- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Tuesday, August 13, 1996
- Date: Tues, 13 Aug 1996
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
To: All National Park Service Areas and Offices
From: Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office
Day/Date: Tuesday, August 13, 1996
Broadcast: By 1000 ET
*** NOTICE ***
There was no Morning Report on Monday, August 12th.
INCIDENTS
96-446 - Grand Canyon (Arizona) - Follow-up on Property Crime Investigation
During the period between July 29th and August 7th, a series of felony and
misdemeanor property crimes occurred at the South Rim, including a stolen
vehicle, an office burglary, three auto burglaries, five larcenies and seven
cases of vandalism to vehicles and buildings. Two of the vehicles vandalized
belonged to park law enforcement staff. Early investigative leads suggested
that local juveniles and gang members were involved. An interagency
investigation was begun which involved NPS rangers and criminal investigators
and representatives from the county sheriff's office and the state's gang
task force. Ed Tisi, 18, and two juveniles, all from the Grand Canyon, have
been arrested to date. The investigation continues. [Dave Brennan, SDR,
South Rim, GRCA]
96-448 - Indian Dunes (Indiana) - Death of Employee
Cora Krajcir, a long-time employee of the park, passed away on Wednesday,
August 8th. She had been battling lung cancer since last November. Full
recovery was expected, but it was discovered that the cancer had spread to
her liver. She is survived by her husband, Jerry, a maintenance employee at
the park, and by two daughters, Sherry and Jennifer, and two grandchildren.
Both daughters have worked seasonally for the park. Cora was a life-long
employee of the park, having begun work there as a mail and file clerk in
September, 1982. She was promoted to purchasing agent in August, 1994.
Services were held yesterday in Portage, Indiana. Condolences should be sent
to Jerry Krajcir, 301-B Sable Drive, Valparaiso, IN 46383. [Christopher
Light, INDU]
96-449 - Grand Tetons (Wyoming) - Special Event: Challenge '96 Incident
President Clinton and his family arrived in Jackson, Wyoming, on Friday,
August 9th, for a nine-day vacation in Grand Teton and Yellowstone National
Parks and the Bridger-Teton National Forest - his second vacation to the area
in as many years. The National Park Service's Type I all-risk incident
management team (Jim Northup, IC) is providing coordination, oversight and
overall support for the visit. Involved in the multi-agency effort are the
NPS, Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Secret Service, county
sheriff's office and city police. On Sunday, team members provided security
for President Clinton's residence and assisted the Secret Service in
providing communications, logistical support, perimeter security, motorcade
operations, and traffic control for the family's trip to church services. On
Monday, they continued to provide security for his residence and also
assisted during his trip to Yellowstone. A total of 99 people - 84 from the
NPS - are currently committed to the incident. [Kim Dreyfus, IMT, GRTE]
96-450 - Cape Cod (Massachusetts) - Special Event: VP Gore Vacation
Vice president Gore and his family vacationed at a private residence within
the boundaries of the park between Sunday, August 4th, and Saturday, August
10th. Members of the park's staff and a special events team assisted the
Secret Service with perimeter and travel security within the park. There
were no incidents. [Steve Gazzano, IC, IMT, CACO]
96-451 - Vicksburg (Mississippi) - Car Clout Arrest
Over the last weekend in July, motor vehicles were burglarized at three stops
along the park's tour road. In each instance, a family member left a purse
containing cash in plain view and doors unlocked. Although all of the
victims remained within sight of their vehicles, they were unable to provide
any information regarding suspicious people or vehicles. Late on the
afternoon of July 29th, park maintenance workers reported seeing a black
Oldsmobile making numerous passes through the park at an unusual rate of
speed, and provided rangers with a description and a partial license plate
number. A plain clothes surveillance operation was begun in which a purse
was placed in an unmarked pickup with out-of-state plates. On the afternoon
of August 5th, ranger Eddie Wells saw a Ford Escort pull up next to the
truck. A lone male got out, furtively examined the area, then entered the
truck and opened the purse. Rangers Wells and Swartz arrested J.S.
of Bentonia, Mississippi, after he attempted to leave the area. J.S.
posted a $20,000 bond after arraignment on August 6th. A court date is
pending. [Greg Zeman, Chief of Operations, VICK]
96-452 - Statue of Liberty (New York) - Multiple Bomb Threats
The park received three bomb threats over as many days the week before last.
On July 31st, dispatch was notified of a bomb threat at an unspecified
location on Liberty Island by a 911 operator. Entrance to the park and ferry
service were temporarily suspended. A sweep of the island was conducted;
nothing was found, so the park was reopened. The next day, New Jersey state
troopers advised the park that they'd received a letter threatening the
bombing of Ellis Island. The letter was specific regarding time and place,
and included threats to such locations as the Great Hall, basements, cellars
and crawl spaces. Detonation was scheduled for 8:10 p.m. on August 3rd. A
similar letter was sent to the mayor of Atlantic City, threatening the same
at three casino hotels. Bomb sweeps of the island were conducted before and
after visitation on the specified date with the assistance on New York city
police and New Jersey corrections department bomb dogs. Nothing was found.
On August 2nd, a 911 operator called Park Police dispatch to report that a
man with a foreign accent had called and stated that a bomb would go off in
the statue at 10 a.m. on August 3rd. The call was traced to a phone booth in
Queens. The area was swept and found to contain no bomb. Opening of the
island to visitors was delayed until about 10:45 a.m. [Lt. John Lauro, USPP,
STLI]
96-453 - Pictured Rocks (Michigan) - Multiple Searches
All five of the park's rangers were involved in several search and/or rescue
operations during a twelve-hour period on August 6th. In the first incident,
a backcountry hiker carrying an 80-pound pack on a 90-degree day was overcome
by heat exhaustion and had to be transported 16 miles out of the backcountry
by two rangers in a park patrol boat. A second search was begun that evening
when a hiker was reported overdue from a trip into a remote area of the park.
Two rangers looked for him throughout the night and were able to find and
reunite him with his family the following morning. The final involved as
mother who'd left her five small children, ages five through eleven, at a
backcountry site five miles from the nearest trailhead while she returned to
her vehicle for food and supplies. She was about to attempt to paddle her
loaded canoe along seven miles of the Lake Superior shoreline in the dark
when rangers intercepted her and escorted her to her campsite by canoe via an
inland lake route, arriving at 2:30 a.m. The five children were found curled
up in one small tent, sound asleep. [Fred Young, DR, PIRO]
96-454 - Wolf Trap Farm (Virginia) - Special Event: Olympic/Paralympic Visit
The United States Olympic and Paralympic teams visited the park for dinner
and a Filene Center performance by Tracy Chapman on Tuesday, August 6th, A
number of dignitaries and media representatives also attended. The athletes
were given a spontaneous standing ovation by the 6,500 people attending the
concert as the team members entered the seating area on the theater lawn.
Park Police officers provided security and coordination for the event. There
were no significant problems. [Jennifer Shoup, Special Event Coordinator,
WOTR]
96-455 - Organ Pipe Cactus (Arizona) - Suicide
On the afternoon of August 3rd, rangers impounded a vehicle which had been
driven off-road and abandoned. During the inventory of the vehicle, they
came upon the driver's wallet, identifying him as L.B. of
Prescott, Arizona, and a receipt dated two days previously for a revolver.
They contacted L.B.'s wife and a co-worker and determined that he had
been depressed and that they were expecting the worst. The area was searched
and L.B.'s body was found. Notes found on his body and in the vehicle
indicated that he'd committed suicide. [M. Baldree, ORPI]
96-456 - Glen Canyon (Utah/Arizona) - Drowning
R.F., 26, drowned in the Coves area on the morning of August 9th.
R.F. was visiting the park with a church group from southern California
which was doing volunteer work with Native Americans in Tuba City. A member
of the group who couldn't swim saw him struggling and shouting for help less
than 20 feet from shore. R.F. was not a strong swimmer. The park's dive
team found him within 45 minutes of the incident's occurrence; CPR was begun
by rangers and continued during transport to the hospital in Page, but
R.F. did not respond. [David Sandbakken, LES, GLCA]
[Numerous additional reports pending...]
FIRE ACTIVITY
NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level IV
The preparedness level has gone up one step. Preparedness Level IV goes into
effect when the following conditions are met: Two or more geographic areas
experiencing incidents requiring Type I teams. Competition exists for
resources between geographic areas. 450 crews or nine Type I teams committed
nationally.
LARGE FIRE/INCIDENT SUMMARY
% Est
State Unit Fire/Incident IMT 8/8 8/13 Con Con
OR Umatilla NF * Wheeler ST2 - 20,869 30 NEC
Malheur NF * Wildcat T1 - 10,000 2 NEC
Warm Springs Agency * Simnasho T1 - 22,000 0 NEC
Wallowa-Whitman NF * Sloan's Ridge T1 - 9,000 15 8/18
* Salt Cx T1 - 43,240 50 8/17
State * Donneybrook -- - 70,000 NR NR
Vail District * Cedar Mountain -- - 2,600 0 NEC
* Tim's Peak -- - 220 100 CND
* Brown Butte -- - 2,200 100 CND
Ochoco NF * Coyle Butte -- - 200 80 8/13
Umpaqua NF * Benchmark -- - 216 100 CND
WA State * Bowie Road -- - 3,800 90 8/13
Colville Agency * Fifers -- - 274 100 CND
CA Mendocino NF * Forks T1 - 600 10 NEC
Plumas NF * Cooks T1 - 1,260 95 8/13
Riverside RU * Wolfskill ST1 - 900 10 NEC
Tuolumne-Cal. RU * Bear ST1 - 1,000 NR NR
* Tuolumne Cx ST1 - 1,000 NR NR
* Esperanza Cx -- - 1,600 NR NR
NV Winneumcca District * Humboldt T2 - 6,000 0 NEC
* Pole Creek -- - 500 20 NEC
Toiyabe NF * Mt. Jackson T2 - 800 10 8/15
Carson City District * Dixie -- - 300 65 8/13
* Little Valley -- - 2,000 NR NR
TX Lake Meredith NP * Dripping Spring -- - 175 100 CND
MT Lewis and Clark NF * Coyote T1 - 2,500 0 8/16
Bitterroot NF * Willow Creek T2 - 125 10 NEC
Nez Perce NF * Moose Butte Cx T2 - 225 30 NEC
Flathead Agency * Morigeau -- - 800 100 CND
N. Cheyenne Agency * Clubfoot -- - 820 100 CND
Ft. Belknap Agency * Coyote II -- - 200 100 CND
UT Cedar City District Honey Boy T2 7,800 10,477 90 8/12
Fishlake NF Adelaide Cx T2 14,365 15,100 90 8/15
* Hens Peak -- - 560 50 8/18
Uinta NF * Vivian Peak Cx T2 - 3,400 50 8/13
ID Boise District * Apple Valley -- - 9,748 100 CND
WY Big Horn NF * Moncrief Ridge -- - 300 10 NEC
Medicine Bow NF Murphy/Bear Cx T1 4,910 7,493 100 CND
AZ Truxton Can. Agency * Powerline -- - 300 0 8/12
AK Statewide 17 fires -- 458,305 434,199 -- NSS
Heading Notes
Unit -- Agency = BIA area; NF = national forest; RU = CA state resource
or ranger unit; RD = state ranger district; District = BLM
district; NWR = USFWS wildlife refuge
Fire -- * = newly reported fire (on this report); Cx = complex; LSS =
limited suppression strategy; CSS = containment suppression
strategy
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; LPS = limited
protection status
NUMBER OF NEW FIRES (FOUR DAY TREND)
NPS BIA BLM FWS States USFS Total
Thursday, 8/8 2 2 4 0 47 33 88
Friday, 8/9 1 2 37 0 46 49 135
Saturday, 8/10 - - - - -- -- --
Sunday, 8/11 1 1 15 0 4 38 59
Monday, 8/12 4 11 27 0 70 178 290
TOTAL COMMITTED RESOURCES (FOUR DAY TREND)
Crews Engines Helicopters Airtankers Overhead
Thursday, 8/8 194 259 74 14 1,145
Friday, 8/9 253 302 82 29 1,236
Saturday, 8/10 --- --- -- -- -----
Sunday, 8/11 211 321 62 5 920
Monday, 8/12 365 558 131 26 2,264
CURRENT SITUATION
Fire activity increased yesterday in California, the western Great Basin, the
Northwest and the northern Rockies. Type I teams were committed to northern
California and the northern Rockies, Type II teams to the western Great
Basin. Resource mobilization through NICC remained high.
NATIONAL OUTLOOK
NICC has posted a fire weather watch for dry lightning for eastern Oregon,
central Nevada, central and southern Idaho, and western Wyoming.
Very strong high pressure aloft, centered over southern Utah, will bring
another hot and dry day to most of the West. There will be widely scattered
afternoon and evening thunderstorms from California across the Great Basin
and into the desert Southwest.
[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 8/13]
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Reports pending.
OPERATIONAL NOTES
Wetlands Protection Guidelines - The Water Resources Division in WASO has
prepared a draft revision of the wetlands protection guidelines and is making
them available for review. If you'd like to review them, please send a
cc:Mail note to Joel Wagner at NP-WASO-AQ. Comments are due by September
16th. [Joel Wagner, AQD/WASO]
Maintenance Management Software - Maintenance management software was
recently updated and is now available to parks. Electronic distribution of
version 2.4 is being facilitated by Chris Kanda of Pacific Great Basin SSO,
who is providing a cc:Mail site where you can pick up the program files. A
message with instructions on obtaining these self-extracting files was posted
on the Servicewide maintenance bulletin board on July 29th. You can also
obtain installation diskettes from WASO. Requests for diskettes and
questions should be directed via cc:Mail or phone to Beth Fischer (303-969-
2848) or Ken Ferguson )202-343-7040). [John Gingles, FMD/WASO]
MEMORANDA
No submissions.
EXCHANGE
No submissions.
CALENDAR
The meetings, conferences and events calendar which normally appears in the
Monday Morning Report will appear tomorrow....
Distribution of the Morning Report is through a mailing list managed by park,
office and/or field area cc:Mail hub coordinators. Please address requests
for the Morning Report to your servicing hub coordinator.
Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation and
support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.
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