NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Friday, June 30, 2000

ALMANAC

On this date in 1831, Lt. Robert E. Lee married Mary Custis, a 
great-granddaughter of Martha Washington, at Arlington, her parents' 
home overlooking Washington, DC.  It is now designated Arlington 
House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial.

INCIDENTS

00-325 - Joshua Tree NP (CA) - Bee Attack

Four hikers were attacked by a swarm of bees on Sunday, June 25th, at 
the Negropolis Formation, about four miles from the park's west 
entrance station.  Hundreds of bees swarmed the men as they ran almost 
300 yards through very rough terrain to their vehicle. Two of the men 
were seriously injured, receiving well over 100 bee stings; each of 
the four victims was stung over 25 times. One of the men also broke 
his leg while fleeing the attack. The men managed to drive themselves 
to a local area hospital, two of them suffering from partial 
respiratory compromise due to massive swelling in the neck. Several 
bees were collected from the victims and will be tested to determine 
if they were Africanized honey bees.  A temporary closure of the area 
in the immediate vicinity of the attack will be in effect until 
further notice. Ranger Terry Olsson is leading the investigation. 
[Patrick Suddath, DR, JOTR, 6/25]

00-326 - Gateway NRA (NJ/NY) - Rescue

On June 11th, chief lifeguard Tom McLoughlin, assistant chief 
lifeguard David Pierson and EMT Mike Toomey were engaged in 
administrative work prior to the start of the summer season when they 
received a report of two people in trouble on rafts in the ocean about 
200 yards off  the Area D beach. McLoughlin paddled out to them on a 
rescue board; Pierson followed with a torpedo buoy. When they reached 
the pair, two other people on a second raft called to the lifeguards 
and said that they couldn't make it back to shore due to the strong 
offshore winds. McLoughlin and Pierson towed all four to shore. [Tadgh 
McNamee, CR, Sandy Hook Unit, GATE, 6/27]

00-327 - National Capital Parks (DC) - MVA with Fatality

Park Police officers investigated a fatal motorcycle accident during 
the early morning hours of June 24th. The operator was traveling the 
wrong way on a one-way street at Haines Point. As he approached the 
entrance, he encountered an on-coming vehicle, veered around it, lost 
control of the motorcycle, skidded and struck a concrete barrier. Both 
the male operator and his female passenger sustained serious injuries 
and were flown by helicopter to a local hospital. The passenger was 
pronounced dead at Washington Hospital Center; the operator is listed 
in guarded condition. [Sgt. R. MacLean, USPP, NCR, 6/26]

00-328 - Virgin Islands NP (VI) - Drowning

F.M., 40, of Mt. Laurel, New Jersey, was snorkeling in the 
area of Watermelon Cay  on St. John around noon on June 26th when he 
went under. Friends pulled him to shore and immediately began CPR, 
with other visitors providing assistance. Rangers Dan Jenner and Troy 
Williams transported F.M. by patrol boat to Leinster Bay trailhead, 
where EMS units were waiting. CPR was continued to St. John Clinic, 
where he was later pronounced dead. An autopsy will be performed to 
determine the cause of the drowning. [Schuler Brown, CR, VIIS, 6/27]

                  [Additional reports pending....]

FIRE SITUATION

The fire report will not appear today, as the Morning Report is being 
released prior to the daily posting of the NICC situation report.

CULTURAL/NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No submissions.

INTERPRETATION AND VISITOR SERVICES

No submissions.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

No submissions.

MEMORANDA

No submissions.

INTERCHANGE

No submissions.

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Indiana Dunes NL (IN) - Mary "Dori" Partsch is retiring on July 1st 
after more than 30 years with the National Park Service.  She began 
her career in September, 1969, at the Bertrand Conservation 
Laboratory, then went to Mesa Verde NP in 1973 as a museum technician. 
 Five years later she moved to Cape Cod NS as the park's curator.  
Dori has been curator/historian at INDU since 1987.  [Al Nash, INDU]

                            *  *  *  *  *

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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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