- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Wednesday, May 27, 1992
- Date: Wed, 27 May 1992
RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
MORNING REPORT
Attention: Directorate
Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
Ranger Activities Division Information Network
Day/Date: Wednesday, May 27, 1992
INCIDENTS
92-180 - Sleeping Bear Dunes (Michigan) - Follow-up on Demonstrations
The Michigan Environmental Action Council sponsored a demonstration on lands
under park jurisdiction on May 24th to express displeasure with the
potential loss of wetlands as a result of construction of the Homestead golf
course next to the park. About 400 people attended the demonstration, which
consisted of speakers, music, canoeing activities and a pot luck dinner.
Enforcement actions were minimal. It's expected that these demonstrations
will continue as construction of the golf course proceeds. Law enforcement
rangers were assisted by local and state law enforcement officers in
monitoring the demonstration. [Al Haeker, CR, SLBE, via telefax from Rich
Murphy, RLES, RAD/MWRO, 5/26]
92-213 - C&O Canal (Maryland) - Follow-up on Probable Drowning
On May 20th, N.A., 19, of Bethesda, Maryland, disappeared in the
Potomac River after he attempted to swim 200 feet across the river to Hermit
Island. Rangers recovered his body from the river on May 23rd. Later that
same day, rangers and local and state officers also rescued three people who
became stranded on Dam #3 in the Potomac River after a boating accident near
the dam. [Telefax from Tom Nash, CR, CHOH, 5/26]
92-217 - Great Smokies (North Carolina/Tennessee) - Fatal Air Crash
A Cessna 172 crashed near Tri-Corner Knob around 3:00 p.m. on May 24th,
killing R.B., T.D., and five-month-old S.B.
The aircraft was headed to Rome, Georgia, in rainy and foggy weather when it
crashed. Rangers have located the crash site in the mountains and were
awaiting a helicopter to left them and the victims out at the time of the
report yesterday morning. The FAA will be investigating the accident.
[Jason Houck, CR, GRSM, via telefax from Marcella Gibson, RAD/SERO, 5/26]
92-218 - Delaware Water Gap (Pennsylvania/New Jersey) - Drowning
Just after noon on May 25th, L.H.R., 19, of Hackensack, New Jersey,
drowned in the Delaware River just south of Tocks Island. L.H.R. was
attempting to swim across the river from New Jersey to Pennsylvania, but
failed to reach the shore. Park divers recovered his body around 4:30 p.m.
in seven feet of water. Neither alcohol nor drugs appear to have been a
factor in his death. L.H.R.'s drowning was the 48th such incident recorded in
the park. Rangers and New Jersey state troopers are investigating the
incident. [cc:Mail message from Tracy Brant, RAD/MARO, 5/26]
92-219 - C&O Canal (Maryland) - Probable Drowning
On the afternoon of May 25th, F.S., 19, of Hyattsville, Maryland,
was standing on a large rock on the shoreline near the Offutt Island Chute
rapids fishing with a weighted throw net when he slipped and fell into the
river. Other members of his group saw him in the river yelling for help and
attempting to swim toward some rocks, then saw him go under about 20 feet
past the rocks. Rangers received a report of the incident about a half hour
later and joined Park Police and local officers in a search of the river.
Dragging operations were conducted in the river channel just below the chute
without success. The search for F.S. continues. [Telefax from Tom
Nash, CR, CHOH, 5/26]
92-220 - National Capitol Parks (District of Columbia) - Homicide
At 11:10 p.m. on the evening of May 25th, Park Police dispatch received a
report of a shooting in East Potomac Park not far from the Jefferson
Memorial and Park Police headquarters. Responding officers found C.H.M.,
27, a postal worker from Takoma Park, Maryland, suffering
from a gunshot wound. Eagle I, the Park Police helicopter, responded along
with a city ambulance, but C.H.M. died of his wound. Witnesses at the
scene described hearing a gunshot and seeing three males flee from the scene
in a red foreign vehicle, possibly a Toyota. The Park Police Criminal
Investigations Branch is assisting city homicide detectives in the
investigation. [Telefax from U.S. Park Police, 5/26]
92-221 - Glen Canyon (Utah/Arizona) - Arrest for Sexual Assault
During the early morning hours of May 23rd, a 17-year-old woman from Wes
Valley City, Utah, was sexually assaulted at her campsite at Bullfrog
campground. J.D., 19, of Salt Lake City, apparently took advantage
of the woman when she was in an extreme condition of drunkenness. When she
resisted, J.D. ceased. After the incident, other males in the group beat
him up. Rangers and local deputies were advised at 7:30 a.m.; they arrested
J.D. and flew him to Kanab, Utah, for arraignment on rape charges. He
appeared uninjured by the beating. [CompuServe message from Larry Clark,
CR, GLCA, 5/24]
92-222 - Kennesaw Mountain (Georgia) - Suicide
On the morning of May 22nd, a woman advised park rangers that she had come
upon a body a short way into the woods near the Cheatham Hill parking area.
Responding rangers and county officers contacted a man there who was the
brother of the victim, R.K., 48. They learned that R.K. had
left his residence on the afternoon of May 21st to go jogging at Laurel
Park; he failed to return that evening, so his brother went looking for him
the following morning. He found R.K.'s truck in Laurel Park, but did not
find him with it. Following a search, he found his brother's body. R.K.
apparently died of a self-inflicted gunshot to the head, probably late on
the evening of the 21st. He had a long history of depression and had talked
about suicide on several occasions. [Telefax from KEMO, 5/22]
92-223 - Ocmulgee (Georgia) - Fatal MVA
Just before 6:00 p.m. on May 20th, a vehicle driven by D.P. left the
westbound lane of I-16, crossed the median into the eastbound lane, and came
to rest upside down on the road shoulder in the park. D.P. died at the
scene. The county sheriff investigated the accident; the cause has not yet
been determined. [Telefax from Guy LaChine, Acting SUPT, OCMU, 5/26]
FIRE ACTIVITY
1) FIRE SITUATION - Preparedness Level 1
2) FIRE SUMMARY
State Agency Area Fire 5/26 5/27 Status
OR USFS Umatilla NF #031 200 200 NR
FL USFS Apalachicola NF Post Office Bay-T2 2,500 7,400 NEC
State State San Pedro Bay 1,000 1,000 NEC
*Fish Lake - 1,350 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
NPS reports not available today.
4) ANALYSIS - Initial attack activity is continuing in California, the
northern Rockies and the East. Air tankers, helicopters and lead planes
have been mobilized to the South; air tankers have also been moved from
southern to northern California.
5) PROGNOSIS - No resource shortages expected.
[NIFCC Intelligence Section, 0739 EDT, 5/27]
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Cape Cod (Massachusetts) - Archeological Site Salvage
The salvage of the prehistoric archeological site discovered on the park's
shoreline concluded late in March after 19 weeks of intensive work. All of
the archeological material found at the site - some of which dates from the
Middle Archaic period and some from the Middle Woodland period - has been
removed from the area. The site was reburied and the beach contour was
restored. Artifacts and soil samples are to undergo further study in the
laboratory, and charcoal samples will be submitted for radiocarbon dating.
Park rangers were on duty continuously at the site during the field work in
order to inform visitors about the excavation during daylight hours and
protect it after dark. [Dennis Burnett, CACO]
STAFF STATUS
Division Chief: Brady at ranger futures meeting, Harpers Ferry, WV (5/26-5/27)
and on annual leave (5/29).
Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection: Martin on annual leave (5/26-5/29);
Coffey on annual leave (5/26-5/29); Lee on annual leave (5/26-5/27).
Branch of Fire and Aviation: Hurd at structural fire plan training, Boston,
MA (5/29); Farrel at structural fire plan training, Boston, MA (5/26-5/29);
Erskine on pre-season fire reviews, Yellowstone, Glacier, and Missoula, MT
(5/26-5/29); Norum on annual leave (5/17-5/30).
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