- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Tuesday, June 9, 1992
- Date: Tues, 9 Jun 1992
RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
MORNING REPORT
Attention: Directorate
Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
Ranger Activities Division Information Network
Day/Date: Tuesday, June 9, 1992
INCIDENTS
92-249 - Mount Rainier (Washington) - Search in Progress
At 6:00 p.m. on June 7th, a local fire department advised the park that
they'd received a call from an unidentified individual who had heard a CB
broadcast reporting that someone was in a crevasse at the 11,000-foot level
of the mountain. About 90 minutes later, the Yakima detachment of the
Washington State Patrol notified the park that they'd received a call from a
climbing party with a cellular phone on Ingraham Flats reporting that a
climber was immobilized at the top of Disappointment Cleaver. Rangers also
learned that the victim, T.C., 39, was a member of a three-person
party that had successfully climbed Fuhrers Finger the previous day. As
they were descending via Disappointment Cleaver, T.C. started showing
signs of poor judgement and breathing difficulties. His party placed him in
a sleeping bag in a bivie sack and left him with food and water while they
went for help. T.C.'s partners contacted another party on Ingraham Flats,
and they had made the call to the state patrol. Due to the late hour and
the altitude involved, it was not possible to rescue T.C. by helicopter.
The party at Ingraham Flats offered to assist in the rescue with four of
their strongest climbers. Ranger Ken Davis and three Rainier Mountaineering
guides took rescue gear and oxygen from Camp Muir to the top of the Cleaver,
then lowered T.C. to Camp Muir. T.C. was somewhat dehydrated but
appeared to be in fair condition. At the time of the report, plans called
for the parties to descend to Paradise following a rest at Camp Muir.
[Lance Gillispie, MORA, via cc:Mail message from Mark Forbes, RAD/PNRO, 6/8]
92-250 - North Cascades (Washington) - Probable Drowning
A canoe with three paddlers overturned in the Skagit River at Dolly Varden
Rapids on the afternoon of June 7th. Two of the canoeists made it to shore,
but the third, a 36-year-old Washington man, was last seen struggling in the
water. A search was conducted by rangers and Skagit County sheriffs, but no
sign of the victim was found. The search was suspended Sunday night and was
to resume yesterday morning. [Dave Spirtes, NOCA, via cc:Mail message from
Kathy Jope, RAD/PNRO, 6/8]
92-251 - Yosemite (California) - Rescue
On the morning of May 25th, seven-year-old E.D. fell from the top of
an overhanging cliff while hiking above the Mist Trail near the top of
Vernal Falls. After free-falling approximately 100 vertical feet, Dillon
landed in a thicket of trees and came to rest about 20 feet below the trail.
Bystanders improvised a litter from a pack frame and carried Dillon up to
the trail. Park medics responding by helicopter and foot found Dillon
semi-conscious with apparent internal injuries, a fractured leg and possible head
trauma. Advance life support measures were begun and E.D. was short-hauled
by helicopter to Yosemite Valley. He was then transported by
helicopter to Memorial North Hospital in Modesto, where he was determined to
be suffering from a fractured tibia and fibula. [Dave Brennan, YOSE, via
cc:Mail message from Herb Gercke, RAD/WRO, 6/8]
92-252 - Lava Beds (California) - Serious Employee Illness
Seasonal ranger Bill Bailey suffered a major heart attack while on duty on
the night of Sunday, June 7th. He is currently in stable condition in the
intensive care unit at Rouse Valley Medical Center. [Terry Harris, CR,
LABE, via cc:Mail message from Herb Gercke, RAD/WRO, 6/8]
92-253 - Carlsbad Cavern/Guadalupe Mountains (New Mexico) - Severe Storm
A severe storm with several funnel clouds, winds of up to 70 miles per hour,
and hail that accumulated to between two and four inches struck both parks
on the evening of June 7th. No structural damage appears to have occurred,
but rangers in Guadalupe Mountains are patrolling the Williams Ranch area
for washed out roads and waterlogged park trails have been closed to
livestock to prevent damage. Significant structural damage was reported
throughout the city of Carlsbad. [Telefax from Bonnie Winslow, RAD/SWRO,
6/8]
92-254 - Shenandoah (Virginia) - Felony Arrest
On April 28th, the park received a report that F.S.W., a
deserter from the Navy, might be living in the park. Although his presence
could not be confirmed, several burglaries involving theft of food from the
Panorama Wayside and homes along the park boundary suggested that he might
have been the burglar, and local media interest in the story increased
markedly earlier this month. Rangers in the park's North District and
Rappahannock County deputies investigated the incidents and spent many hours
trying to locate the elusive F.S.W. On June 6th, ranger Dave Bauer
discovered an informal trail that showed frequent use while he was
patrolling the Butterwood Branch Trail. He followed it to a camp, where he
found and arrested F.S.W. pursuant to a warrant for AWOL issued by U.S.
Naval Intelligence. Federal charges will also be sought against F.S.W. for
the two burglaries which occurred in the park. State charges are pending.
[Telefax from Larry Hakel, CR, SHEN, 6/8]
FIRE ACTIVITY
1) FIRE SITUATION - Preparedness Level 1
2) FIRE SUMMARY
State Agency Area Fire 6/8 6/9 Status
OR USFS Deschutes NF Red Butte 163 163 CND
ODF Klamath County Swan Lake - T2 200 185 CND
- * Sage Flat - 700 NEC
- * Haner Butte - 400 NEC
BIA Yakima Agency Ethier 200 2,240 CND
BLM Lakeview Dist. * Black Hawk - 700 CN 6/10
AZ BIA Pima Agency Old Yellow 1,150 1,150 CN 6/10
Gila River Trimble 1,000 1,000 CND
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 -
* Carlsbad Caverns - The Red Hill Fire, a prescribed natural fire which was
started by one of a number of lightning strikes on June 7th, is burning in
the middle of the park along Guadalupe Ridge. An overflight of the fire
was to be conducted yesterday to determine size and status.
4) ANALYSIS - Initial attack activity continues in the West and Northwest,
and a red flag watch has been issued for Oregon and Washington.
5) PROGNOSIS - No resource shortages expected.
[NIFCC Intelligence Section, 0742 EDT, 6/9]
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
No field reports today.
STAFF STATUS
Division Chief: No leave or travel scheduled.
Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection: Marriott and Schamp at meeting,
Washington, DC (6/8-6/12); Lee at government liability workshop, Washington,
DC (6/12); Halainen in meetings with uniform contractor, Washington, DC
(6/8-6/10) and on AL (6/12); Coffey on detail to WASO Wildlife and
Vegetation.
Branch of Fire and Aviation: Hurd at NWCG meeting, Lakewood, CA (6/9-6/12);
Farrel at GSA vehicle symposium, Washington, DC (6/8-6/12); Erskine on
annual leave (6/8-6/20).
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