsend,
RAD/MWRO, 5/8]

92-192 - Organ Pipe Cactus (Arizona) - Drug Seizure

On the evening of May 8th, Border Patrol agents patrolling drug smuggling
areas in the park responded to a sensor signal and seized over 300 pounds of
marijuana which had been transported across the border into the park by foot
and picked up by courier several miles south of the visitor center.  The
vehicle carrying the marijuana was stopped on Highway 85; both occupants
fled the scene, but one was arrested after a short pursuit.  Recent
intelligence has shown a sharp increase in smuggling activity in the area,
and rangers are intensifying patrols at targeted locations.  [Aniceto Olais,
CR, ORPI, via cc:Mail message from Herb Gercke, RAD/WRO, 5/12]

FIRE ACTIVITY

1) FIRE SITUATION - Preparedness Level 1

2) FIRE SUMMARY

State  Agency     Area            Fire               5/11    5/12    Status

 MT    BLM     Miles City        Regrass              680     680    NR

 MN    State   State             Deer River Comp.   2,510     260    CN 5/11
                                 Vermillion Comp.   3,000   9,000    CN 5/11

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

[NIFCC Intelligence Section, 0533 MDT, 5/12]  

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Independence (Pennsylvania) - Photogrammetry Project

The park completed a seven-year effort to accurately record the detailed
architecture of Independence Hall on May 11th.  Two precision cameras were
used to take simultaneous and nearly identical photos called stereopairs,
which are then looked at through an optical viewer similar to an old
stereopticon to produce measured and detailed drawings of the building. 
Using this technique, accurate drawings can be produced which are free of
the distortion common to regular photography.  Photogrammetry is capable of
accuracy up to 1/16 inch and is much cheaper and faster than hand recording. 
The information helps insure the continued preservation and careful
maintenance of the hall and provides information to repair or rebuild it
accurately should disaster occur.  [Bob Byrne, CR, INDE]

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