NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT
  
  
  To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices
  
  From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office
  
  Day/Date:   Wednesday, March 8, 2000
  
  ALMANAC
  
  On this day in 1862, Union troops defeated Confederate forces, 
  including about 1,000 Cherokee Indians, at Pea Ridge, Arkansas, in one 
  of the major Civil War engagements west of the Mississippi, thereby 
  enabling the Union to gain full control of Missouri.  Pea Ridge 
  National Military Park contains the battlefield.
  
  INCIDENTS
  
  00-079 - Devils Tower NM (WY) - Rescue
  
  On the afternoon of March 2nd, the Crook County Sheriff's Department 
  notified rangers that they'd received a 911 call reporting that a 
  visitor had fallen and suffered a head injury.  Ranger Joel Barnett 
  served as incident commander and organized a rescue effort.  Rescue 
  personnel from Hulett Ambulance and Fire Department responded along 
  with the park search and rescue team.   Every member of the park staff 
  assisted with the rescue effort.  Barnett was first on scene and found 
  that C.G., 16, had fallen approximately 80 feet and was 
  semi-conscious with low blood pressure.  According to witnesses,  
  C.G. had been climbing unroped up a 5.5 crack on the south face of 
  Devils Tower when he slipped and fell.  He slid on his stomach 
  approximately 40 feet, then catapulted backwards an additional 40 
  feet, landing on the rocks below.   The rescue team evacuated C.G. 
  via a 200-foot belayed litter lower.  He was transported to a hospital 
  in Sundance, Wyoming, then transferred to a second hospital in Rapid 
  City, South Dakota.  He was diagnosed with a closed head injury, 
  fractured ankle, and a broken nose.  C.G. has no memory of the 
  incident.  He was treated and released from the hospital the next day. 
  [Jim Schlinkmann, CR, DETO, 3/7]
  
  00-080 - Grand Canyon NP (AZ) - Search and Rescue
  
  On February 27th, park staff were advised that Dr. G.R., 41, 
  was two days overdue from a solo, four-day hike in the canyon. G.R., 
  an anesthesiologist, failed to show up in Las Vegas for a medical 
  conference. The park began a search the following morning, utilizing 
  two NPS helicopters, ground searchers, and river patrol rangers. 
  Search efforts were concentrated in the area between Indian Garden and 
  the Hermit Creek drainage. G.R. was found in the upper section of the 
  drainage, where he'd bivouacked after becoming lost. He'd started a 
  small brush fire the previous day in an effort to attract attention. 
  Hikers found him when they went to the site to suppress the fire. 
  Ranger Matt Vandzura was incident commander. [Ken Phillips, SAR 
  Coordinator, GRCA, 3/6]
  
  00-081 - Independence NHP (PA) - Structural Fire
  
  Park dispatch received a phone call just before 1 a.m. on March 7th 
  from a concession employee at City Tavern who reported a fire on the 
  roof above the building's second floor. While waiting for Philadelphia 
  fire department units to arrive, rangers assisted two concession 
  employees in their attempts to extinguish the fire from a third floor 
  window, using a fire extinguisher and buckets of water. Firefighters 
  extinguished the blaze. This is the third fire in as many months at 
  City Tavern. The investigation continues. [G. Tinkham, Acting LES, 
  INDE, 3/7]
  
  00-082 - Fort Necessity NB (PA) - Oil Spill
  
  On March 3rd, about 170 gallons of home heating oil from a private 
  residence adjacent to the park contaminated Great Meadow Run, which 
  flows through the park. The oil spill originated in the basement of 
  the house and spilled into the run through a basement floor drain. 
  Investigation and cleanup are being coordinated by the park and the 
  Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources. [Tom Stinedurf, 
  PR, FONE, 3/7]
  
  00-083 - Rock Creek Park (DC) - Weapons Violation
  
  On the evening of February 18th, USPP officer Jeff Hiltner heard a 
  gunshot while patrolling in the area of Carter Barron Amphitheater. As 
  he drove up to the lone vehicle in the parking lot, the driver pulled 
  out and fled. A pursuit ensued that ended several blocks away. Two 
  rifles and ammunition were recovered from the vehicle; both occupants 
  were arrested for weapons violations. The passenger also had an 
  outstanding DC superior court warrant against him for assault with a 
  deadly weapon. [Sgt. R. MacLean, USPP, NCR, 3/6]
  
  CULTURAL/NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
  
  Bighorn Canyon NRA (WY/MT) - Bighorn Sheep Capture and Collaring
  
  On February 15th and 16th, protection rangers and resource management 
  employees participated in an on-going bighorn sheep research project 
  being conducted by the U.S. Geological Service's Biological Resources 
  Division (BRD).  Researchers from BRD lead the operation and were 
  assisted by personnel from the park, BIA, BLM, Wyoming Fish and Game, 
  and a top-notch aerial capture team from Hawkins and Powers in 
  Greybull, Wyoming.  Twenty-three bighorn sheep were captured and 
  collared in the park.  Data collected during the capture (blood 
  samples, age, trace mineral tests, etc.) and while tracking the 
  radio-collared sheep will assist staff in making management decisions 
  directed at maintaining a bighorn sheep population in the park.   
  (Chris Ryan, ACR, BICA)
  
  OPERATIONAL NOTES
  
  Court Decision on White-Tailed Deer Management - The United States 
  Court of Appeals has affirmed a lower court opinion upholding 
  Gettysburg NMP's white-tailed deer management program. In the February 
  22nd decision, the court found that the Service had complied with the 
  National Environmental Policy Act and the National Historic 
  Preservation Act in its deer management program.  The park's 
  white-tailed deer management program is necessary because intense 
  browsing by high numbers of deer damage the historic scenery at both 
  Gettysburg NMP and Eisenhower NHS.  The deer management program is 
  on-going and will continue through the end of March.  Annual deer 
  reductions will continue from October through March each year, as 
  necessary.  All venison is being donated to area food banks.
  In 1995, an EIS described and evaluated a variety of options for 
  meeting park objectives for deer management, including public hunting, 
  relocation, and the use of sterilization and contraception.  Hundreds 
  of people participated in the public review of the EIS and many 
  commented on it in writing.  The NPS subsequently decided to reduce 
  the number of deer in the parks through shooting.  The text of the 
  decision is available on-line at www.cadc.uscourts.gov under "recent 
  decisions." [Katie Lawhon, Public Affairs, GETT]
  
  MEMORANDA
  
  Submission pending.
  
  PARKS AND PEOPLE
  
  Fort Necessity NB (PA) - The park is recruiting for a GS-0025-12 
  supervisory park ranger (interpretation). The incumbent serves as 
  chief of interpretation for Fort Necessity NB and Friendship Hill NHS. 
  The announcement is on USA Jobs as MARO-00-10 and is open through 
  March 17th.
  
  Glacier Bay NP&P (AK) - The park is accepting applications for a 
  WG-5786-06, permanent STF small craft operator.  The vacancy 
  announcement can be accessed from USA Jobs announcement number 
  GLBA-LH-00-15. The closing date is March 20th. Park headquarters is 
  located at Bartlett Cove, at the southern edge of Glacier Bay.  
  Gustavus, a community of about 350 in winter and 600 in summer, is 
  connected to park headquarters by ten miles of improved dirt road. 
  Bartlett Cove and Gustavus are accessible only by boat and air.  For 
  further information, please contact park personnelist Teresa Wilson at 
  907-697-2634.
  
                              *  *  *  *  *
  
  Distribution of the Morning Report is through a mailing list managed 
  by park, office and/or regional cc:Mail hub coordinators.  Please 
  address requests pertaining to receipt of the Morning Report to your 
  servicing hub coordinator.  The Morning Report is also available on 
  the web at http://www.nps.gov/morningreport
  
  Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the 
  cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.
  
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