- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Tuesday, October 4, 1994
- Date: Tues, 4 Oct 1994
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
To: All National Park Service Areas and Offices
From: Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office
Day/Date: Tuesday, October 4, 1994
Broadcast: By 1000 ET
INCIDENTS
94-584 - New River Gorge (West Virginia) - Drownings
Around 6 p.m. on September 19th, rangers received a report of two people being
swept over Tahiti Rapids immediately below Sandstone Falls at the south end of
the park. Rangers and responding members of local volunteer rescue squads
quickly determined from several witnesses that two young males who had been
swimming without life jackets in a pool above the rapid had been swept into the
rapid and failed to reappear. A unified command was immediately established
with county emergency services coordinators. The body of C.E., 19,
of Durham, North Carolina, was recovered by divers in 15 feet of water below
Tahiti Rapid just before 10 p.m. A major, joint search effort was conducted
for the second victim over the next two days. At one point, approximately 25
family members were present at the scene, and family liaison was provided
continuously throughout the search by personnel from the park's interpretive
division. The Army Corps of Engineers cooperated by shutting down gates in the
Bluestone Dam on the New River above the park to facilitate the search by
lowering the river level. The body of the second victim, R.E.D.,
III, 20, also of Durham, was recovered on the third day of the search about a
half mile below the rapid. From witness statements, it appears the men had
walked across the top of Sandstone Falls, had entered the river below the
falls, and had been swimming there for about an hour before their drownings.
Indications are that they knew about Tahiti Rapid, but were apparently
unprepared for the force of the river above the rapid or the cross currents in
the rocky rapid. Both men were students at Concord College in nearby Athens,
West Virginia. [Dave Bartlett, SDR, Hinton Subdistrict, NERI, 10/3]
94-585 - Delaware Water Gap (Pennsylvania/New Jersey) - MVA with Fatality
M.C., 70, of Matamoras, Pennsylvania, was heading southbound on Route
209 in her 1993 Toyota Tercel on the afternoon of October 2nd when her vehicle
crossed into the northbound lane just north of Bushkill and struck a 1993 Ford
Explorer being driven by C.S., 60, of Bronx, New York. C.S.
attempted to avoid M.C.'s vehicle, but was unable to do so; his vehicle was
struck head-on in the front driver's side. CPR was begun on M.C. by
responding EMTs. She was then taken to Pocono Medical Center, where she was
pronounced dead. C.S. and his five passengers were also transported to the
center and treated for injuries. Investigation into the cause of the accident
is continuing. [CRO, DEWA, 10/3]
94-586 - Valley Forge (Pennsylvania) - MVA with Multiple Injuries
On the evening of October 1st, rangers responded to a two-vehicle accident with
multiple injuries at the intersection of State Route 23 and Countyline Road.
They found that N.C., 17, of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, had lost
control of his 1987 Ford Escort on the road's wet surface and had been stuck
broadside by a 1989 Cadillac driven by G.P., 48, also of Phoenixville.
A total of nine people in the two vehicles were injured, and two passengers in
the Escort were trapped. Local volunteer fire and ambulance personnel from
several departments were dispatched to the scene to assist with extrication and
transportation of the victims. The two trapped individuals were freed and
flown by helicopter to separate hospitals in the Philadelphia area; both are in
guarded condition. The other seven victims were all transported to the
Phoenixville Hospital, where they were treated for strains, bruises and
contusions and released later that evening. [CRO, VAFO, 10/3]
FIRE ACTIVITY
1) PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - III
2) LARGE FIRE SUMMARY
Mon Tue % Est
State Area Fire IMT 10/3 10/4 Cont Cont
MT Kootenai NF Koocanusa Cx T2 15,890 15,890 90 10/8
ID Boise NF Thunderbolt T2 27,142 27,348 80 10/15
Payette NF Corral Creek -
Blackwell Cx T1 171,509 171,509 67 10/12
Chicken Cx T1 102,380 102,380 70 10/31
CA Kern County * Fort -- - 250 0 NEC
HEADING NOTES:
Fire * = newly reported fire (on this report). Cx = complex.
IMT T1 = Type 1; T2 = Type II; ST = State Team.
% Con Percent of fire contained.
Est Con Estimated containment date. NEC = no estimated date of
containment; CND = fully contained; NR = no report.
3) FIRES -
NPS BIA BLM FWS States USFS Total
Number 2 1 2 0 107 43 155
Acres Burned 0 5 0 0 1,331 30 1,366
4) COMMITTED RESOURCES -
Crews Engines Helicopters Airtankers Overhead
Federal 120 97 41 7 973
Non-federal 39 61 17 0 464
5) SITUATION - Cool temperatures and higher humidities continued to aid
containment efforts on large fires yesterday. Initial attack activity remained
low throughout the West, and demobilization continued.
6) OUTLOOK - Red flag warnings and watches have been posted for strong winds
and low humidities in Washington, Oregon, northern California and Arizona.
Initial attack activity should remain negligible except in areas where red flag
conditions exist. Demobilization will continue.
[NIFCC Incident Management Situation Report, 10/4]
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
No field reports today.
OPERATIONAL NOTES
No notes.
MEMORANDA
No memoranda.
Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation and
support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.
Telephone: 202-208-4874
Telefax: 202-208-6756
cc:Mail: WASO Ranger Activities
SkyPager: Emergencies ONLY: 1-800-759-7243, PIN 2404843