- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Monday, August 31, 1992
- Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992
RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
MORNING REPORT
Attention: Directorate
Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
Ranger Activities Division Information Network
Day/Date: Monday, August 31, 1992
Release: 0830 EDT
INCIDENTS
92-451 - South Florida Areas - Follow-up on Hurricane Andrew
There are now 173 people - 158 NPS, 12 Forest Service and four from other
agencies - committed to the NPS all-risk management (ARM) team working on
the recovery effort in Everglades and Biscayne. Extremely limited
communications continued to hinder operations through the weekend. A
military satellite phone system which was brought in late last week failed
to work properly, so the ARM team ordered a 24 duplex channel satellite
system from AT&T. It arrived yesterday afternoon and should be up and
functioning today.
Incident objectives remain as before:
* Provide for basic emergency needs of park employees and their families.
* Provide for employee safety.
* Prevent further damage to resources, property and facilities.
* Secure, protect and salvage all facilities.
All Everglades and Biscayne employees have now been found. According to
recent estimates, over 50 employee homes were destroyed by the hurricane or
are uninhabitable. Facilities on Key Largo are up and running, but work
still needs to be done in Flamingo to get that area operational. Employees
are being housed in a motel on Key Largo, in NPS housing at Flamingo
(despite lack of services) and Pine Island (where people are doubling up in
those homes which are still intact), and with family and friends outside the
park.
A body was discovered over the weekend by NPS employees flying over Adams
Key at a location where two boaters were reported to have disappeared.
They'd been moored to the key, but their boat blew away during the storm.
No further details are presently available.
Many people have asked how they can help. The following information
appeared in Friday's morning report, but has been somewhat amended:
- Personnel - Incident commander Rick Gale has expressly asked that
the many people who've offered to help hold on until the basic groundwork
for recovery operations has been laid. Although these efforts to
help are very much appreciated, there is no infrastructure to support
additional employees or volunteers, much less existing staff.
Additional help will be summoned as soon as possible. Until that time,
please stand by.
- Financial Aid - SERO has asked ENP&MA to set up a reserve account to meet
employees' immediate needs, and Eastern has accordingly set up an "Andrew
Relief" fund. Individual employee contributions and non-ENP&MA park
donations may be sent to Andrew Relief Fund, ENP&MA, Attention: George
Minnucci, 446 North Lane, Conshohocken, PA 19428. Checks should be
made out to ENP&MA with a notation that the contribution is for the
relief fund. ENP&MA parks that want to make a contribution from this
year's percentage donation or an advance from next year's donation must
notify George Minnucci by memo or fax (215-832-0242) of the year and
amount. These funds will be made available to employees by wire
transfer immediately upon receipt. Questions regarding these procedures
should be directed to Pat Stanek in SERO (404-331-3527) or Richard
Jamgochian at ENP&MA (215-832-0555).
- Notes of Support - You can send either general messages of support to the
park staff or personal notes to employees via the park office in
Everglades City. The mailing address: Everglades NP, PO Box 120,
Everglades City, FL 33929.
- Goods and Supplies - We are working with the ARM team and park to
identify supplies (clothing, equipment, etc.) which are needed by
park employees. That list is not yet ready, but should be completed
later today. A special message will be sent out when the list is
available and will be repeated in tomorrow's morning report.
[Rick Gale, Bill Gabbert, and Martha Isbister, ARM Team, EVER/BISC; Darlene
Koontz, EVER; Bill Springer and Steve Smith, RAD/SERO; Doug Erskine, FIRE;
8/28-31]
92-466 - Glacier (Montana) - Bear Mauling
R.R. 47, of Cannon Beach, Oregon, and D.M. of Seattle,
Washington, were hiking towards Swiftcurrent Pass on the afternoon of August
21st when they came upon a group of four bears, described as grizzlies,
above the trail. The lead bear stood up as three smaller bears trailed
behind, then dropped down and charged the couple while the other three bears
ran in another direction. Both hikers dropped into fetal positions. The
bear attacked R.R., who eventually began to roll down hill. The bear
followed him briefly, then left. R.R. suffered multiple puncture wounds
and lacerations to his right side, primarily his hand, shoulder, back, thigh
and knee. D.M. was not injured. The hikers continued down the trail
until they met two fishermen at Bullhead Lake. One remained with the couple
while the other went for help. He encountered a concession-run horse ride
near Red Rock Lake; that group included a nurse, who rode to the scene with
a wrangler and provided initial medical care to R.R.. Another wrangler
left to notify rangers, who responded, provided further care, and
transported R.R. by litter to the Many Glacier area. He was subsequently
taken to a hospital in Great Falls, Montana, where he is currently reported
to be in good condition. Rangers are attempting to locate and identify the
group of bears. The attack appeared to be a natural defensive response on
the part of the bear, and no action is intended against it. [Amy
Vanderbilt, PAO, GLAC, 8/28]
FIRE ACTIVITY
1) FIRE SITUATION - Preparedness Level III
Two or more geographic areas experiencing incidents requiring a major
commitment of national resources. High number of fires becoming Class D and
larger. Additional resources are being ordered and mobilized through NICC.
Type 1 teams are committed in two or more areas, or 300 crews are committed
nationally.
2) FIRE SUMMARY
State Agency Area Fire/Incident 8/28 8/31 Status
FL NPS Everglades NP
Biscayne NP Hurr. Andrew - ARMT N/A N/A ---
FEMA Miami Hurr. Andrew - T2 N/A N/A ---
LA FEMA Camp Beauregard Hurr. Andrew - T1 N/A N/A ---
Baton Rouge Hurr. Andrew - T1 N/A N/A ---
OR USFS Willamette NF * Pryor - T2 - 557 CN 9/3
BLM Lakeview Dist. * Ludi 2 - 1,000 NEC
CA CDF Shasta-Trin. RU Fountain 64,000 64,000 CND
State Kern County Middle Ridge 3,800 5,800 CND
USFS Inyo NF Rainbow - T1 8,645 8,765 CND
Plumas NF * Robinson - 350 CND
ID BLM Boise Dist. Foothills -
T1 (2 teams)
T2 (1 team) 257,600 257,600 CN 9/6
USFS Payette NF Warm Springs - T1 6,300 6,500 CND
Camp Creek - T2 2,100 2,110 CND
* Tomato Point - T1 - 500 NEC
Nez Perce NF Porcupine - T1 22,870 25,510 CN 9/1
NV USFS Humboldt NF * Dawley Creek - 2,400 CN 9/1
UT BLM SLC Dist. * Pole Canyon - T2 - 450 CN 9/2
Notes:
* - New fire (this report) T1/T2 - Type 1 or Type 2 team committed
NEC - No estimate of containment CN (date) - Expected date of containment
NR - No report received CND - Contained
3) FIRE REPORT HIGHLIGHTS -
* Hurricane Andrew - Type I teams have been sent to Camp Beauregard and
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to manage mobilization centers there for FEMA, and a
Type II team has been sent to Miami to do the same for Dade, Broward and
Monroe counties. The teams are to receive, store and distribute supplies.
4) FIRE ACTIVITY - 182 fires for 3,345 acres in the past 24 hours.
5) ANALYSIS - Demobilization continues on several project fires. High to
extreme fire indices are being reported in several area in the Northwest,
Great Basin, California and northern Rockies. Resource mobilization for
Hurricane Andrew is continuing.
6) PROGNOSIS - The potential exists for continuing fire activity because of
thunderstorms throughout much of the West. Support efforts stemming from
Hurricane Andrew are expected to continue. No resource shortages are
anticipated.
[NIFCC, 8/31]
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
No field reports today.
STAFF STATUS
Division Chief: No leave or travel scheduled.
Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection: Henry conducting aircraft
overflight research, GRCA, AZ (8/31-9/1).
Branch of Fire and Aviation: Hurd at organizational review, Branch of F&A,
Boise, ID (8/31-9/1); Gale serving as IC on ARM Team, Everglades and
Biscayne, FL (indefinite).
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