NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Monday, September 18, 2000

ALMANAC

On this date in 1861, Commodore Samuel Francis Du Pont was given 
command of all Civil War naval operations on the Atlantic coast below 
North Carolina.  He soon captured Port Royal, South Carolina, and 
successfully blockaded much of the coast.  Du Pont Circle in 
Washington, D.C., part of National Capital Parks, contains a fountain 
by Daniel Chester French honoring the naval hero.

INCIDENTS

00-583 - Yellowstone NP (WY) - Follow-up on Search

Z.B., who was reported missing on the afternoon of September 14th, 
was found around 11:30 p.m. that night by his parents in a restroom at 
the Uncle Tom's parking area, about a mile west of the point where 
he'd last been seen. He was in good condition. Z.B. had been touring 
the Canyon area with his parents when they decided to take a short 
hike near Artist Point. Z.B. declined to go, and was missing when his 
parents returned. Z.B. explained to park rangers that he had gone into 
the woods and fallen asleep.  When he awoke, he looked for his parents 
but was unable to find them. He was cold, so started walking along the 
South Rim trail. He reached the restroom area at 7:30 p.m. and 
remained there until found by his parents.  Rangers had searched the 
area shortly before Z.B. was found, but saw no sign of him. 
Approximately 20 park staff and volunteers participated in the search 
operation. [Public Affairs, YELL, 9/4]

00-586 - DeSoto NM (FL) - Hurricane Gordon

The park closed until further notice at 1 p.m. on September 16th due 
to the imminent arrival of Hurricane Gordon. All on-site facilities 
were secured and public access closed down. Park personnel were 
released to prepare their homes for the storm. Paul Carson is IC. 
[Paul Carson, CR, DESO, 9/16]

00-587 - Mojave NP (CA) - Suicide

The engineer on a Union Pacific freight train spotted a body on the 
railroad tracks between the towns of Cima and Kelso on September 5th 
and reported the discovery to a Union Pacific special agent. The agent 
in turn notified the park. Ranger Sean Isham and assistant chief 
ranger Chris Jefferson investigated. While Isham and the agent 
photographed the body, Jefferson checked out a report of an abandoned 
vehicle a quarter mile away. County deputies had found a Chevrolet 
pick-up with Arizona plates parked facing west in the eastbound lane 
of the Kelso-Cima Road - doors unlocked, keys in the ignition, and 
motor running. Personal items, food, tools and a suicide note were 
found on the front seat. The picture on the license found in the 
truck's cab matched the man on the tracks. The incident closed the 
rail line for five hours until the coroner arrived and released the 
body. [Chris Jefferson, ACT, MOJA, 9/5]

                 [Additional reports pending.,..]

FIRE SITUATION

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level III

CURRENT SITUATION

Thirteen new large fires were reported; eight others were contained. 
Initial attack was moderate in the South and light elsewhere. 

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

The following resources were committed nationwide as of yesterday 
(changes from Friday's numbers in parentheses): 133 crews (+ 31), 
1,171 overhead (- 77), 379 engines (+ 128), and 68 helicopters (+ 5).

NPS AND NPS-RELATED FIRES

No reports.

OUTLOOK

NICC has issued a RED FLAG WARNING for ridge top winds of 20 mph and 
daytime humidity of 15% for the Siskiyou NF in southwest Oregon, and 
three FIRE WEATHER WATCHES - the first for low humidity in parts of 
Mississippi, the second for hot, dry conditions and breezy north to 
east winds for parts of northern and central California, and the third 
for strong gusty winds for northwest South Dakota, north central 
Wyoming, and south central, southeast and northeast Montana.

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 9/18]

CULTURAL/NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No submissions.

INTERPRETATION AND VISITOR SERVICES

No submissions.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Submission pending.

MEMORANDA

No submissions.

INTERCHANGE

No submissions.

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Lake Mead NRA (NV/AZ) - Superintendent Alan O'Neill will retire on 
October 3rd. Alan joined the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation in 1966 and 
moved to the NPS when the agencies merged in the early 1980s. He 
became assistant superintendent at Glacier NP in 1982, then moved to 
Lake Mead in 1987. A retirement party will be held on October 21st. A 
scrapbook is being put together with photos, memorabilia and notes and 
letters. Please send any contributions you might have to Bobbie 
Antonich, Lake Mead NRA, 601 Nevada Highway, Boulder City, NV 89005. 
They should be submitted before October 1st.

                            *  *  *  *  *

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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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