- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Thursday, June 9, 1994
- Date: Thurs, 9 Jun 1994
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
To: All National Park Service Areas and Offices
From: Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office
Day/Date: Thursday, June 9, 1994
Broadcast: By 0930 ET
INCIDENTS
94-278 - Gulf Islands (Mississippi/Florida) - Death of Employee
P.C., a long-term seasonal employee of Gulf Islands, died of a
self-inflicted gunshot wound at his home on the Mississippi coast on
Thursday, June 2nd, following several months of depression. He had been
offered a seasonal law enforcement job this summer, but the park had
withdrawn the offer when it became apparent that he was not emotionally
ready for the position. Park personnel contacted mental health clinics in
an effort to get help for P.C., and had convinced him to obtain
counseling in the weeks before his death. P.C. began work at the park
as a seasonal lifeguard on Ship Island in 1984. In subsequent years, he
worked in seasonal interpretive and law enforcement positions. He was
deeply philosophical and introspective, and wanted the world to be far
better than he saw it. A group counseling session with an employee
assistance program provider was held on June 3rd and attended by most
Mississippi District employees. [Mark Lewis, DR, Mississippi District,
GUIS, 6/8]
94-279 - Saguaro (Arizona) - Shooting Incident
The county sheriff's department notified the park yesterday of a shooting
incident which had occurred at the Douglas Springs trailhead on June 5th.
Two men, one 18 and the other 19, reportedly got into a shootout over $1,000
owed by one to the other. Despite the use of shotguns at close range by
both men, only one received injuries, and those are reported to be minor. A
shot-up 1984 Civic with Iowa plates was left at the scene; rangers found it
earlier this week and had investigated it as a vandalized vehicle. A local
Tucson newspaper is calling the incident "the new gunfight at the OK
Corral." Rangers and sheriff's deputies are investigating. [Paula Rooney,
CR, SAGU, 6/8]
94-280 - Lake Mead (Nevada) - Felony Arrest
On May 29th, ranger Bob Carnes observed a vehicle whose operator was
apparently under the influence of alcohol and stopped it near Government
Wash on Northshore Road. While Carnes was performing field sobriety tests
on the driver, G.V.-Q., park dispatch informed him that
G.V.-Q. was wanted by Las Vegas police for attempted murder, three
counts of sexual assault with great bodily harm, and one count of
kidnapping. G.V.-Q. was arrested on the warrants and transported to
a Las Vegas jail. [Bud Inman, LAME, 6/8]
94-281 - Gulf Islands (Mississippi/Florida) - Special Event
The third annual Ship Island Boater's Rendezvous and Blessing of the Fleet
took place in the park on Sunday, June 5th. Approximately 5,000 people on
700 boats attended the event, which is held at Ship Island, located about a
dozen miles off the coast in the park's Mississippi District. Local
business men sponsored the event, which included a rock and roll band, a
hula-hoop contest, men's and women's bikini contests, and the blessing of
the fleet by a Catholic bishop. The sponsors were required to meet
comprehensive and detailed permit conditions in order to ensure public
safety, resource protection, and adequate sanitation during the event. One
visitor was killed on the evening before the event in a personal watercraft
accident. Numerous minor law enforcement actions were taken, but only one
arrest was made. Rain and heavily overcast skies kept alcohol consumption
down, a prime reason for the lack of serious incidents. Severe
thunderstorms threatened the event during the afternoon, but did not strike
the island; this was providential, as the accompanying strong winds would
have caused major problems for the 700 boats anchored within the half-mile
stretch of beach where the event was held. Law enforcement officers from
the Coast Guard, state, and local sheriff's department assisted rangers on
the event, which was managed under the incident command system. [Mark
Lewis, DR, Mississippi District, GUIS, 6/8]
FIRE ACTIVITY
1) NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level I
2) LARGE FIRE SUMMARY
State Agency Area Fire 6/8 6/9 Status
UT BLM Vernal Dis. * Main Canyon - 114 CND
NM USFS Gila NF Mule 3,450 4,500 CN 6/9
Lincoln NF Bridge - T1 1,000 3,300 NEC
Santa Fe NF Rito - T2 250 210 CN 6/9
Cibola NF * Ryan - T1 3,775 - NR
TX NPS Guadalupe NP * Marcus - T2 - 1,000 CN 6/14
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/CS (date) - Expected date of containment
3) FIRE NARRATIVES -
Marcus Fire, Guadalupe NP - The fire is burning in light fuels and spreading
rapidly towards pinon-juniper and coniferous forest. Bedlion's Type II IMT
has been assigned.
Bridge Fire, Lincoln NF - Very erratic fire behavior and strong wind gusts
resulted in the precautionary evacuation of a fire camp and the community of
Timberton. Similar fire behavior is expected today. Shaw's Type I IMT is
committed.
Ryan Fire, Cibola NF - The incident is comprised of three fires which were
previously being suppressed under containment strategy. No other
information is currently available. Denton's Type I IMT is on scene.
4) FIRES YESTERDAY (BY AGENCY) -
NPS BIA BLM FWS States USFS Total
Number 1 6 6 5 33 18 69
Acres Burned 1,000 5 612 107 153 4,003 5,880
5) COMMITTED RESOURCES -
Crews Engines Helicopters Airtankers Overhead
Federal 77 5 21 14 NR
Non-federal 2 0 0 0 NR
6) CURRENT SITUATION - Initial attack and large fires continued to occur in
the Southwest yesterday, necessitating the mobilization of significant
resources. Alaska and the eastern Great Basin also reported increased fire
activity. No significant fire activity was reported elsewhere.
7) OUTLOOK - Initial attack and large fire suppression will continue in the
Southwest due to hot, dry and breezy weather conditions. Isolated
thunderstorms are expected in New Mexico, which will probably lead to an
increase in new starts. Sunny and warm weather in southern California may
also cause increased initial attack in that area.
[NIFCC Incident Management Situation Report, 6/9]
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