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Subject: Fwd:NPS Morning Report - 7/1/98
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Date: Wed, 1 Jul 1998
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
To: All National Park Service Areas and Offices
From: Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office
Day/Date: Wednesday, July 1, 1998
INCIDENTS
98-331 - Sequoia-Kings Canyon NP (CA) - Search for Missing Employee
Seasonal trail crew employee Tamara "Tammy" Skaggs, 28, disappeared on June
28th while returning to camp from a reconnaissance of the High Sierra trail
between Panther Creek and the Bear Paw High Sierra camp. She was last seen
just after noon heading west over Buck Creek bridge. When she failed to
return to camp by 10 p.m., a hasty search of the trail was begun. By Monday
morning, there were 35 searchers, two dog teams and a park helicopter
committed to the search. That number subsequently increased to about 60
people. A ground team spotted Skaggs on a ledge above the trail near Little
Blue Dome creek yesterday at 5 p.m. At the time of the report, she had not
yet been debriefed, but appeared to be in good condition. [Malinee Crapsey,
PIO, SEKI, 6/30]
98-332 - Mojave NP (CA) - MVA with Park Fire Truck
On the evening of June 28th, the joint NPS-BLM "Hole-in-the-Wall" fire crew
responded to a small brush fire along Interstate 15 near the park's boundary.
A local tow truck operator heading southbound on the interstate fell asleep
while at the wheel, sideswiped the NPS engine parked on the shoulder, swerved
back into traffic, narrowly missed another vehicle, came back onto the
shoulder and hit the BLM engine on its left rear wheels, axle and body,
careened of the engine, narrowly missed a county engine, went over the
shoulder, and came to rest in the burned out area. The tow truck was
totaled, but, miraculously, the tow truck operator and one firefighter
sustained only minor injuries. The park's model 62 engine suffered minor
damage. This section of I-15 is one of the busiest and deadliest highways in
California. Engine captains Jeremy Monroe and James Aragon have been
credited for ensuring the safety of their crews. Their attention to detail
likely prevented a tragic outcome. [Sean McGuinness, CR, MOJA, 6/30]
98-333 - Grand Canyon NP (AZ) - Rescue of Concession Employee
K.L., a 20-year-old concession employee, fell 50 feet off the
South Rim at Grandeur Point on the evening of June 29th. K.L. was
backing up while photographing a friend when she slipped off the rim. She
fell 50 feet before grabbing a small tree that arrested what would have been
a fatal fall of over 300 feet. Park personnel responded immediately. A
ranger and medic rapelled to her; she was then raised via litter to the rim
and transported to the park clinic. K.L.'s most serious injury was a
sprained ankle. Over 30 park personnel responded to this incident, which
took place largely at night. [Brian Lakes, GRCA, 6/30]
[Additional reports pending...]
FIRE ACTIVITY
NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level III
LARGE FIRE/INCIDENT SUMMARY
Mon Tue % Est
State Unit Fire/Incident IMT 6/29 6/30 Con Con
FL Osceola NF Oak Head T1 20,120 20,120 90 7/3
Merritt Island NWR Merritt Island Cx -- 4,426 4,987 80 NEC
State Suwanee Cx T1 16,416 16,326 99 7/15
Bunnel Cx T2 20,456 20,556 UNK NEC
Bunnel-Volusia Cx T2 61,500 67,385 45 NEC
Perry Cx T2 20,400 20,400 100 CND
Orlando Cx T1 NR NR NR NR
Withlacoochee Cx T2 3,807 3,807 90 NEC
* Jacksonville Cx -- - UNK UNK NEC
* Waccasassa Cx T2 - 11,927 95 NEC
TX Lake Meredith NRA Palo Duro -- 5,000 5,000 75 7/1
State Cash Johnson -- 800 800 100 CND
CO Arapaho-Roosevelt NF Bear Tracks T2 420 485 30 7/4
Pike-San Isabel NF Muddy Creek T2 150 135 30 7/4
White T2 130 160 25 7/2
NM Santa Fe NF Oso T1 2,560 2,560 10 NEC
AZ Pima Agency * Riverbed -- - 100 25 6/30
UT Cedar City District Bulldog -- 6,000 6,375 100 CND
AK Fort Greely Carla Lake T2 60,520 60,520 80 NEC
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
IMT T1 = Type I; T2 = Type II; ST = State Team
% Con Percent of fire contained; UNK = unknown
Est Con Estimated containment date; NEC = no estimated date of
containment; CND = fully contained; NR = no report
NUMBER OF NEW FIRES (FOUR DAY TREND)
NPS BIA BLM FWS States USFS Total
Saturday, 6/27 0 2 8 0 82 10 102
Sunday, 6/28 1 15 3 0 40 21 80
Monday, 6/29 2 3 5 2 192 37 241
Tuesday, 6/30 1 13 3 0 262 23 302
TOTAL COMMITTED RESOURCES (FOUR DAY TREND)
Crews Engines Helicopters Airtankers Overhead
Saturday, 6/27 54 204 31 11 545 @
Sunday, 6/28 69 159 44 14 551 @#
Monday, 6/29 143 225 63 34 771 @&
Tuesday, 6/30 152 266 63 29 986 @
Overhead notes: Footnotes indicate that reporting was incomplete on resource
commitments on fires in either the South (@), the Southwest (#), and/or the
Rockies (&).
CURRENT SITUATION
Significant fire activity continued in the South yesterday, with wildfires
reported in all of the state's 67 counties. Large fires continue in the
Southwest and the Rockies. NICC processed orders for an area command team,
equipment, crews, and overhead for all these areas. Minor initial attack was
reported in other regions.
Very high to extreme fire indices were reported yesterday in units in
Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Utah,
Nevada, and California.
NICC has continued the FIRE WEATHER WATCH posted Monday for low relative
humidity in northern Florida.
[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 7/1]
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
No entries.
OPERATIONAL NOTES
No entries.
MEMORANDA
"Wildland Firefighter Safety Awareness Study," signed on June 25th by the
Associate Director, Park Operations and Education, and sent electronically to
the National Leadership Council. Copies of the report may be obtained by
sending a cc:Mail message to FIRE Director at NP-FIRE with the words Firefighter
Safety Study on the subject line. No message need be sent. The text of the
cover memo follows:
"Attached is the Executive Summary for phase III of the Wildland Firefighter
Safety Awareness Study. This study was the outcome of one of the
recommendations from the Interagency Management Review Team Report formed in
the aftermath of the 1994 South Canyon Fire.
"The phase III study itself has been widely disseminated throughout the
interagency wildland fire community. Implementation is beginning and the
Federal Fire and Aviation Leadership Council is advertising for a term
position program manager to oversee the implementation of the recommended
strategies.
"While many of the recommendations are specific to wildland fire, many of the
implementation strategies are applicable to other emergency operations and to
the way in which we do business in general. More importantly, however, is
the need for top level managers in all bureaus to actively support the
implementation of these recommendations. I ask that each of you give your
personal attention and support to moving these forward.
"Questions or comments should be directed to Deputy Chief Ranger Rick Gale at
the Fire Management Program Center at 208/387-5200."
EXCHANGE
Assistance Needed - Natural Bridges NM is looking for law enforcement
personnel interested in a 21-day law enforcement detail which will begin on
July 12th and end on August 1st. The purpose of the detail is to provide
day-to-day LE coverage at the park while the only other law enforcement
qualified person takes some annual leave. If interested, contact chief
ranger Jim Dougan at 435-692-1234. A longer, 90-day detail is also
available.
* * * * *
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
pertaining to receipt of 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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