NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Tuesday, July 4, 2000

ALMANAC

On this date in 1776, the Second Continental Congress adopted the 
Declaration of Independence in the Assembly Room of the Pennsylvania 
State House in Philadelphia.  Later titled Independence Hall, the 
building is part of Independence National Historical Park.

INCIDENTS

00-329 - Gettysburg NMP (PA) - Special Event: Tower Demolition

The 307-foot Gettysburg National Tower, a privately owned structure 
recently acquired through condemnation, was toppled by explosive 
charges at 5:03 p.m. yesterday afternoon. The event was witnessed by 
thousands throughout the battlefield and adjacent areas and followed a 
short ceremony which featured remarks by Secretary Babbitt, Director 
Stanton and others. Media coverage was extensive and included 
affiliates of most national networks. The removal of the tower, which 
USA Today yesterday called "the ugliest commercial structure ever to 
intrude on the sanctity of a national park" and likened to "the 
discarded leg of some monstrous insect," marks the beginning of an 
initiative to restore segments of the battlefield to their appearance 
in 1863. The Service's national Type I team (Skip Brooks, IC) managed 
the incident in cooperation with a number of local organizations and 
groups; a total of 151 people were committed to the incident. Two 
relatively minor injuries were reported. [Greg Stiles and Bill 
Halainen, IMT, GETT, 7/3]

00-347 - Padre Island NS (TX) - Serious Employee Injury

Ranger B.H,, 58, was struck and seriously injured by an 
allegedly drunk driver at 9 p.m. on July 1st. B.H. was working at 
the time at the park's entrance station. He had just parked his own 
vehicle on the median behind the entrance station; as he got out, he 
was struck by a vehicle driven by S.C., 47, of Corpus Christi. 
The impact caused severe trauma to B.H.'s right lower leg. S.C. 
continued down the road for about another thousand feet until his left 
front wheel fell off. A visitor used a park radio to report the 
incident immediately after it occurred. B.H. was airlifted to a 
hospital, where he underwent surgery. Surgeons were unable to repair 
the damage to his lower leg and foot and were forced to amputate below 
the knee. Messages of support can be sent to him and to his spouse Sue 
B.H., the park's chief of interpretation, via email to the park or 
care of Padre Island NS, PO Box 181300, Corpus Christi, TX 78480-1300. 
Ranger Troy Erickson was IC for the incident; supervisory ranger Tom 
Crowson is pursuing the investigation. Special thanks go to USFWS EMT 
Dean Ross, who was helping the park with EMS as a volunteer for the 
weekend and provided basic life support until B.H. was transferred 
to paramedics. [Gus Martinez, CR, PAIS, 7/2]

00-348 - Grand Canyon NP (AZ) - Felony Assault Arrest

Concession employee R.K.V., 52, was arrested on 
June 20th for felony assault after investigating rangers learned he 
had held a knife to the throat of a 28-year-old  man, then cut his 
hand.  Both were concession employees at the North Rim lodge.  The 
victim reported the incident to his supervisor, but rangers did not 
receive the report until about twenty hours later.  Park Police 
officers on detail for fire closure enforcement on the North Rim 
assisted in the 450-mile round trip transport to the jail in 
Flagstaff.  The motive for the assault is unknown, but alcohol or 
other drugs may have been a factor.  [Joel Ellis, PR, North Rim, GRCA, 
7/3]

00-349 - Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial (OH) -       
         Assist, Mass Casualty Incident

At 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 1st, a terrace floor collapsed at the Lonz 
Winery on Middle Bass Island, Ohio, less than a mile north of South 
Bass Island, where the park is located. The winery, constructed in 
1864, is a popular island attraction and was filled with holiday 
visitors.  When the four-inch-thick concrete floor gave way, 
approximately 100 people fell into a storage cellar 18 feet below. One 
person died at the scene and more than 75 people were injured.  
Personnel from as far away as Cleveland were called in to assist.  
Perry's Victory maintenance workers Dan Skoufous and Jamie Russell, 
members of the Put-in-Bay Fire Department, responded to the scene.  
Paramedic Cyndee Altoff, wife of chief ranger Gerry Altoff, was one of 
the first EMS personnel on scene and coordinated triage during the 
incident. [Ralph Moore, Superintendent, PEVI, 07/03]

                     [Additional reports pending....]

FIRE SITUATION

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level II

CURRENT SITUATION

New large fires were reported yesterday in the Great Basin and Rocky 
Mountains. Significant progress was made on other Great Basin fires, 
but high winds contributed to substantial growth of those fires. 
Lightning storms led to moderate initial attack in portions of the 
Great Basin, Rockies and northern California. 

The following resources were committed nationwide as of yesterday 
(changes from Saturday's numbers in parentheses): 115 crews (- 16), 
594 overhead (- 81), 292 engines (- 70), 47 helicopters (- 8), and 
seven air tankers (- 2).

Very high to extreme fire danger indices were reported in Oregon, 
Alaska, California, Montana, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Washington, 
Wyoming and Colorado.

NPS FIRES

Hawaii Volcanoes NP (HI) - The Broomsedge Fire has burned 1,008 acres 
and is 10% contained. Full containment was expected yesterday. A total 
of 89 people are committed to the fire.

SIGNIFICANT NON-NPS FIRES 

As noted above, progress was made on most previously reported large 
fires and no major problems were reported.

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 7/3]

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

No submissions.

                            *  *  *  *  *

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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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