- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Tuesday, June 23, 1992
- Date: Tues, 23 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 23, 1992
INCIDENTS
92-293 - Glacier (Montana) - Baby Delivery
On the afternoon of June 22nd, rangers from St. Mary were transporting
Hudson Bay district naturalist Lynne Murdock and her husband Sean to a
hospital in Kalispell when it became evident that delivery was imminent.
Lake McDonald rangers met the westbound vehicle at Logan Creek pit on
Going-to-the-Sun Road, just ahead of an ambulance from Columbia Falls, and a
request was also transmitted for assistance from an A.L.E.R.T. helicopter
and medical team. The medical team, assisted by rangers and ambulance
personnel, delivered a healthy baby girl at approximately 2:10 p.m. Both
mother and baby were transported to the hospital via the A.L.E.R.T.
helicopter and are reportedly in fine condition. [Amy Vanderbilt, GLAC,
6/22]
92-294 - Mount Rainier (Washington) - Fatality; Rescue in Progress
Following a successful ascent of the mountain, M.P., 34, and J.D.,
29, both of Fort Collins, Colorado, were descending via the Emmons
Glacier to Camp Schurman on June 21st when M.P. fell into a crevasse. The
incident occurred around noon; although J.D. began calling for help, it
wasn't until about 5:00 p.m. that he was heard by the Camp Schurman climbing
ranger. The ranger ascended to the 11,000-foot level of the glacier and
found Davidson in a very hypothermic state. The ranger and two independent
climbers provided initial assistance to J.D., and the ranger descended
about 80 feet into the crevasse and confirmed that M.P. had been killed.
The party helped J.D. descend to Camp Schurman. At the time of the
report yesterday morning, a helicopter from Bluebird Helicopters was flying
a party of four climbers to the camp. J.D. was to be flow down and
treated, and the climbers were preparing to ascend to the crevasse and
recover M.P.'s body. [Mark Forbes, RAD/PNRO, 6/22]
92-295 - John Muir (California) - Closure
A large-scale industrial fire at the Chevron refinery in Martinez led to the
closure of the park yesterday at the request of the Contra Costa county
emergency services office. That office had asked all persons to take refuge
indoors. All employees were sent home. The park expects to open as usual
this morning. [Mary Kline, JOMU, 6/22]
92-296 - Gulf Islands (Mississippi/Florida) - Drowning
On the afternoon of June 16th, R.K., 66, was pulled unconscious
from the water near a pavilion at Johnson Beach on Perdido Key. Although
R.K.'s wife, family and many other visitors were on the beach, nobody
saw or heard any struggling or calls for help. R.K. was in water that
was not over his head. CPR was begun immediately by a nurse and EMS-qualified
visitors, but they were unable to revive him. The coroner
subsequently ruled that R.K. had drowned. [Gene Phillips, CR, GUIS,
6/17 and 6/22]
FIRE ACTIVITY
1) FIRE SITUATION - Preparedness Level I
2) FIRE SUMMARY
State Agency Area Fire 6/18 6/23 Status
CA NPS Yosemite NP * Dome - 125 CND
USFS Modoc NF * Timber Mt. - 1,200 NEC
Klamath NF * Ben - 300 NEC
AK State Tok Area 213225 - T2 30,927 33,180 DM
CO BLM Vale District * Weatherby Mt. - 400 CND
ID BLM Boise District * Sheep Creek - 500 NEC
UT State Utah County * Camp Williams #9 - 800 CND
AZ USFS Coronado NF * State Park - T2 - 1,581 CND
Tonto NF * Mesquite - 150 CND
ME State - * Ledge Road - 900 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 DM - Demob in progress
3) NIFCC FIRE REPORT HIGHLIGHTS -
* Modoc NF - The Timber Mountain Fire is burning towards the communities
of Tionest and Hawks Nest, which have been evacuated.
4) NPS FIRE REPORT HIGHLIGHTS -
* Joshua Tree - The park's fire crew was dispatched to the Paxton and
Morongo Fires on Friday. Engine 2 was used for structure protection due
to its Class A foam capability and the fact that Type 1 engines could
not drive up some of the dirt roads. The engine was then dispatched to
the Prospect Fire on Sunday.
* Yosemite - Air attack, several tankers and a crew of smokejumpers were
sent in on the Dome Fire on the 21st. Four more 20-person crews - two
Type 1 and two Type 2 - and four helicopters were being sent in yesterday.
5) ANALYSIS - Initial attack activity has increased throughout the West
due to a warming and drying trend. Air tankers, helicopters and crews
have been mobilized to California's North Zone. A red flag watch for
dry lightning has been issued for Nevada and Arizona.
6) PROGNOSIS - Thunderstorms in the Southwest, California and the Great
Basin may cause increased fire activity. No resource shortages are
expected.
[NPS Wildland Fire Summary, 6/19; NIFCC Intelligence Section, 6/19]
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
No field reports today.
THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS
The following activities will be taking place in Congress this week on
matters pertaining to the National Park Service. If you would like further
information on any of these hearings or bills, please contact Dottie in WASO
Legislation at 202-208-3636:
Tuesday
House Interior and Insular Affairs Subcommittee National Parks and Public
Lands [Vento]:
Hearing on HR-4325, HR-4326, and HR-4327, which would improve
wilderness management, research and interagency cooperation in the USFS,
NPS, BLM and FWS.
Wednesday
House Interior and Insular Affairs Committee [Miller]:
Mark-up of pending legislation.
Thursday
Senate Energy and Natural Resources' Subcommittee on Public Lands, National
Parks and Forests [Bumpers]:
Hearing on pending legislation.
House Interior and Insular Affairs Subcommittee National Parks and Public
Lands [Vento]:
Hearing on HR-762, HR-1369, and S-1029, to designate certain
lands in Colorado as parts of the wilderness system; other legislation.
STAFF STATUS
Division Chief: No leave or travel scheduled.
Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection: Henry on annual leave (6/25-7/2);
Smith on annual leave (6/22-7/2); Coffey on detail to WASO Wildlife and
Vegetation.
Branch of Fire and Aviation: Hurd at Branch of F&A, Boise, ID (6/22-6/24);
Mattingly at Coronado NM, AZ (6/24-6/27); Norum at joint meeting with USFS
on fire and ecosystem maintenance, Portland, OR (6/23-6/25); Farrel
reviewing structural fire program, Crater Lake NP, OR (6/21-6/26); Bristol
at IRM working team committee meeting, Annapolis, MD (6/22-6/25); Broyles at
meeting on "Fire Management for Administrators", WASO (6/22-6/26); Crabtree
at VMS system and network management course, Seattle, WA (6/22-6/26).
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