NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Wednesday, July 19, 2000

ALMANAC

On this date in 1848, the first women's rights convention, organized 
by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia C. Mott, met at Seneca Falls, 
New York.  Women's Rights National Historical Park includes the site 
of the meeting and Stanton's house.

INCIDENTS

00-403 - Acadia NP (ME) - Electrocution of Contract Employee

A 31-year-old subcontractor from Maryland was accidentally 
electrocuted while painting window trim at a seasonal residence on the 
afternoon of July 17th. J.C. of Germantown, Maryland, and 
a coworker were attempting to reposition an aluminum extension ladder 
when the tip contacted an overhead power line. The jolt of electricity 
knocked both men to the ground. CPR was begun almost immediately on 
J.C. by passers-by. Local EMS units and NPS paramedic Pat 
Buccello were on scene shortly and continued resuscitation attempts, 
but were unable to revive him. J.C. was pronounced dead at a 
local hospital. The accident is being jointly investigated by ranger 
Jim Grover and Mt. Desert police. Representatives from the local power 
company and OSHA are also participating in the investigation. [David 
Buccello, CR, ACAD, 7/18]

00-404 - Great Smoky Mountains NP (NC/TN) - Serious Visitor Injury

Park dispatch received a cell phone report of an injured horseback 
rider four miles from the Tremont Environmental Education Center just 
before 3 p.m. on Sunday, July 16th. Ranger/medic Ken Davis and a 
carryout crew responded and found T.M. of Sevierville 
complaining of intense pain in his abdomen and hip. MAST trousers were 
employed and T.M. received intravenous fluids and medications. 
Despite these measures, his blood pressure and other vital signs 
indicated the need for urgent action. Davis requested a helicopter 
evacuation, and a UH-600 Army Blackhawk was dispatched from Fort 
Campbell, Kentucky. The litter crew carried T.M. almost a mile to a 
landing zone, where he was winched onto the hovering ship at 8 p.m. 
and took him to the University of Tennessee Hospital. T.M.'s 
condition was upgraded from critical to guarded by Monday morning. 
[Jason Houck, CR, GRSM, 7/17]

00-405 - Blue Ridge Parkway (NC/VA) - Fatal Allergic Reaction

Park dispatch received a report of an unconscious man at the Brinegar 
Cabin historic site late on the afternoon of July 16th. The reported 
cause was a severe allergic reaction to a bee sting. Responding park 
and local EMS units found G.W., 52, of Rural Hall, North 
Carolina, in respiratory arrest, with other visitors performing CPR on 
him. Efforts to revive G.W. continued during transport to a 
hospital, but were ineffective. G.W. had no known allergy to bee 
stings. [John Garrison, Protection Specialist, BLRI, 7/17]

00-406 - Glacier NP (MT) - Grizzly Encounter; Campground Closure

An adult female grizzly and her cub were seen digging and grazing 
about 30 feet from two tents in the backcountry campground at Old Man 
Lake at 9 p.m. on July 15th. The adult demonstrated no awareness of 
humans and appeared to be preoccupied with digging and feeding. 
Campers began yelling and throwing rocks in an attempt to chase the 
bears away. After a few minutes, the adult instead approached an 
unoccupied tent and caused some minor damage. A backcountry ranger 
camped at the same location fired a round from his handgun over the 
bear's head, but this did not deter her. After a second shot, the bear 
ran a short distance, stopped, pawed the ground, then walked off in 
the direction her cub had taken. Rangers instructed all seven campers 
to break camp and leave the area and escorted them to the Two Medicine 
Ranger Station, arriving at about 1 a.m. The campground and the trail 
from Dry Fork Junction to Pitamakin Pass has been closed until further 
notice. Park officials have consulted with the Interagency Grizzly 
Bear Committee on the bear's behavior; rangers are now closely 
monitoring the area to see if she shows any aggression or other 
behavior that might indicate conditioning. The park's bear management 
guidelines differentiate between habituated and conditioned behavior.  
This bear displayed habituated behavior, which is defined as becoming 
accustomed to and frequenting developed areas, backcountry 
campgrounds, trails or roadsides but still retaining natural foraging 
behavior.  Rangers are monitoring the adult bear for signs of 
conditioned behavior, which include obtaining non-natural foods, 
destroying property, displaying aggressive behavior towards humans or 
becoming overly familiar with humans.  Conditioned behavior may lead 
to more drastic management actions, including possible removal from 
the park. [Amy Vanderbilt, PIO, GLAC, 7/17]

00-407 - Fort McHenry NM&HS (MD) - Special Events

Fort McHenry had one presidential and two vice-presidential visits 
over a four day period. On Wednesday, July 12th, Vice President Gore 
flew into the park while en route to the NAACP convention in 
Baltimore. On the 13th, President Clinton flew in to attend the same 
convention. On the 15th, the vice president again flew into the park 
while en route to meetings in Baltimore. Gore and Clinton were greeted 
by a number of federal, state, and city elected representatives and 
the park superintendent on each occasion. Park staff managed the 
events with the Secret Service and numerous federal, state, and local 
agencies. An injury accident occurred approximately 100 yards outside 
the park entrance during the vice president's visit on Saturday. A 
police motorcycle and private vehicle collided, resulting in serious 
but non-life- threatening injuries to the city officer. No other 
incidents occurred during the visits. [Rick Nolan, CR, FOMC, 7/17]

00-408 - Cape Hatteras NS (NC) - Drowning

W.J., 34, and his wife, both from Evansville, Indiana, were 
swimming in the ocean across from the pony pen on Ocracoke Island on 
the afternoon of July 17th when they began having trouble. Other 
swimmers in the area came to their aid. W.J. was brought to the beach 
on a surfboard; he was not breathing on his own, so CPR was begun and 
a 911 call was made to the park. Ranger Bill Caswell, lifeguard Kyle 
Heafner, visitor use assistant Kyle Huff and county EMS responded and 
assisted with CPR. W.J. was taken by ambulance to the Ocracoke Health 
Center, but efforts to resuscitate him proved unsuccessful. [Paul 
Stevens, Acting CR, CAHA, 7/17]

FIRE SITUATION

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level III

CURRENT SITUATION

Initial attack was moderate yesterday in the Northwest and Great 
Basin. Precipitation and higher humidity kept most new starts from 
growing rapidly. New large fires were reported in most western areas, 
but containment goals were reached on many of the large fires in 
Nevada, Idaho and Utah. A Type II team has been assigned to a staging 
area in Missoula, Montana.

The following resources were committed nationwide as of yesterday 
(changes from yesterday's numbers in parentheses): 225 crews (+ 55), 
809 overhead (+ 85), 433 engines (+ 59), 98 helicopters (+ 18), and 
nine air tankers (+ 6).

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

NPS FIRES

No significant fires reported.

SIGNIFICANT NON-NPS FIRES 

Salmon-Challis NF (ID) - Clear Creek Fire (39,166 acres, 10% 
containment, Type I team assigned): Fire spread has moderated due to 
an increase in humidity.

Payette NF (ID) - Burgdorf Junction Fire (3,100 acres, 23% 
containment, Type I team assigned): The southeast corner of the fire 
has spotted across the river. 

Winnemucca Field Office, BLM (NV) - Bilk Creek Complex (14,000 acres, 
45% containment, Type I team assigned): Extremely dry fuels and wind 
gusts from passing thunderstorm cells are challenging containment 
efforts. Ranch structures are threatened.

Winnemucca Field Office, BLM (NV) - Prince Royal Complex (13,000 
acres, 45% containment, Type II team assigned): The fires in the 
complex continued to burn actively yesterday. One is threatening a 
mine that contains two tons of explosives. 

OUTLOOK

NICC has issued a FIRE WEATHER WATCH for low relative humidity today 
in northern Alabama and inland Florida.

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 7/19]

CULTURAL/NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No submissions.

INTERPRETATION AND VISITOR SERVICES

No submissions.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

No submissions.

MEMORANDA

"Implementation of RM-57, Occupational Medical Standards," signed by 
Director Stanton on July 10th and transmitted to the directorate, 
field directorate and all superintendents. The full text follows:

"As you are aware, on March 1, 1999, I signed Director's Order 57, 
Occupational Medical Standards, Health and Fitness.  Reference Manual 
57, 'Occupational Medical Standards and Physical Fitness,' Part 1 was 
issued by Associate Directors Finnerty and Masica on April 26, 1999.

"On April 11, 2000, Associate Directors Finnerty and Masica issued a 
memorandum to clarify the implementation procedures for the 
Occupational Medical Standards.

"It has been brought to my attention that the possibility exists that 
some parks remain unclear on the date to begin implementation of the 
procedures.

"In order to alleviate any further confusion, I am directing all park 
superintendents to ensure that implementation procedures begin 
immediately for all affected employees and applicants.

"If you have questions, contact Terrie Fajardo, Chief, Staffing and 
Compensation, 202-208-6288, or Chris Andress, Chief, Rangers 
Activities Division on 202-208-4874."

INTERCHANGE

President's Park (DC) - The park is interested in hearing from any 
military parks that have metal gun carriages for a four-pound cannon 
from the Revolutionary War or War of 1812 periods. If you can help, 
contact chief ranger Philip J. Walsh at 202-208-1631 (phone), 
202-208-1643 (fax), or via cc:Mail.

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Delaware Water Gap NRA (NJ/PA) - The park is filling a vacant 
GS-401-12 GIS specialist position in its Research and Resource 
Planning Division. The incumbent serves both Delaware Water Gap NRA 
and Upper Delaware N&SR and will play a pivotal role in upcoming 
resource-based actions that require proactive resource conservation. 
Jobs such as watershed modeling and land use analysis will form the 
keystone of the GIS applications. The GIS specialist will also work 
closely with the division chief and other staff (three biologists, an 
ecologist, a planner and a wildlife specialist) to form the team 
responsible for managing the unique resources of the ninth most 
visited site in the NPS. The incumbent is also responsible for the 
program budget and supervision of two other GIS employees. Park 
housing is available if desired. The vacancy will be posted on USA 
Jobs and by OPM in Philadelphia. If interested, contact division chief 
Patrick Lynch at 570-296-6952 ext. 30.

                            *  *  *  *  *

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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