- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Monday, July 10, 1995
- Date: Mon, 10 Jul 1995
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
To: All National Park Service Areas and Offices
From: Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office
Day/Date: Monday, July 10, 1995
Broadcast: By 1000 ET
INCIDENTS
95-386 - Fire Island (New York) - Boating Accident with Injuries
Around 1:30 a.m. on July 1st, four people in an 18-foot Donzi speedboat left
Ocean Bay Park in the fog at a high rate of speed. The operator, who later
admitted to have been drinking heavily, thought he was headed north (the boat
had no compass) when he was in fact headed east, parallel with the park
shoreline. The operator subsequently made a sharp turn to the right while
travelling at about 45 mph and struck the shoreline at a 45 degree angle,
rolling the boat 37 feet into Sunken Forest, a quarter mile west of Sailors
Haven marina. All four occupants were thrown clear of the boat along with
more than a dozen empty beer cans. When two of them eventually sobered up,
they realized that they were injured. The two were treated by rangers, county
officers and Coast Guard EMTs, then taken to local hospitals. The operator has
two previous convictions for boating while intoxicated (BWI) and was issued
citations for reckless operation of a motor vessel and for littering. [Jay
Lippert, PR, FIIS]
95-387 - Cape Cod (Massachusetts) - Car Clouting Arrests
Over the past two weeks, thieves broke into eight vehicles at park beach and
visitor center parking lots. Surveillance operations were accordingly begun at
three of the most popular parking areas. On the afternoon of July 4th, rangers
saw two women and a man move suspiciously through a parking lot, then break
into a visitor's vehicle. All three were arrested. A search incident to the
arrest led to the discovery of stolen property and credit cards, burglary tools
and marijuana. The man, a repeat offender in the auto burglary business, had
apparently used stolen credit cards to obtain significant merchandise at
several local businesses. His arrest will likely close about ten park and
local town police department cases. [Steve Gazzano, DR, CACO]
95-388 - Stone's River (Tennessee) - Rape
A rape was reported at the General Bragg headquarters site at 3 a.m. on the
morning of July 7th. A suspect has been identified and is being interviewed by
the FBI. The U.S. attorney's office has not yet determined if he will be
charged. The Bragg headquarters site is a half acre tract of exclusive
jurisdiction located a mile from the main section of the park. [Gib Backlund,
CR, STRI]
95-389 - Glen Canyon (Arizona/Utah) - Gang Activity; Assault
Just before 1 a.m. on July 4th, rangers responded to a fight at Lone Rock
beach, and found that several members of a Navajo gang of about 50 camped at
that location had severely beaten a visitor from a non-Indian group camped near
them. There appears to have been no provocation from members of the latter
group, who asked that they be left alone and said that they wanted no trouble.
The victim, who was beaten with hands and feet, was stabilized by ranger-medics
and taken by helicopter to a local hospital. Three gang members were arrested.
The Navajo gang is affiliated with Hispanic gangs in Phoenix. [Tomie Lee, CR,
GLCA]
95-390 - Glen Canyon (Arizona/Utah) - Shooting
While rangers were handling the above incident at Lone Rock in the early
morning hours of July 4th, a shooting occurred at Antelope Point. The shooting
was the culmination of an argument between two brothers who live on the
neighboring Navajo reservation. The victim suffered a leg wound. His brother
had left the area when Coconino County deputies arrived. The investigation is
continuing. [Tomie Lee, CR, GLCA]
95-391 - Grand Teton (Wyoming) - Storm Impacts; Significant Injuries
A strong thunderstorm which struck the area on the evening of July 6th caused
significant damage throughout the park. Trees were knocked down, boats were
scattered on Jackson Lake, and the Grassy Lake Road was closed until further
notice because about 150 trees toppled across it in its first two miles alone.
A tree which fell on a Ford Explorer on Highway 89 about a mile north of the
Moran entrance seriously injured three-year-old Z.P., who was
traveling with his grandparents and a seven-year-old cousin. All had to be
extricated from their vehicle. Z.P. is in intensive care but is in stable
condition; the other three occupants of the Explorer were treated and released.
Total damage to the park is not yet known. [Colin Campbell, CR, GRTE]
95-392 - Steamtown (Pennsylvania) - Special Event
The grand opening of the park took place on July 1st. The event included a
"Parade of Steam" which featured the park's three operating locomotives and
three visiting locomotives. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at the
roundhouse turntable. About 25,000 people attended the day's events. About
50,000 people visited the park during the four-day-long holiday weekend,
which featured special train excursions. There were no incidents except for
minor medical problems associated with the warm weather. [Terry Gess,
Superintendent, STEA]
95-393 - National Mall (DC) - Special Event
The annual Fourth of July celebration on the National Mall was attended by over
400,000 visitors. Almost 75,000 gathered to listen to the National Symphony
concert on the grounds of the Capitol (the event was supported by NPS rangers
and maintenance personnel), and many others crowded the Washington Monument
grounds for the "American Roots" concert at Sylvan Theater. Fireworks
concluded the day's events. Three visitors were injured by lightning during an
afternoon storm; all were taken to area hospitals, treated and released.
Another 30 or so people were taken to hospitals for other relatively minor
injuries. A 28-year-old woman died from a heart attack on Washington Monument
grounds during the fireworks despite efforts to revive her. Park Police
officers arrested twelve people for minor offenses. Emergency medical support
was coordinated through Mall operations and contracted with a local first aid
squad. Maintenance employee reported picking up 40 tons of trash after the
park was cleared of visitors. [Anthony Mangelli, PR, National Mall]
FIRE ACTIVITY
1) NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level II
2) LARGE FIRE SUMMARY
State Area Fire IMT 7/6 7/10 Con Con
AZ State * Rio T2 - 16,000 90 CN 7/14
* Bagdad -- - 80 80 CN 7/12
Tonto NF * Basin/Horse -- - 6,500 0 NEC
San Carlos Agency * Burdette T2 - 900 0 CN 7/10
Truxton Canyon
Agency * Lost Tank T2 - 6,610 90 CN 7/10
Phoenix Dis. * Senator II Cx T2 - 4,600 80 CN 7/10
* Deem Hill -- - 150 100 CND
Arizona Strip Dis. * Mountain Sheep -- - 100 0 CN 7/11
UT Cedar City Dis. * Milford Pass -- - 9,000 70 CN 7/10
* Pinnacle Peak -- - 400 0 CN 7/11
ID Boise District * Tuana Gulch -- - 300 70 CN 7/10
* Sailor Creek -- - 300 30 CN 7/10
* Black Butte -- - 500 20 CN 7/10
NV Winemucca Dis. * Crowley -- - 1,250 60 CN 7/9
* Pumpernickel -- - 1,000 100 CND
Las Vegas Dis. * Gold Butte -- - 1,020 100 CND
OR Vale Dis. * Indian Fort -- - 1,000 0 NEC
CA Los Padres NF * Grade -- - 200 100 CND
HEADING NOTES:
Fire * = newly reported fire (on this report). Cx = complex.
IMT T1 = Type 1; T2 = Type II; ST1 = state Type 1; ST2 = state Type 2.
% Con Percent of fire contained.
Est Con Estimated containment date. NEC = no estimated date of
containment; CND = fully contained; NR = no report.
3) FIRES YESTERDAY -
NPS BIA BLM FWS States USFS Total
Number 1 6 37 1 26 68 139
Acres Burned 1,500 1,120 19,292 2,000 468 247 24,627
4) COMMITTED RESOURCES -
Crews Engines Helicopters Airtankers Overhead
Federal 48 124 43 24 50
Non-federal 0 6 0 0 2
5) COMPARATIVE SUMMARY -
CY 1995 Five Year Average
Year-to-Date Year-to-Date
Number of Fires - U.S. 47,215 40,843
Acres Burned - U.S. 827,174 1,057,174
Number of Fires - Canada 5,565 -
Hectares Burned - Canada 4,133,320 -
6) SITUATION - Thunderstorms continued over much of the West yesterday,
increasing both initial attack and the spread of large fires. Large fires also
continued to burn in Canada.
7) OUTLOOK - Large fires are expected to continue in the Southwest, Nevada,
Utah, and southern California.
[NIFCC Incident Management Situation Report, 7/10]
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
No field reports today.
OPERATIONAL NOTES
No notes.
MEMORANDA
"Special Directive 95-4, "Automatic Sprinkler and Smoke Detection Requirements
for National Park Service Employee Housing," was signed on May 8th by Acting
Director John J. Reynolds and distributed to the WASO and Field Directorate,
and park superintendents. The directive contains revised requirements for
installation of automatic sprinkler systems and smoke detectors in NPS employee
housing. It combines both NPS-50, Loss Control Management Guideline, and new
federal (Public Law 102-522) requirements for sprinkler systems in new and
rebuilt multi-family employee housing and requirements for the installation or
retrofit of hard-wired (AC powered) smoke detectors for all employee housing.
OBSERVATIONS
Today's quote was sent along by Greer Chesher at Grand Canyon:
"The biggest problem has been, and will continue to be, convincing the public
of the need for sound management, protection and preservation. But I believe
in complete openness before the public. If we fail to make Americans aware of
the problems facing the national parks, and to involve them in choosing the
right solutions to these problems, then we are failing in our responsibility as
stewards of these public lands."
Russ Dickenson
Director, 1980-1985
[Do you have a favorite quote about the NPS? If so, send it along for possible
inclusion in a future Morning Report...]
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
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