- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Tuesday, February 2, 1993
- Date: Mon, 2 Feb 1993
RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
MORNING REPORT
Attention: Directorate
Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
Ranger Activities Division Information Network
Day/Date: Tuesday, February 2, 1993
Broadcast: By 0800 EST
INCIDENTS
93-41 - Padre Island (Texas) - Illegal Aliens
On January 28th, Texas state game wardens advised rangers that at least six
people with large packs were crossing Mansfield Channel into the southern
end of the park. Rangers and Customs and Border Patrol agents responded and
found the group hiding near mile marker 58. After a brief chase, they took
five males and a female - all illegal aliens - into custody. No contraband
was found in the packs. While returning from the incident, rangers came
upon and stopped a male who said that he was en route to pick up the group.
He was taken into custody and his vehicle was seized. [T.L. McDaniels,
PAIS, 2/1]
93-42 - Saguaro (Arizona) - Search
Rangers began a search for C.A. of Tucson on the night of January
27th when he failed to return from a 32-mile round-trip day hike up the
Tanque Verde Ridge Trail to Manning Camp and back. C.A.'s brother-in-law,
who notified the park that he was overdue, also advised rangers that C.A.
suffered from Huntington's Disease, which affects coordination and becomes
more pronounced as the person becomes fatigued. At the time of the report,
it was starting to rain, and forecasters predicted that showers would
continue through the night. Hasty teams were sent up both the Tanque Verde
and Douglas Spring Trails. Just before 1 a.m., the hasty team lead by
ranger Mike Danisiewics found C.A. four miles up Ridge Trail. C.A. had
hiked to Tanque Verde peak, then had lost the trail - and his flashlight and
water bottle - on the way back. When he found that he was lost, C.A. sat
down and waited for help to arrive. He was found to be suffering from minor
injuries sustained from several falls, but was otherwise all right.
Searchers believe, however, that his condition would have seriously
deteriorated during the night if he had not been found. [Bryan Swift, CR,
SAGU, 2/1]
93-43 - Lake Mead (Nevada) - Pursuit; Felony Arrest
On the afternoon of January 26th, rangers received a report that two
juveniles in a white Chevrolet van were attempting to solicit gasoline from
park visitors, telling them that they were trying to get to the Grand
Canyon. Ranger Joe Hayes subsequently located and attempted to stop the van
on the Willow Beach access road, but the van sped up and headed south on
U.S. 93 at speeds approaching 100 miles per hour. Hayes followed while
summoning assistance. Mohave County sheriff's office and Arizona DPS
officers were in the process of responding to assist Hayes when the van made
a U-turn at milepost 35 - 23 miles after the pursuit began - and headed
north on 93. The park aircraft joined the pursuit and provided aerial
surveillance. At milepost four, park criminal investigator Mike Blandford
and rangers Gary Sebade and John Black, assisted by Arizona DPS and Hoover
Dam police officers, established a road block and set out strips of road
spikes to puncture the van's tires. All traffic at Hoover Dam was stopped
The 56-mile pursuit ended when the van ran over the spikes. The two
juvenile occupants of the van, one female and one male, were taken into
custody; both were runaways from the state of Nevada. The driver of the van
is a 14-year-old gang member from Las Vegas who was awaiting sentencing for
burglary and possession of a controlled substance. Both juveniles were
booked into the juvenile detention facility in Mohave County, Arizona. The
male driver was charged with felony fleeing to elude a police officer,
operating a motor vehicle without the owner's consent, and multiple traffic
offenses. The female was booked as a runaway juvenile. [Susan Warner,
LAME, 2/1]
93-44 - Point Reyes (California) - Search
Just before midnight on January 31st, rangers were notified that C.W.,
28, of San Francisco, had become separated from his companion while hiking
in the park and had not arrived at their prearranged destination. The
hikers had set out from North Beach that morning and the plan was for the
two men to hike along the beach to Kehoe Beach and back. On the return leg,
the pair became separated at Abbotts Lagoon. Park searchers failed to find
C.W., by at California Highway Patrol helicopter spotted him floating
unconscious in the surf at South Beach at 4:15 a.m. C.W. was suffering from
acute hypothermia and was flown to a local hospital, where he is presently
being treated. [Leeroy Brock, CR, PORE, 2/1]
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 Natural Resources Committee [Miller]: Hearing on recent
recommendations by the General Accounting Office and the Interior
Department's Office of the Inspector General to improve management of
Interior Department programs.
STAFF STATUS
Division Chief: No leave or travel scheduled.
Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection: Martin at meeting of National
Institute for Urban SAR (2/4-2/7); Henry in meeting with aircraft overflight
contractor (2/4-2/7); Halainen at meeting on incident support procedures
(2/4-2/5).
Branch of Fire and Aviation: Hurd at I-520/I-620 training course (2/1-2/3);
Gale instructing I-520/I-620 (2/1-2/12); Farrel conducting evaluation of
Dinosaur NM structural fire program (2/3-2/5).
Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities
Telephone: Branch of R&VP - 202-208-4874
Branch of F&A (WASO) - 202-208-5572
Telefax: Branch of R&VP - 202-208-6756
Branch of F&A (WASO) - 202-208-5977
cc:Mail: Branch of R&VP - WASO Ranger Activities
Branch of F&A (WASO) - WASO Fire and Aviation