NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Wednesday, September 20, 1995

Broadcast: By 1000 ET

INCIDENTS

95-620 - Virgin Islands - Follow-up on Hurricane Marilyn

Incident commander Gordon Wissinger and operations chief Daryl Rhodes flew to
the park yesterday.  They received a delegation of authority from the
superintendent and a long list of needs.  Park staff and family members are in
the process of digging out and cleaning up.  A liberal leave policy is in
effect.  Along with damage reported previously, it now appears that ENP&MA
facilities suffered major damage and that almost all stock was lost.  Task
assignments for today include making contact with one employee on St. John who
has not been heard from, making generators operational, bringing a displaced
employee (the park budget analyst) to St. Thomas, negotiating with the
concessioner for use of facilities for an incident command post, and beginning
efforts to obtain roofing materials and install new roofs.  Orders are being
shipped as aircraft availability and cargo space allows.  About 520 pounds of
supplies and a generator were shipped yesterday.  The status of facilities and
the ability to support arriving resources is a major concern, as a flood of
recovery personnel into the area without proper support would only compound
existing logistical problems.  The support of San Juan NHS in this emergency
has been crucial to the success of the IMT's efforts.  Although the hurricane
caused about $10,000 in damages to San Juan, mostly to trees and trails, the
area is open.  [Kent Cave, IO, IMT]

95-633 - Katmai (Alaska) - Search for VIP

A search is underway for S.E., 39, a park volunteer, who was swept
downstream while attempting to cross Lethe Creek with two other off-duty
employees on Sunday, September 17th.  S.E.'s companions reached safety on a
nearby gravel bar, but she was swept away.  They began a search for her and
reported her missing at 11:30 a.m.  A ten-person search party from Brooks Camp
looked for her, but without success.  The Alaska Field Area's all risk
management team (ARM) assumed responsibility for the search on the following
morning, and deployed helicopters, fixed wing aircraft and dog teams. 
Additional resources were brought in yesterday.  The search area is in an
extremely dangerous gorge, composed of loose, unstable sandstone, with steep
rapids immediately downstream from the point where S.E. was last seen.  The
river is not navigable by boat.  Strong winds and rain have hampered search
efforts.  S.E. and her companions are all experienced backpackers, and had
hiked this route before.  They'd safely crossed the creek in approximately the
same spot three days earlier, but the river level had risen during the
interlude.  S.E. is a native of India.  She has lived in the United States
for several years, and has worked as a full time volunteer in the park for four
summers, performing work in interpretation, protection, and resource
management.  [Maria Gillett, IO, ARM Team]

FIRE ACTIVITY

The NICC fire report was not available at the time today's Morning Report was
released.

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No field reports today.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

No notes.

OBSERVATIONS

Thanks to Carl Christensen, Mark Forbes and Ron Thoman, all of whom identified
C. F. Brockman, the author of Monday's "Observation", as emeritus professor of
forestry at the University of Washington and a naturalist at Mount Rainier and
Yosemite from 1928 - 1946.  

Today's entry is another from "Conservation Quotes" (1953): 

"I would like to think that all park men, whatever segment of the field may be
their particular concern, might see that this continuing battle against
debasing the finest of our scenic and scientific and historic possessions is
their battle, too...park folk are people of standing in their communities, in
the States and in the Nation; they can wield a powerful influence in behalf of
the people of today and of generations still far in the future."

                                          Conrad L. Wirth, Director, 1952-1964

Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation and
support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.

Telephone: 202-208-4874
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