NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Friday, June 23, 2000

ALMANAC

On this date in 1858, Captain Nathaniel Lyon took command of a 
detachment of soldiers from the 2nd Infantry and 3rd Artillery 
regiments at Fort Scott to restore law and order during the chaos of 
"Bleeding Kansas."  Fort Scott National Historic Site, Kansas, 
interprets the strife between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions.

INCIDENTS

00-299 - Denali NP (AK) - Follow-up: Plane Crash, Employee Fatalities

No additional information is yet available on the cause of the crash, 
funeral arrangements or other related matters. Such information will 
be posted as soon as it's received. One correction has been sent 
regarding the addresses for sending condolences. Condolences to the 
family of volunteer ranger Brian Reagan should be sent to John and Ann 
Reagan, 11005 West Cameo, Sun City, AZ 85351. [Jane Tranel, PIO, DENA, 
6/22]

00-307 - Gateway NRA (NJ/NY) - Strong-Arm Robberies, Arrests

Park Police officers were flagged down just before 1 a.m. on June 14th 
by Thomas Adrian, 37, of Brooklyn, who said he'd been robbed and 
assaulted by a group of six youths. Further investigation revealed 
that there'd been three such incidents at that location within the 
hour. Adrian was the victim in the first incident, in which he was 
accosted by the group along a park trail. When he told them that he 
had no money, he was struck on the head with a bottle, and jewelry and 
keys were forcibly taken from him. Shortly thereafter, 55-year-old 
Osvaldo Ditomaso, also of Brooklyn, was similarly confronted. The 
youths took his jewelry and car keys and demanded to know which 
vehicle in the parking lot was his. When he refused to tell them, he 
was struck on the head with a bottle and his right eye was cut. The 
group then approached Y.K., 19, and T.D., 20, 
who were sitting in their parked vehicle in the adjacent parking lot. 
Once again, the youths demanded cash and jewelry; Y.K. and 
T.D. complied. The area was canvassed for suspects and two 
juveniles were contacted within a mile of the attacks. Both had blood 
on their clothing and items stolen from the four people in their 
possession. The victims positively identified their assailants. The 
state will prosecute, and the youths were placed in a juvenile 
facility pending filing of charges. The victims were taken to a 
hospital for treatment. [Lt. John Marigliano, GATE, 6/15]

00-308 - Grand Canyon NP (AZ) - Rescue

Park dispatch received a satellite phone call from Arizona Raft 
Adventures around noon on June 12th, reporting that one of their 
30-foot motor rigs had wrapped up on rocks below Crystal Rapids. The 
raft's prop had evidently shattered when it hit a rock on the upper 
portion of the rapid; the raft then drifted into the rocks. The park 
helicopter was diverted to the scene from a lower priority mission. 
Rangers found that the raft was stuck among several large rocks in the 
middle of the river, but that it was in a stable position and that 
none of the 17 persons on board was injured. The river flow at the 
time was a constant 8,000 cubic feet per second. A short-haul 
operation was deemed the most expeditious method for extracting 
passengers and crew. Two rescuers were short-hauled to the raft, where 
they briefed and rigged the passengers, who were then lifted to shore. 
They were flown from the bank to the South Rim by a helicopter that 
had been  assigned to the Outlet Fire. Salvage operations were to be 
attempted by company personnel under the supervision of rangers. The 
river flow is projected to continue at 8,000 cfs through the summer; 
similar incidents are therefore anticipated. [Bil Vandergraff, GRCA, 
6/14]

                    [Additional reports pending....]

FIRE SITUATION

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level II

The preparedness level has gone DOWN one step.  Preparedness Level II 
goes into effect when the following conditions are met: One geographic 
area experiencing high fire danger.  Numerous Class A, B, and C fires 
occurring and the potential exists for escapes to larger (project) 
fires.  Minimal mobilization of resources from other geographic areas 
occurring.  The potential exists for mobilizing additional resources 
from other geographic areas. 

CURRENT SITUATION

New large fires were reported in the Northwest, South and southern 
California. Initial attack increased in several areas. 

The following resources were committed nationwide as of yesterday 
(changes from yesterday's numbers in parentheses): 51 crews (- 20), 
394 overhead (- 73), 79 engines (- 52), 38 helicopters (+ 2), and two 
air tankers (- 1).

Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in Arizona, New 
Mexico, Nevada, Utah, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, and 
Mississippi.

NPS FIRES

No reports. 

SIGNIFICANT NON-NPS FIRES 

No significant fires.

OUTLOOK

No fire weather warnings or watches have been issued.

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 6/23]

CULTURAL/NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No submissions.

INTERPRETATION AND VISITOR SERVICES

No submissions.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

RM-53 - RM-53, the reference manual on special park uses, was 
published in double-sided hard copy only, with one copy sent to each 
park in the system. Further duplication and dissemination in-house are 
to be done at the park. There were several reasons for this decision, 
not the least of which was the sheer bulk of the numerous document 
files, making them to awkward to transmit electronically, even when 
zipped. Although that policy has not changed., Ranger Activities will 
now be providing electronic versions on CD per field request. If you 
would like a copy, please send an email message to either Tarsha 
Edwards or Diane Burton in RAD/WASO and ask for the RM-53 CD. Please 
provide a name and full mailing address. A signed copy of DO-53 is 
also included on the CD. The files are all in Word 97 for Windows 98. 
Only a limited number of copies have been made for the initial mailing 
in order to first determine the degree of demand. If the number of 
requests exceeds the supply on hand, there will be a short delay will 
more are made. If possible, please limit yourself to local 
reproduction and dissemination of the hard copy already sent to your 
park. If you have any questions, contact Dick Young at 757-898-7846. 
[RAD/WASO]

MEMORANDA

No submissions.

INTERCHANGE

No submissions.

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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