- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Friday, May 27, 1994
- Date: Fri, 27 May 1994
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
To: All National Park Service Areas and Offices
From: Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office
Day/Date: Friday, May 27, 1994
Broadcast: By 0930 ET
INCIDENTS
94-232 - Denali (Alaska) - Follow-up on Search for Missing NPS VIP
On Tuesday evening, climbers on Mt. McKinley found the body of K.W.K.,
27, of Pusan, South Korea, a volunteer member of the park's eight person
patrol who had been missing since May 21st. K.W.K. was found below the 16,000
foot level in a rock band between the ice climbing route he had completed
and the fixed ropes on the headwall of the West Buttress. K.W.K. was anchored
into the snow and apparently had not fallen. The cause of death and events
leading up to the accident will not be known until rangers can get to the
site and recover his body. K.W.K.'s death is the first among park staff and
volunteers working on Mount McKinley since 1954, when ranger Elton Thayer
died on the Muldrow Glacier. [John Quinley, PAO, ARO, 5/26]
94-253 - Blue Ridge (North Carolina/Virginia) - Rape, Kidnapping Conviction
On April 11th, L.L., Jr. 31, was tried in state court for first
degree rape, first degree sexual offenses and first degree kidnapping -
charges which stemmed from an incident which occurred near and in the park
on August 24, 1993. L.L. entered a plea of guilty on two counts and was
sentenced to two "natural life" terms in prison, neither of which have
provisions for parole. L.L., who was a yard man at a residence in Blowing
Rock, North Carolina, had approached a woman who was cleaning the same
house, showed her a revolver, sexually assaulted her, and threatened her
with bodily harm if she did not leave with him. L.L. took her to his home,
handcuffed her to a table, loaded clothing, suitcases and camping equipment
into his car, then drove to the parkway, entering at Shoals Mill Road.
After parking the car near milepost 306, he set up his tent, forced her
inside, and twice assaulted her. While L.L. was packing up to leave, the
woman ran to the road and flagged down a passing motorist. The motorist
took her to the Linn Cove Visitor Center, where rangers and local deputies
took her report. L.L.'a vehicle was soon discovered and a manhunt was
initiated which involved about 45 rangers and officers from numerous city
and county departments. L.L. was located and taken into custody late that
night. [CRO, BLRI, 5/12 and 5/20]
94-254 - Lake Mead (Nevada) - Search
On Wednesday, May 18th, Cottonwood Cove rangers were notified by a park
visitor that a man and a woman in a low profile bass boat were overdue for a
scheduled pickup at the cove. The visitor also said that the boat was very
narrow in construction and easily swamped, and that the operator has in fact
swamped the boat on at least three previous occasions. At the time of the
report, winds were blowing at 40 mph and waters were rough, and it was
feared that the boat had capsized in open water. A search was begun by air
and water of all of Lake Mohave. Debris was spotted by Bruce Lennon, the
park pilot, but it was eventually determined that it was not associated with
the bass boat. On the morning of the 19th, Lennon located the boat tucked
into some brush in a small cove on the northeast side of the lake. The
couple didn't realize that they were due back the previous morning and were
having a great time. [Bud Inman, LAME, 5/24]
94-255 - Blue Ridge (North Carolina/Virginia) - Suicide
Late on the morning of May 25th, two park maintenance workers found the body
of 50-year-old D.W. of Lynchburg, Virginia, lying in the middle
of the Whites Gap overlook. The cause of death at this time appears to be a
self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest. Upon investigation, it was found
that D.W. had been despondent, had a history of suicide threats, and
was receiving professional counseling. There's no indication of foul play.
[CRO, BLRI, 5/26]
FIRE ACTIVITY
1) NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level I
2) LARGE FIRE SUMMARY
State Agency Area Fire 5/26 5/27 Status
NC USFS - Fish Day - T1 16,000 23,000 CN 5/28
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) FIRES YESTERDAY (BY AGENCY) -
NPS BIA BLM FWS States USFS Total
Number 1 0 1 0 37 7 46
Acres Burned 2 0 0 0 593 7,010 7,605
4) COMMITTED RESOURCES -
Crews Engines Helicopters Airtankers Overhead
Federal 7 19 2 4 124
Non-federal 0 2 13 0 34
5) CURRENT SITUATION - High fire dangers and critical conditions persist in
the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida. Moderate initial attack activity
occurred in North Carolina and Florida yesterday. There was also some
initial attack activity in southern California.
6) OUTLOOK - A cold front will extend from off the North Carolina coast in
to Georgia and Florida. Florida, Georgia, and southeast North Carolina will
experience scattered showers and thundershowers. Expected moisture may
limit fire activity. High pressure will be centered over Minnesota,
Wisconsin and Michigan, bringing clear skies and cool temperatures. High
pressure will start to rebuild over the Southwest, with scattered
thunderstorms over New Mexico and parts of Arizona. Southern California
will be mostly sunny.
[NIFCC Incident Management Situation Report, 5/27]
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
No field reports today.
OPERATIONAL NOTES
No notes.
MEMORANDA
No memoranda.
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