NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Wednesday, May 3, 2000

ALMANAC

On this date in 1962, U.S. Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas
completed a three-day float trip down the Buffalo River in northern
Arkansas, leading him to advocate its preservation for "all the people .
. . as a remnant of the ancient Ozarks."  Congress made 136 miles of it
Buffalo National River in 1972.

INCIDENTS

00-178 - Death Valley NP (CA) - Assist; Search and Rescue

On the evening of April 19th, the park received a mutual aid request
from the Inyo County Sheriff's Office for assistance in a search for two
missing 14-year-old boys. Rangers Dave Brenner and Jeremy Monroe were
dispatched. The missing boys were from a small town adjacent to the
southeast boundary of the park and had last been seen at their campsite.
They had been experimenting with hallucinogenic drugs and wandered off
into the desert while under their influence. Brenner and Monroe found
one of the boys at 3:15 a.m. on April 20th. Although in good physical
condition, he was hallucinating and talking to himself. At the time of
the report (April 21st), the second boy had not been found. [CRO, DEVA,
4/21]

00-179 - Organ Pipe Cactus NM (AZ) - Drug Seizures and Arrests

While patrolling on Puerto Blanco Drive on April 29th, supervisory
ranger Karl Pearson noticed footprints crossing the roadway near
Dripping Springs. The prints appeared to have been brushed out. Pearson
followed the prints north for two and a half miles through the desert,
gaining evidence along the way that the tracks had been left by
smugglers, not illegal aliens. Pearson eventually came on about ten
backpackers resting in a drainage. He maintained surveillance on them
while calling for backup and a Customs helicopter. Both arrived within
an hour. Six of the smugglers were arrested, and 377 pounds of marijuana
were confiscated. On April 8th, a ranger stopped a suspicious RV that
had been in the Twin Peaks campground and found 336 pounds of marijuana
hidden under the bed and inside cabinets. Backpackers from Mexico had
delivered the marijuana to the RV during the early morning hours. The
driver was arrested. Customs is continuing the investigation. On April
30th, seasonal ranger Kris Eggle saw a vehicle off the road and stuck in
the desert with a flat tire near Highway 85. The occupants fled into the
desert. Investigation led to the discovery of 287 pounds of marijuana
inside and hidden near the vehicle. Rangers and Customs agents are
investigating. [Dale Thompson, CR, ORPI, 5/2]

00-180 - Lake Mead NRA (NV/AZ) - PWC Accident with Fatality

B.G., 20, was operating his personal watercraft on Las Vegas Bay late on
the afternoon of April 2nd when he fell off. Friends picked him up and
took him to a medical facility in Las Vegas. He was then transferred to
a city hospital, where he expired. The cause of death is not known.
[Dispatch, LAME, 4/22]

00-181 - Lake Mead NRA (NV/AZ) - Drowning

R.W., 14, was rafting on the lake with his mother on the afternoon of
April 21st. The raft's oar blew overboard and R.W. dove in to retrieve
it. High winds blew the raft away from the boy. R.W.'s mother called 911
on her cell phone to report the incident. Rangers responded and were
taken to the boy's last known location. They were unable to find him and
eventually had to call off the search because of darkness. The search
resumed the following day. R.W.'s body was found in 24 feet of water off
South Beach. [Dispatch, LAME, 4/23]

FIRE UPDATE

Smokejumper David Liston, 28, died on Saturday while making a refresher
parachute jump for this year's fire season when his main chute failed to
open during an exercise near Alaska Fire Service facilities in Fort
Wainwright. Liston was the third jumper in the last four-person group to
jump that afternoon. The fourth and last jumper also had a primary chute
malfunction, but was able to successfully deploy his reserve and land
safely. The cause of the accident is under investigation; all BLM
jumpers are grounded pending its outcome. Liston was originally from
Oregon and came to work with the Alaska Fire Service in 1995 as a member
of the Midnight Sun hotshot crew. He was a squad boss with the North
Star fire crew in 1997 and a rookie with the Alaska smokejumpers in
1998. His wife, Kristin, also works for AFS. An account has been
established for donations in Liston's memory. Checks should be made
payable to "In Memory of David Liston" and sent to Fort Wainwright
Federal Credit Union, Attn: Tracy Jessen, PO Box 35025, Ft. Wainwright,
AK 99703. [Mike Warren, NPS Fire Management Program Center; Kathy
Clossin, BLM]

CULTURAL/NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Kings Mountain NMP (SC) - Prescribed Fire

On April 22nd, park staff, members of the Great Smoky Mountains fire use
module, and personnel from Great Smoky Mountains NP and Ninety Six NHS
completed a prescribed burn on the battlefield and a portion of Colonial
Road. The 180-acre burn was successful. The prescribed burn provided
interpretive rangers with an opportunity to explain the use of fire for
hazard fuel reduction and resource benefits on Earth Day. [Chris Revels,
CR, KIMO]

OPERATIONAL NOTES

No submissions.

MEMORANDA

No submissions.

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Dinosaur NM (CO) - The park has three detail opportunities available --
two engine bosses and one fire monitor. Details will be from June to
September, but can be negotiated for any time during that period. This
is a great opportunity for candidates with task books.  Dinosaur works
cooperatively with staff in BLM's Craig and Vernal Districts to suppress
fires on lands adjacent to the park.  Monitoring opportunities are also
bountiful, as WFU is permitted in 90% of the park. Please contact FMO
Bruce Miller at 970-374-3014 or fuels tech Bruce Fields at 970-374-
3011.

FOOTNOTE

Yesterday's incident report on the rescue at Great Smokies (00-177)
noted that the hiker's blood sugar "was recorded at 580, which is
dangerously low." This was incorrect. A blood sugar level of 580 is
dangerously HIGH. Normal blood sugar runs from 100 to 140; anything over
180 is cause for concern. Thanks to readers Fred Szarka (INDU) and
Midori Raymore (MWRO) for the correction.

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

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