NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Wednesday, September 27, 2000

ALMANAC

On this date in 1890, President Benjamin Harrison signed legislation 
creating Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C. A wooded valley through 
the nation's capital, the park is a rare example of natural 
preservation in an urban setting.

INCIDENTS

00-611 - Golden Gate NRA (CA) - Assault on Rangers

While closing Stinson Beach on the evening of September 16th, ranger 
Norm Simons was contacted by M.M., who reported that his 
vehicle was stuck in the sand at the south end of the beach.  Simons 
found the vehicle, which had been driven about 40 yards into sand 
dunes, and saw both opened and unopened containers of alcohol inside. 
M.M. also had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath. Supervisory 
ranger Bob Cheung joined Simons and the two rangers arrested M.M. for 
public intoxication. M.M. attempted to resist by pulling away and 
kicking the rangers, but was subdued and placed in Simons' caged 
patrol car. Even though handcuffed and restrained by a seatbelt with 
shoulder harness, M.M. was able to lean back far enough to kick out 
the left rear window with his bare feet. He was put back in the car 
and his legs and feet were restrained, but again got free and 
attempted to get out of the car through the broken window. Rangers Pat 
Norton and Richard Danielsen assisted Simons and Cheung in again 
subduing M.M., but M.M. was able to kick Simons three times in the 
chest and narrowly missed kicking him in the head. He also spat on the 
rangers, made threats against them and their families, and continued 
to struggle. When put back into the vehicle, he alternated between 
hitting his head on the cage and attempting to kick out the remaining 
rear window. Park Police officers Mike Siler and Darren Battles joined 
the rangers and got M.M. into their patrol car, which has bars across 
the rear side windows. M.M. was transported to jail, where he 
complained of an injured shoulder. He was taken to Marin General 
Hospital, where he continued to make threatening remarks and kicked a 
hole in the wall of the ER. No medical problems were found. It took 
the efforts of four rangers and officers to get him back into 
handcuffs for the return to jail. Further investigation revealed that 
M.M.'s rap sheet ran to seven pages, including many similar previous 
incidents. He is currently facing a number of charges, several of them 
felonies. [Richard Danielsen, Operations Supervisor, GOGA, 9/18 and 
9/25]

00-612 - Sleeping Bear Dunes NL (MI) - Rescue

Two Ohio men were attempting to canoe the seven miles from Sleeping 
Bear Point to South Manitou Island on September 22nd when a large wave 
swamped their canoe (20-knot winds had blown up four-foot waves on the 
lake). The 44-year-old father and 19-year-old son spent four hours 
swimming in 61-degree water to the island, then hiked another mile and 
a half to the ranger station. They were treated for moderate 
hypothermia; since the father is legally blind and an insulin- 
dependent diabetic, they were both flown off the island that night. 
Both men were wearing lifejackets, which likely saved their lives. 
[Chris Johnson, DR, SLBE, 9/25]

00-613 - Ocmulgee NM (GA) - Special Event

The tenth annual Ocmulgee Indian Celebration was held in the park 
between September 15th and 17th. Over 150 American Indian participants 
performed music, danced, told stories, and demonstrated arts and 
crafts. On Friday, about 5,600 area fourth-graders attended the event; 
another 14,000 visitors attended on Saturday and Sunday. A local 
theater company presented the play "Indians" in conjunction with the 
event. Rangers and maintenance employees from Andersonville NHS 
assisted, along with one squad from the Southeast Region special 
events team. There were several minor first aid cases, two lost 
children (both quickly found), and one disorderly conduct case. Major 
event sponsors were the NPS, the Ocmulgee National Monument 
Association, and Riverside Ford of Macon, Georgia. [Guy LaChine, OCMU, 
9/25]

                   [Additional reports pending....]

FIRE SITUATION

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level II

The national preparedness level has dropped one step.

CURRENT SITUATION

One new large fire was reported in the South; two others were 
contained. Initial attack was light in all areas.

Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in Oregon, Arizona, 
Arkansas, California, Nevada, Oklahoma and Texas.

The following resources were committed nationwide as of yesterday 
(changes from Monday's numbers in parentheses): 45 crews (- 27), 518 
overhead (- 291), 58 engines (- 54), and 25 helicopters (- 8).

NPS AND NPS-RELATED FIRES

No reports.

OUTLOOK

NICC has posted a FIRE WEATHER WATCH for low fuel moisture in 
Mississippi.

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 9/27]

CULTURAL/NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No submissions.

INTERPRETATION AND VISITOR SERVICES

No submissions.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Discovery 2000 - It appears that many NPS employees are unaware that 
all the major speeches at the Discovery 2000 conference and other 
related reports are available on the web. You can still "experience" 
the conference and read some important presentations by checking 
http://www.nps.gov/discovery2000. [Jerry Rogers, IMRO]

MEMORANDA

No submissions.

INTERCHANGE

No submissions.

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Gates of the Arctic NP&P (AK) - Park ranger/pilot Jim Unruh is 
retiring after 28  years of NPS service. Jim started in 1973 as a 
seasonal, spending summers in North Cascades and winters in Death 
Valley. His last seasonal job was a Katmai in 1976. He became a 
permanent at Death Valley, then moved on to Big Bend, Denali, Great 
Basin, back to Big Bend, Capitol Reef, and, finally, Gates of the 
Arctic. Weather pending (i.e., if Jim can fly to Fairbanks), there 
will be a small retirement party on September 28th. When he returns 
home to Capitol Reef, there will be another party to fully celebrate 
his retirement. If you have any stories, pictures or fun stuff to 
share, please forward them to JoAnn Unruh at Capitol Reef. [Robyn 
Burch, YUGA)

Washington Office (DC) - Glenn Clark, Servicewide coordinator for 
cooperating associations, will retire on November 3rd after 28 years 
with the NPS. Before joining the Service in 1972, Glenn worked for the 
Bureau of Outdoor Recreation. His assignments included Lassen 
Volcanic, Pipe Spring and Virgin Islands in interpretation, and Fort 
Scott and Petersburg in management. He was regional chief of 
interpretation in Alaska for eight years and spent the last seven 
years in WASO. A folio of photos, notes and letters is being 
assembled. Please send contributions to Lynette Garner, Room 7312, 
Division of Interpretation and Education, NPS, 1849 C Street, 
Washington, DC 20240. [Bob Huggins, WASO]

                            *  *  *  *  *

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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