NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                               MORNING REPORT

To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Friday, November 5, 1999

INCIDENTS

99-656 - Washington Office (DC) - Death of Employee

Debbie Hays of the WASO Budget Office passed away due to complications from
cancer on Thursday, October 28th.  Colleagues Cathy Damon and Marty
Sutherland wrote a tribute to her in the Midwest Region newsletter; excerpts
follow: "(Many) of you reading this will not know who she was.  But if you
have ever had a construction project in your park, then that project was
accomplished with the help of Debbie Hays.  Debbie worked in several areas of
the Budget Office, but her most recent position involved clearance of funds
for construction projects.  She was one of the most cheerful, hard working
people we have ever known...Debbie, like most of us, was not well known
around the Park Service.  She did her work well but didn't receive a lot of
recognition for it.  But she was a wonderful person and a good friend and we
will miss her.  And it helps just a little to be able to tell you about her."
The family has asked that contributions be made in her name (in lieu of
flowers) to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.  Condolences may be
sent to parents K.H. and V.H.  [Maureen Foster, WASO, 11/2]

99-657 - Systemwide - Special Event: Millennium 2000

Parks throughout the system are making preparations for millennium-related
events which will take place on or around New Years Eve.  The Morning Report
will provide continuing updates on those preparations and on the activities
themselves as they occur.  Today's initial entry comes from Jerry McCarthy in
Pacific West Region:

o     Mojave NP/Death Valley NP/Joshua Tree NP/Lake Mead NRA (CA/NV) - Staff
      from the four parks will meet in December to prepare a desert
      contingency plan.  All are expecting heavy visitation, particularly
      Lake Mead, which will receive spillover from Las Vegas.  Plans
      presently call for having all law enforcement staff on duty for the
      event.

o     Golden Gate NRA (CA) - Planning continues for events and celebrations
      throughout the city and at Golden Gate Bridge. A cruise line is
      apparently underwriting the fireworks and laser show that will take
      place around the bay. Current plans call for four separate fireworks
      sites, culminating with the fireworks shower and laser show from the
      bridge.  Anticipated visitation to the city has been estimated at 1.5
      million.  In addition, the city of San Rafael, 10 miles north of San
      Francisco, is having a very large event that will attract many people. 
      Gridlock is expected on all routes in and out of the city.  The bridge
      activities will attract visitors to park property, including Crissy
      Field, which is currently being renovated with private funds.  The area
      is fragile and hazardous.  The park may seek two SET teams to assist
      with event management; both have been placed on stand-by.  A call for
      available personnel to backfill has been issued regionwide. 
      Discussions continue at city hall regarding the impact of events to the
      bridge and park lands if they are allowed.  ICS has been put into
      effect.

o     Haleakala NP (HI) - Due to several potential problems, current plans
      are to close the park from sunset on December 31st to sunrise on
      January 1st.  Access would be permitted for workers at the observatory. 
      The park is under pressure to remain open, however, as it has been
      listed in the media as being one of the 10 best places to experience
      the millennium.  Park staff have been in contact with the media to
      advise them on current plans.  Most local and commercial operators have
      supported the closure.  January 1st appears to be booked for all
      activities; the bike ride down from the summit is expected to draw over
      300 riders after the park reopens at sunrise.  Traffic is expected to
      be extremely heavy.

o     Hawaii Volcanoes NP (HI) - The park has received a surge of requests
      for access to the summit of Mauna Loa and to the coastal backcountry. 
      Leave for law enforcement and emergency personnel has been canceled;
      all will be on duty from December 29th to January 1st.

o     North Cascades NP (WA) - Requests for assistance have been received
      from the Seattle-based power company that has several dams in the park. 
      They would like additional security at the dams.  An agreement for
      personnel and cost recovery is being worked out. 

o     Redwood N&SP (CA) - Park staff are involved in mutual aid planning to
      deal with threats received by local and state agencies.  All emergency
      personnel will be in park during the week. 

Parks making similar preparations are encouraged to submit short summaries to
the Morning Report.  [Editor]

99-658 - Richmond NB (VA) - Historic Structure Fire

On November 4th, a contractor using a hot gun to remove old paint from the
window sills of the historic Garthright House accidentally ignited the
historic material under the house siding, causing a fire that burned from the
first to second floor of the structure.  The contractor employed a multi-
purpose fire extinguisher, but was unable to put out the fire.  The county
fire department responded and extinguished the blaze.  The majority of the
damage was confined to the outside of the house.  A park employee and her
spouse reside there, but were not home at the time.  No injuries were
reported.  The Garthright House served as a field hospital during the Battle
of Cold Harbor in 1864.  Portions of the house date back to the 1700s.  The
house is not open to the public.  The fire is being jointly investigated by
the county fire marshal and by park protection rangers.  Damage has been
estimated at $5,500.  [Tim Mauch, SPR, RICH, 11/4]

FIRE ACTIVITY

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level II

LARGE FIRE/INCIDENT SUMMARY 

                                                     Tue     Wed     %  Est
State      Unit              Fire/Incident  IMT      11/2    11/3   Con Con

ND    Dakota Prairie NF      Rough Creek/
                              Squaw Gap     T2      68,000   68,000  85 11/3

MT    State                  Mill Iron      --       4,000    3,800 100 CND 
                             Johnstone      --       7,800    8,400 100 CND 
                           * Frontier       --           -    1,350  60 11/4
 
CA    Shasta-Trinity NF      Big Bar Cx     T1     139,655  140,544 100 CND  

MN    State                  McKinley       --       3,200    3,200 100 CND 

                                  Heading Notes

Unit        Agency or Area Office = BIA area; NF = national forest; RU = CA
            state resource or ranger unit; RD = CA state ranger district;
            Region = CA state region; FO = BLM field office; District = BLM
            district; NWR = USFWS wildlife refuge
Fire        * = newly reported fire (on this report); Cx = complex 
IMT         AC = Area Command; T1 = Type I Team; T2 = Type II Team; T3 = Type
            III Team; ST = State Team; FUM = Fire Use Management Team
% Con       Percent of fire contained: UNK = unknown; NR = no report
Est Con     Estimated containment date: NEC = no estimated date of
            containment; CND = fully contained; UNK = unknown; NR = no
            report; RBF = resource benefit fire, no containment action being
            taken; LR = last report unless significant activity occurs

NUMBER OF NEW FIRES (FOUR DAY TREND)

                    NPS    BIA      BLM     FWS    States   USFS     Total
 
Sunday, 10/31        0      0         1       0        3     20        24
Monday, 11/1         1     16         0       0      157     33       207
Tuesday, 11/1        0      0         3       0      100      5       108
Wednesday, 11/2      0      5         2       0       89      5       101

TOTAL COMMITTED RESOURCES (FOUR DAY TREND) 

                  Crews     Engines    Helicopters    Airtankers   Overhead

Sunday, 10/31       31         52          11             0           637
Monday, 11/1        28        200           8             0           542
Tuesday, 11/2        5        127           7             0           126
Wednesday, 11/2     22         90          10             0           428

CURRENT SITUATION

There was little initial attack anywhere on Wednesday.  Several large fires
have been contained.  Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in
California, Utah, Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Missouri. 
[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 11/4]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, PROTECTION AND EDUCATION 

No entries.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Uniform Program - The FY 2000 ordering guides and price lists are scheduled
to be shipped from R&R Uniforms during the week of November 8th.  Included in
this guide will be a web site address.  The web site includes ordering
information, a copy of the catalogue, and updates to the catalogue as they
occur.  [Ken Mabery, RAD/WASO]

MEMORANDA

No entries.

INTERCHANGE

No entries.

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Gateway NRA - The position of general superintendent for the park is out and
on USAJOBS.  It's being advertised at the GS-14/15 level for either a GS-025
park manager or a GS-340 program manager.  The announcement numbers are BOSO-
99-20 and BOSO-99-21.  The closing date is January 7th.  The general
superintendent manages headquarters staff and the superintendents at the
Sandy Hook Unit, Staten Island (including Fort Wadsworth) Unit, and the
Jamaica Bay/Breezy Point Unit.  This is a demanding but fulfilling management
positions which requires the ability to manage a large staff (up to 700
employees during the summer season).  [Lorna Gunning, NARO]

                                *  *  *  *  *

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.

                                 --- ### ---