- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Friday, July 30, 1993
- Date: Fri, 30 Jul 1993
RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
MORNING REPORT
Attention: Directorate
Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
Ranger Activities Division Information Network
Day/Date: Friday, July 30, 1993
Broadcast: By 0900 EDT
INCIDENTS
93-534 - Dinosaur (Colorado) - Aircraft Crash; Two Fatalities
At about 10 p.m. on July 28th, park personnel were notified of a possible
airplane crash within park boundaries. A joint search with the Moffat
County sheriff's office was initiated. At 5:45 a.m., the wreckage of a 1978
Ballanka single-engine, fixed-wing airplane was located in the vicinity of
Thanksgiving Gorge. The two occupants of the plane - G.W. and T.M -
had both been killed. Preliminary investigation indicates that
the airplane rolled to one side shortly after takeoff from a primitive
runway adjacent to the park boundary and crashed soon thereafter. Ed
Pontbriand was the incident commander. [Brian Reilly, RLES, RAD/RMRO, 7/29]
93-535 - Acadia (Maine) - Rescue
On the evening of July 28th, the park received a report that K.S., 23,
of Bar Harbor, Maine, fell about 100 feet from Otter Cliffs near the park
loop road. A 21-person rescue team consisting of Acadia rangers and Mount
Desert SAR personnel provided EMS and stabilized K.S.'s injuries, then
evacuated her through a complex technical vertical litter raise under
adverse weather and light conditions. K.S. was transferred in stable
condition to the Mount Desert Island Hospital and has since been released.
Investigation revealed that she was free climbing on wet rocks, that she
actually fell between 20 and 30 feet, and that she had landed on her back.
[Rob Yates, DR, ACAD, 7/29]
93-536 - Mount Rushmore (South Dakota) - Special Event
Attorney general Janet Reno visited the park on July 18th and made a
fifteen-minute speech to about 500 members of the National District
Attorneys' Association and the general public in the park's amphitheater.
She then joined members of the association for a reception, also in the
park. Rangers worked with FBI agents to coordinate the visit and to ensure
security. No significant events occurred during her visit. [Mike Pflaum,
CR, MORU, 7/28]
93-537 - Navajo (Arizona) - Larceny
On July 27th, thieves stole a tent, three sleeping bags, a gas stove, and
most other camping gear from the park's overflow campground. The victims
were on a five-hour guided hike at the time of the theft. They reported
that a group of three white males dressed in military fatigues were parked
in the adjacent campsite and had been loitering in the area prior to the
theft. Two of the three had short shaven haircuts resembling "skinhead"
styles. The vehicle was described as a red sedan, but no other
identification is available. [Anna Fender, Superintendent, NAVA, 7/29]
93-538 - Canyon de Chelly (Arizona) - Car Clouts
Rangers at Canyon de Chelly took three reports of car clouts on the South
Rim Drive within two hours on July 27th. Although such burglaries are not
uncommon in the park, they dropped off dramatically in 1989 and were
attributed to two local families who were involved in an auto burglary ring
on the north rim of the canyon. The MO of these burglaries did not match
those of local residents, but was similar to those in clouts being
investigated elsewhere in the West. Cash, wallets and a purse were removed
from two campers and a vehicle, but other expensive items were left
untouched. Victims provided sketchy descriptions of four possible suspects
seen at Spider Rock overlook. Navajo NM reported a car clout later that
same afternoon by suspects with similar descriptions. If you have questions
or information regarding these burglaries, please contact either Doug Roe,
chief ranger at Canyon de Chelly, at 602-674-5503, or Noberto Ortega, chief
ranger at Navajo, at 602-672-2366. [Doug Roe, CR, CACH, 7/29]
93-539 - Padre Island (Texas) - MVA with Fatality
R.M., 42, was killed when the vehicle he was operating rammed a
stopped vehicle from the rear at about 40 mph near milepost 28 on the park's
beach on July 25th. Two other men in the same vehicle were seriously
injured, but the extent of their injuries was not known at the time of the
report. Alcohol may have been a contributing factor. [Tom McDaniels, PAIS,
7/28]
[More pending incident reports on Monday...]
FIRE ACTIVITY
1) FIRE SITUATION - Preparedness Level II
2) FIRE SUMMARY
State Agency Area Fire 7/27 7/29 Status
AK State SW Area 304632 - T2 11,550 11,550 CN 8/1
NPS Yukon-Charley Unnamed 55,200 - NR
NM NPS Bandelier Dome 180 100 CN 7/29
FL USFS Ocala Juniper 160 160 CN 8/3
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
CND - Contained CN (date) - Expected date of containment
3) PARK FIRE REPORTS -
* Lassen Volcanic - A park visitor reported a wildland fire near the park
road in the vicinity of the Nobles Emigrant trail on July 28th. Initial
attack contained the fire to less than a quarter acre. Investigation
revealed that the fire was man-caused. A bible was found opened to
scripture about fire consuming the earth. There was a similar incident on
Forest Service lands outside the park on July 26th. Rangers are
coordinating an investigation with the Forest Service and CDF.
4) ANALYSIS - Initial attack and escaped fire activity increased in the
Southwest on Thursday; initial attack also increased in the South and
Southeast. There was little activity in the remainder of the West.
5) PROGNOSIS - A red flag watch was issued yesterday for western Utah
valleys for strong southerly winds, low humidity and possible dry lightning.
Hot, dry conditions and scattered thunderstorms increased the possibility of
initial attack and escaped fire activity in the Southwest and South. Cool,
cloudy and rainy weather was forecast for Alaska.
[NIFCC Intelligence Section, 7/29]
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
No field reports today.
STAFF STATUS
Division Chief: No leave or travel scheduled.
Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection: Sisto at meetings in Alaska
Region (7/26-8/6); Halainen at management grid training course (7/26-7/30).
Branch of Fire and Aviation: Farrel at Presidio transition meeting (7/26-
7/30); Gale instructing management grid training course (7/26-7/30).
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
SkyPager: Emergencies ONLY (numeric message) - 1-800-759-7243, PIN 2404843
SkyTalk: Emergencies ONLY (voice message) - 1-800-759-8255, PIN 2404843