NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Friday, December 29, 2000

ALMANAC

On this date in 1808, Andrew Johnson, Abraham Lincoln's successor as 
president, was born in Raleigh, North Carolina. Andrew Johnson 
National Historic Site in Greeneville, Tennessee, contains two of his 
later homes, his tailor shop, and his grave.

INCIDENTS

00-771 - Chickasaw NRA (OK) - Follow-up: Major Winter Storm

The ice storm that struck the central part of the country earlier this 
week and caused the closure of Hot Springs NP has also had a 
significant impact on Chickasaw NRA. The park has been completely 
closed until damage and hazardous conditions can be assessed and 
mitigated.  Many, if not all, of the park's trees collected large 
amounts of ice and fell or suffered limb damage. Many trees and limbs 
fell on the state highway that runs through the park, but it remains 
open due to the extensive efforts of park employees. It appears at 
present that no park structures have been damaged; a complete damage 
assessment will be completed when park roads and trails become safely 
accessible.  Major road and trail blockage is known to have occurred.  
No injuries have been reported within the park. The park and 
neighboring cities are without power. The park's telephones and email 
systems are also out. It's not yet known when any of these services 
will be restored. Highs are expected to remain in the mid 30s over the 
next few days, with lows in the teens. Park employees have suffered no 
personal structure losses, but are coping with one of the worst ice 
storms many life-long residents can remember.  Area shelters have been 
opened to help care for those without heat, water, or food.  Park 
staff continue to work with county and city officials to care for 
employees and residents and make the area as safe as possible. Park 
and city employees have been working long hours providing for the 
safety of residents and clearing roads. (Mark Foust, CR, CHIC, 12/28)

00-774 - New River Gorge NR (WV) - Rescue

A 16-year-old boy fell about 50 feet while making a top rope climb at 
Junkyard Wall late on the afternoon of December 18th. He was being 
belayed by his partner when he fell unarrested from a point near the 
top of the cliff to the rocky ground below. The victim's climbing 
partner determined that he'd suffered multiple critical injuries, then 
went to a home about a half mile away to report the incident. Rangers, 
members of two volunteer fire departments, and an ambulance company 
responded and conducted a 60-foot vertical raise to the top of the 
cliff, then wheeled him on a litter to an ambulance. The entire rescue 
took about an hour and was conducted in complete darkness with 
battery-powered lights. The boy was taken to a trauma center in 
Charleston, where he was found to be suffering from a compound 
fracture of the lower leg, a possible spinal fracture, and lacerations 
to his head. Despite his severe injuries, the boy remained conscious 
and alert during the entire rescue and evacuation. He was listed in 
critical condition at the time of the report. [Rick Brown, ACR, NERI, 
12/19]

FIRE MANAGEMENT

National Fire Plan

No new information. Please check the NPS Fire Management Program 
Center web page (www.fire.nps.gov) for further information on fire 
plan projects.

Park Fires

No fires reported.

CULTURAL/NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No submissions.

INTERPRETATION AND VISITOR SERVICES

No submissions.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Management Policies - Director Stanton's memorandum on the new 
issuance of Management Policies appeared in yesterday's Morning 
Report. The following, prepared by Chick Fagan in the Policy Office, 
provides some general guidance on changes in this edition.

The new edition has four principal emphases:

o       The importance of using the parks for educational purposes;
o       The importance of demonstrating environmental leadership in 
        the parks; 
o       A focus on managing park facilities and resources in ways that 
        will sustain them for future generations of Americans to 
        enjoy; and
o       A focus on working with partners to help accomplish the NPS 
        mission.

NPS employees should look for these changes:

o       A new, unequivocal interpretation of the Organic Act which 
        says that the NPS must provide opportunities for public 
        enjoyment, but that the Service cannot allow activities that 
        would result in impairment to park resources and values.
o       Clear direction to superintendents to engage constructively in 
        protecting parks from external threats.
o       New policies addressing the impacts of noise, artificial 
        light, and odors. 
o       The absence of highly prescriptive planning zones, which are 
        replaced with a more flexible process tailored to each park's 
        needs. 
o       More emphasis on educational outreach, including web-based 
        activities.
o       More emphasis on the need to incorporate resource studies and 
        science into the decision making process.
o       Criteria (chapter 8) for judging whether a particular park use 
        should be allowed.
o       A general rule that development should go outside of parks 
        rather than within them if feasible.
o       New concessions policies based on the new concessions law and 
        regulations.
o       A more prominent focus on law enforcement (section 8.3) than 
        in the 1988 edition.

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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