RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

Attention: Directorate
           Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
           Ranger Activities Division Information Network

Day/Date:  Monday, October 4, 1993

Broadcast: By 0900 EDT

INCIDENTS

93-747 - White Sands (New Mexico) - Aircraft Accident

A military contract helicopter made a hard landing within the park near Lake
Lucero around 6 p.m. on September 28th.  The helicopter's crew was in the
process of retrieving an item that had landed within the park when the
incident occurred.  The helicopter's downdraft inflated the object's
parachute, which was then sucked into the main and tail rotors.  Neither the
pilot nor his two passengers - one of whom was ranger Fred Harmon - were
hurt, but did have to make a three-hour moonlit walk to get to a highway. 
The helicopter could not be flown out because of the damage inflicted on its
tail section and rotors.  At the time of the report, mechanics were checking
it to see if it could be repaired for a short flight to a nearby road or
whether it will have to be lifted out.  [Bob Appling, CR, WHSA, 10/1]

93-748 - Statue of Liberty (New York) - Special Event 

African National Congress President Dr. Nelson Mandela visited the Statue of
Liberty at noon on Thursday, September 30th.  Dr. Mandela and his staff were
given a tour of Liberty Island and the statue; other visitors in the park
gave him a warm welcome.  Personnel from other NPS areas were brought in to
assist in providing security during the visit.  All visitors were screened
by metal detectors and had their bags and packages searched.  Dr. Mandela
departed at 2 p.m.  No incidents occurred.  The event was managed under the
incident command system.  [Scott Pfeninger, CR, STLI, 10/1]

FIRE ACTIVITY

1) FIRE SITUATION - Preparedness Level I

2) FIRE SUMMARY

State  Agency     Area              Fire           10/1      10/4   Status

 WA    USFS     Wenatchee       Meadow Crk - T2     410     1,250   CN 10/4

 CA    USFS     Los Padres      Marre - T1       31,000    40,000   CN 10/5

 UT    USFS     Manti-LaSal     Flat Canyon - T2      -     1,400   CN 10/14

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 - Containment strategy    NEC - No estimate of containment
  CND - Contained              CN (date) - Expected date of containment

3) ANALYSIS - Significant progress is being made on large fires; resource
mobilization is minimal.  Moderate initial attack continued in California
and the Northwest yesterday.

4) PROGNOSIS - A red flag warning has been posted for strong winds and low
humidities in southwest Utah.  Fire activity is expected to continue
throughout Utah due to the persistence of warm, dry and windy conditions. 
Northern California and the southern California coast will be cooler with
higher humidities and a chance of showers.  This marine influence should
decrease initial attack and permit continued progress toward containment of
the Marre Fire.  A shallow layer of marine air in western valleys throughout
the Northwest will cause temperatures to drop and humidity to rise.  Fire
activity is expected to decrease due to forecasted conditions.

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No field reports today.

NOTES

1) A recent IRS interpretation provides for the exclusion of rent from gross
income of employees required to occupy government quarters.  Until 1993, the
Department did not attempt to administer those provisions through the
payroll system.  Because of this, some employees who were required occupants
may be entitled to a tax refund for tax years 1990, 1991, and/or 1992.  You
will need a W-2C if you wish to amend a prior year federal or state tax
return to reflect the allowable exclusion from your taxable income.  (This
may permit you to obtain a refund of taxes that were overpaid during those
years.)  If, however, you have already received benefit of the exclusion by
filing it on your individual tax return, Form 1040, you may still need to
obtain a refund of overpaid Social Security tax -FICA (OASDI or Medicare). 
NOTE:  IF YOU HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED THE TAX BENEFIT AND SOCIAL SECURITY TAX
REFUND YOU MAY NOT FILE FOR THEM AGAIN WITH THE IRS.  Employees designated
as required occupants any time during 1993 will automatically receive an
information packet for filing for prior years from the payroll operations
division.  These will be mailed to you on or about October 15th.  You DO NOT 
need to call and request a packet.  If you wish to submit a claim for a W-2C
for one or more of the tax years (1990-1992), and you are (were) not a
required occupant during 1993, you may obtain an information packet by call
the payroll operations division in Denver at 303-969-7732.  Upon receiving
the package, you must return a claim no later than November 5th to ensure
the receipt of W-2C in time to file an amended return for tax year 1990 by
April 15, 1994.  The statue of limitation for filing amended Form 1040 and
843 with the IRS for tax year 1990 will expire April 15, 1994.  If you have
a question on the procedures after receiving the package, you may call Pat
Smith or Donna Compton on 202-343-7040.  [Donna Compton, WASO]

STAFF STATUS

Division Chief: Brady on AL (10/4-10/8).

Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection: Berkowitz at national radio
coordinator meeting and law enforcement meetings (10/3-10/16). 

Branch of Fire and Aviation: Hurd at DOI strategic planning meeting (10/5-
10/8); Gale at I-520/620 steering committee meeting (10/5-10/7); Broyles at
NFPA meeting (10/2-10/5); Farrel on structural fire evaluation at Fort Scott
(10/4-10/7); Zimmerman, Berg and Clark on FIREPRO audit at Yellowstone
(10/4-10/8).

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