NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Friday, May 19, 2000

ALMANAC

On this date in 1863, Confederate defenders of Vicksburg, Mississippi, 
repulsed Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's attack on their lines.  When a 
second attack three days later also failed, Grant undertook siege 
operations, leading to the city's surrender on July 4th.  Vicksburg 
National Military Park includes remnants of the Confederate defenses 
and Union siege works.

INCIDENTS

00-212 - Mount Rushmore NM (SD) - EMS Response; Serious Visitor Injury

On May 4th, 55-year-old W.V.S. of the Netherlands 
sustained serious injuries when he was run over by an unoccupied 
24-foot rental van which was pulling a flatbed trailer carrying a 
mid-size SUV.  W.V.S. and his son had stopped the van along 
Highway 244 on a downhill grade and gotten out to take a photograph of 
Mount Rushmore. As they were doing so, the van's emergency brake 
failed and it began to roll.  W.V.S. attempted to catch the 
runaway vehicle, but fell underneath it and was run over, sustaining a 
serious femur fracture to one leg and an open fracture/dislocation to 
the other leg.  He was listed in serious condition at Rapid City 
Regional Hospital, but is expected to recover.  After running over W.V.S.,
the unoccupied van and trailer continued for approximately 
600 feet on a steep downhill grade and crossed three traffic lanes 
before stopping against a guardrail.  Fortunately, there was no 
oncoming traffic at the time of the incident.  Rangers Don Hart, Todd 
Van Alstyne, and Steve Kveene handled the incident with assistance 
from Pennington County deputies, Keystone Ambulance Service personnel, 
and a bystander medic. [Mike Pflaum, CR, MORU, 5/10]

FIRE ACTIVITY

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level III

CURRENT SITUATION

New large fires were again reported yesterday in the Southwest and in 
the East yesterday.  Some crews and air tankers are being released 
from fires in the Southwest.

The following resources were committed nationwide as of yesterday 
(changes from yesterday's numbers in parentheses): 142 crews (-23), 
1,181 overhead (+31), 272 engines (no change), 51 helicopters (+19), 
and 29 air tankers (-2).

Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in Arizona, New 
Mexico, Utah, California, Texas, Oklahoma, and Minnesota.

NPS FIRES

Grand Canyon NP (AZ) - A Type I incident management team (Frye) has 
been assigned to the Outlet fire, which is burning in designated and 
proposed wilderness 25 miles south of Jacob Lake. The fire has burned 
13,350 acres (no change) and is 61% (+6%) contained. Construction of 
fire lines on the northwest flank of the fire continued yesterday. The 
North Rim visitor complex remains closed to the public, but some 
concession and park employees have been allowed to return. Currently 
committed are 1,214 firefighters and overhead (+52), 39 engines (+7), 
and nine helicopters (+2).

Bandelier NM (NM) - An area command team (Meuchel) and two Type I 
incident management teams (Humphrey and Gage] are assigned to the 
Cerro Grande fire. The fire has burned 47,650 acres (+76 acres) and is 
70% (+10%) contained. Fire activity decreased yesterday. Firefighters 
began constructing line over the Caballo Mountains on the west side of 
the fire. Patrol and mop-up on the east side is underway. 
Demobilization of some resources from the fire's southern zone 
continues. Currently committed are 1,139 firefighters (-144), 12 
engines (-13), and nine helicopters (no change).

Bandelier remains closed, but may reopen as early as Saturday. Park 
staff extend their thanks for all the cards, letters and email 
messages of support and encouragement that you have sent to them. The 
Intermountain-Midwest incident management team, special events team 
and critical incident stress team remain in the area to support staff 
and park operations. The IMT is now based in the park and will remain 
there until further notice. Team members can be reached at 
505-672-3861 x 511/514. They can deliver messages to anyone else 
detailed to the park in support of "Operation Apoyo (Support)."

Secretary Babbitt held a news conference yesterday and released the 
preliminary findings of the fire investigation. The complete report 
and supporting documentation have been posted to the NPS web page at 
www.nps.gov/cerrogrande. The key section of the reports executive 
summary follows:

"The Fire Investigation Team concludes that federal personnel failed 
to properly plan and implement the Upper Frijoles Prescribed Fire, 
which became known as the Cerro Grande Prescribed Fire. Throughout the 
planning and implementation, critical mistakes were made.  Government 
officials failed:  

o       To utilize the correct National Park Service complexity 
        analysis process. 
o       To provide substantive review of the prescribed fire plan 
        before it was approved. 
o       To evaluate conditions adjacent to the prescribed fire 
        boundary with regards to fire behavior, fuel conditions, and 
        public safety in the event the fire crossed the planning       
        boundaries. 
o       To complete and document the onsite review of critical 
        conditions identified in the prescribed fire plan prior to 
        ignition. 
o       To provide adequate contingency resources to successfully 
        suppress the fire. 
o       To provide any wind predictions in the 3-5 day forecast for 
        the periods of May 7 to May 9. 
o       To follow safety policies for firefighters and the public. 

"The investigation team believes that the Federal Wildland Fire Policy 
is sound; however, the success of the policy depends upon strict 
adherence to the implementation actions throughout every agency and at 
every level for it to be effective. 

"The Cerro Grande Prescribed Fire Investigation Report will be 
provided to an Independent Review Board, which will review the team's 
findings and recommendations."

Director Stanton has released a statement on these findings:

"I appreciate the work of the Interagency Fire Investigative Team 
headed by Tom Lonnie, Bureau of Land Management Deputy State Director 
for Montana.  The report raises a number of serious issues, including 
concerns about the proper implementation of existing policy.  I intend 
to work with Secretary Babbitt and the other administrators of land 
managing agencies to take all appropriate actions to ensure there is 
no repeat of this tragedy in the future.

"The Independent Review Board will now review the report and make its 
recommendations.  Currently, the interagency Burned Area Emergency 
Rehabilitation Team, which includes National Park Service employees, 
has begun a preliminary assessment and rehabilitation of the fire 
area.

"The National Park Service will continue to do all that it can to help 
the citizens of Los Alamos to cope with the effects of the fire and 
the rebuilding of the community."

SIGNIFICANT NON-NPS FIRES

Lincoln NF (NM) - The fire is 100% contained.

Florida State - The Carlton Reserve fire (formerly the Flowers fire) 
has burned 5,650 acres and is 50% contained. I-75 has been reopened.

OUTLOOK

NICC has posted a FIRE WEATHER WATCH for low relative humidity in 
northeast and central Florida today.

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 5/19; Larry Frederick, IO, 
ARM, 5/18; NPS Web Page, 5/18]

CULTURAL/NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Submission pending.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Facility Management Software Update - Progress continues on 
implementation of the pilot facility management plan program and its 
components. In April, project managers focused on continued testing of 
Maximo software in pilot parks, implementation of Maximo version 4.03 
on-line for pilot parks, preparations for installing user restrictions 
on the software and database, consultation with pilot park users, and 
planning for additional personnel to assist in management of the 
project.  Thirty pilot parks across the Service are now using the 
software system on-line and are providing feedback for further 
refinements. For additional information, please visit the new sections 
on the facility management program web page, now at a NEW address: 
http://pfmd.nps.gov/FacMgmt/, or send a cc:Mail message to NPS 
Facility Management Plan. [Betsy Dodson, NATC]

MEMORANDA

"The Access Partners Program with the Telephone Pioneers of America," 
signed on May 1st and sent to all regional directors and park 
superintendents. The text follows:

"The purpose of this memorandum is to remind you of the long standing 
Cooperative Agreement that the National Park Service (NPS) has with 
the Telephone Pioneers of America (TPA). The TPA is the world's 
largest industry related volunteer organization. They have over 120 
chapters throughout the United States and Canada and enlist over 
800,000 current and retired telephone company employees who serve as 
volunteers in a wide range of projects and programs dedicated to 
serving others. 

"The Access Partners Program was initiated in order to create a 
partnership whereby the vast voluntary resources of the TPA could be 
utilized by the NPS to help improve accessibility in  parks to people 
with disabilities.  Projects have included the building of accessible 
trails, picnic areas, campgrounds and beach areas, as well as the 
installation of telecommunication devices and assistive listening 
systems for visitors who are blind and hearing impaired.  Over the 
years, TPA has assisted the NPS in 150 projects in over 100 national 
parks.

"At the present time, considerable effort is being directed toward 
identifying and correcting accessibility barriers throughout the NPS.  
However, in recent months efforts have slowed in contacting local TPA 
chapters to actively seek the assistance they can provide.  To 
generate 'new life' into this partnership effort, and to take 
advantage of the expertise the TPA organization has to offer, we 
encourage each park to review your ongoing efforts and to identify 
possible accessibility projects in which the TPA could assist. 

"We would like to set a goal of having at least one new project in 
each region initiated this calendar year.  If you need more 
information on the Access Partners Program or assistance in locating 
the chapter closest to you, please contact Tom Coleman, Park Facility 
Management Division, Accessibility Management Program, at 
202/565-1256."
  
INTERCHANGE

Whiskeytown NRA (CA) - The park is developing policies and guidelines 
on use of ATV's in the park. If your park has a written policy on 
ATV's - particularly if it includes sections on certification or 
required training for users - please send it along via cc:Mail to 
Sheri Slavens via cc:Mail or mail it to her at NPS, PO Box 188, 
Whiskeytown, CA 96095. They'd also appreciate any comments or 
suggestions, training tools, videos, etc.

PARKS AND PEOPLE

No submissions.

                            *  *  *  *  *

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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