NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Wednesday, July 5, 2000

ALMANAC

On this date in 1787, a committee of the Constitutional Convention 
reported a compromise proposed by Roger Sherman of Connecticut on the 
issue of how many votes each state would have in Congress:  states 
would be represented by population in the first house and would have 
equal votes in the second house.  The convention met in Independence 
Hall in what is now Independence National Historical Park.

INCIDENTS

00-350 - Joshua Tree NP (CA) - Rescue

On the evening of June 23rd, rangers were notified that two people had 
suffered serious injuries in a fall in the Jumbo Rocks campground 
area. Ranger Kathy Krisko was the first to arrive on scene. She found 
that S.C., 19, and B.O., 20, were at the bottom of 
a deep crevasse between two large rock formations, one lying on top of 
the other. Both men are Marines stationed at the 29 Palms Marine Corps 
Base. They'd fallen over 50 feet and were wedged into a crack that was 
less than four feet wide and had steep walls that were between six and 
15 feet high. Krisko had to chimney down to reach the two men. Rescue 
efforts were hindered by difficult terrain and darkness. Once S.C. 
and B.O. were stabilized, they were evacuated through small openings 
and down unstable slopes. Several of their Marine Corps companions, 
other campers and local fire department personnel assisted in the 
effort. The two men had suffered multiple injuries and were flown to 
the regional trauma center in Palm Springs. At the time of the report, 
one was still in critical condition. They had been scrambling on the 
large rock formations above Jumbo Rocks when B.O. slipped, probably 
due to extremely inappropriate footwear. S.C. attempted to catch 
him, but was pulled off the rock and landed on top of B.O. Ranger 
John Evans was IC. [Patrick Suddath, DR, JOTR, 6/24]

00-351 - Independence NHP (PA) - Special Event: Presidential Visit

President Clinton visited the park on Friday, June 30th, to sign the 
Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act. After the 
signing the bill in the traditional manner during a webcast from the 
west wing of Independence Hall, the President electronically "signed" 
the bill before an audience in historic Congress Hall to demonstrate 
the new electronic signature technology that Americans will be able to 
use to sign legally binding contracts on-line. 
[Phil Sheridan, PAO, INDE, 7/3]

                   [Additional reports pending....]

FIRE SITUATION

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level II

CURRENT SITUATION

Initial attack and large fire activity increased in the Rockies on 
Monday. New large fires were also reported in the northern Rockies, 
southern California, the eastern Great Basin and the Southwest.

The following resources were committed nationwide as of yesterday 
(changes from yesterday'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 Colorado, 
Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Oregon, Alaska, California, South 
Dakota, Arizona, and New Mexico.

NPS FIRES

Bandelier NM (NM) - On Monday, July 2nd, a National Park Service Type 
II fire crew, comprised of employees from various western and midwest 
parks, joined crews and teams assigned to the fire. The crew is 
focusing on BAER projects and will be on assignment there for two 
weeks. The Intermountain-Midwest all-risk management team (Ziemann, 
IC) was assigned to the fire on June 21st and continues to manage fire 
rehab efforts and provide initial attack locally. The team is rotating 
out overhead personnel and bringing in other team members to provide 
continuity. Thanks go out to all parks and FMOs who worked diligently 
over the weekend to assemble an NPS crew. 

Dinosaur NM (CO) - A Type II team has been assigned to the 4,000-acre 
Buster Flats Fire. This fire is burning in pinyon pine and juniper 70 
miles west of Craig.  Gusty winds, rugged terrain and low humidity 
contributed to the rapid spread of the fire.  Several campgrounds in 
the area have been evacuated as a precaution.  The cause of the fire 
is under investigation.

Hawaii Volcanoes NP (HI) - The Broomsedge Fire has burned 1,008 acres 
and is now 50% contained. Crews constructed a mile of fire line on 
Monday.

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 7/4; Larry Frederick, IO, 
Cerro Grande IMT, 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.

                            *  *  *  *  *

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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