NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Tuesday, February 22, 1994

Broadcast: By 0900 ET

INCIDENTS

94-78 - Saguaro (Arizona) - Search and Rescue of Injured Ranger

At 4 p.m. on February 14th, ranger John Williams was returning to Madrona
ranger station after packing supplies to a trail camp in the Rincon
Mountains when he stopped on a mountain portion of the trail to adjust a
pack saddle on one of his mules.  While avoiding a kick from a mule,
Williams lost his balance, stepped into a crevice, and dislocated and
fractured his left ankle.  The accident occurred at a point about three and
a half miles north of the ranger station.  Williams tried calling for
assistance by radio, but found that he was in a "dead spot" for radio
communications.  Rangers were notified that Williams was overdue at 10 p.m.
and began a search for him.  A rescue party arrived at the accident scene at
1:30 a.m. and transported Williams to the Madrona ranger station.  At 4:15
a.m., he was air lifted to Tucson Medical Center, where he's currently
recuperating from his injuries.  Williams told rangers that he'd heard a
mountain lion stalking his horses and mules while awaiting rescue, and that
he'd seen the lion just as the first member of the rescue party arrived on
scene.  [CRO, SAGU, 2/18]

94-79 - George Washington Birthplace (Virginia) - Winter Storm Damage

Late on the afternoon of February 10th, a winter storm brought significant
sleet and freezing rain to the park, forcing its closure the following
morning.  All power was lost later that day and remained out until February
17th.  By the morning of the 12th, hundreds of ice-encrusted trees and tree
limbs had fallen, blocking park roads.  The park's maintenance staff had to
cut through downed trees to get into the park and maintenance facilities,
but park buildings sustained only minor structural damage.  Because of the
extent of the damage to trees and magnitude of the clean-up, assistance was
sought and received from Colonial and Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania, both of
which sent maintenance crews to the park on the 15th.  The park remained
closed to the public until the 18th.  [Dwight Storke, Superintendent, GEWA,
2/18]

94-80 - Joshua Tree (California) - Assist; Pursuit and Search for Felons

While returning from an interagency meeting on February 15th, backcountry
ranger Tom Gavin responded to an "all units" request for assistance in a
carjacking incident in which shots had been fired.  Cathedral City and
California Highway Patrol officers had been engaged in an extended, high-
speed pursuit of a stolen vehicle which had ended when the vehicle was
abandoned in a roadless area of BLM brushland just south of the park
boundary.  The vehicle's three occupants then fled on foot.  Gavin and BLM
officers in four-wheel-drive vehicles continued the search for the suspects
and were supported by an infrared-equipped CHP helicopter and a Riverside
sheriff's office canine unit.  All three suspects were tracked for almost
two miles into the desert, but no signs of the trio were found thereafter. 
The operations was concluded with the recovery of the vehicle and a handgun.
An investigation continues.  [Tom Gavin, JOTR, 2/15]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No field reports.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

1) Director's Bulletin Board - The most recent of the Director's reports was
transmitted on February 18th and contains, among other things, comments from
Secretary Babbitt on NPS actions in 1994, a statement from Deputy Director
Reynolds on streamlining, and a copy of the Director's memo on the
Servicewide employment freeze.

2) RMP Reports - Parks should now be completing annual updates of their
automated resource management plan (RMP) software for submission to regional
RMP coordinators.  The regional RMP data is due in WASO by March 15th.  All
parks should be using version 2.03E of the RMP software.  Questions
regarding this program may be directed to any member of the RMP software
technical support team:

Alaska               Sue Mills          907-257-2573
Mid-Atlantic         Chuck Rafkind      804-898-8677
Midwest              Gary Sullivan      402-221-3994
North Atlantic       Charlie Jacoby     207-288-5456
National Capital     John Howard        202-619-7065
Pacific Northwest    Erv Gasser         206-220-4121
Rocky Mountain       Jeff Connor        303-586-4702
Southeast            Bob Hickman        404-331-4916
Southwest            Stephen Fettig     612-626-1213
West                 Jeff Manley        209-565-3341
WASO                 Tim Goddard        202-343-8136

Park staff should feel free to contact any of these support people to obtain
quick information to questions they may have regarding any aspect of the RMP
software.  RMP questions may also be directed to each of the regional RMP
coordinators.  [Tim Goddard, WVD/WASO]

MEMORANDA

"Employment Freeze", signed by Acting Director John Reynolds on February
17th and transmitted to directorate and field directorate.  Contains
notification of immediate agency-wide employment freeze, listing of
exceptions, procedures for exempting administrative positions from the
freeze, and policy on placing WASO, regional office and center personnel. 
Full text appears in Director's Bulletin Board for February 18th and in
Clear Text, the Ranger Activities Division newsletter, also transmitted on
February 18th.

"National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993 (Public Land Corps)",
signed by Director Kennedy on February 9th and sent to directorate and field
directorate.  Contains request for respondents to identify appropriate
projects for the program.  Replies are due by March 1st.  Questions are to
be directed to Destry Jarvis (202-208-6781) or Minerva Woodard (202-523-
5280).

UPCOMING IN CONGRESS

The following activities will be taking place in Congress during coming
weeks on matters of interest or consequence 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.

2/22  House Public Works and Transportation Subcommittee on Public
Buildings and Grounds (Traficant): Hearing on H.R. 3567, to
amend the John F. Kennedy Center to transfer operating
responsibilities to the Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy
Center of the Performing Arts.  Witness: NCR Regional Director
Robert Stanton.

2/23 Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (Baucus): Hearing
on S.1114, to amend and reauthorize the Federal Water Pollution
Control Act.

2/24 House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and Related
Agencies (Yates): Hearing on Department of Interior FY 95 budget
request.  Witness: Secretary Babbitt.

3/1 House Natural Resources' Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests
and Public Lands (Vento): Oversight hearing on the proposed FY
95 budget for the National Park Service and historic
preservation.  Witnesses: Director Kennedy, Secretary Babbitt.

3/3 Senate Energy and Natural Resources' Subcommittee on Public
Lands, National Parks and Forests (Bumpers): Hearing on S.274,
to establish the Casa Malpais NHP in Arizona, and S.1586, to
establish New Orleans Jazz NHP in Louisiana.  Witness: Director
Kennedy.

3/24 House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and Related
Agencies (Yates): Hearing on NPS FY 95 budget request.  

5/11 Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and Related
Agencies (Byrd): Hearing on NPS FY 95 budget request.

Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities

Telephone: 202-208-4874
Telefax:   202-208-6756
cc:Mail:   WASO Ranger Activities
SkyPager:  Emergencies ONLY: 1-800-759-7243, PIN 2404843