NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Thursday, April 19, 2001

INCIDENTS

01-150 - Grand Canyon (AZ) - Structural Fire Response

Security staff from AMFAC, the park's concessioner, reported the 
activation of a smoke alarm in the Thunderbird Lodge around 8:30 p.m. 
on April 10th. The first personnel to arrive found smoke in one 
guestroom and evacuated the two-story complex. Several emergency 
units, including two engines and an ambulance, responded with more 
than fifteen personnel. Although the smoke quickly dissipated, it took 
almost an hour to ensure there were no other points of ignition or 
fire in the 1960's structure. During that time, numerous visitors 
tried to re-enter their rooms because they could not see any smoke or 
fire. Investigators found two sources of ignition within the room - 
the occupants had placed a dyed leather suitcase directly against one 
heater and a second electric heater had been damaged, causing the 
elements to contact the room carpeting. Because of snowy conditions 
and cold weather, the room's occupants had left both heaters on high 
while out for dinner. [Patrick Hattaway, DR/IC, South Rim District, 
GRCA, 4/17]

01-151 - Zion NP (UT) - Multiple Rescues

Park staff conducted three rescues on Saturday, April 14th. At 9:30 
a.m., two park teams were called out to rescue a group of visitors 
stranded on the "Subway" canyoneering route. A party of ten had begun 
a day trip on the route the previous day. After traveling about 
halfway into the slot cabin, they realized that they were unprepared 
for the technical and water obstacles that they were encountering. 
Eight of them decided to wait for rescue, while two others continued 
on. The two exited the drainage the next morning and contacted park 
dispatch. The rescue teams entered the upper and lower sections of the 
canyon, and the upper team contacted the group around 2 p.m. Members 
of the two teams assisted them through the remainder of the canyon, 
exiting around 8 p.m. There were no injuries. Ranger Cindy Purcell was 
ops chief. While this rescue was underway, dispatch received a report 
that a person had fallen 100 feet while climbing off-trail near 
Emerald Pools. Responding rescue personnel found a 17-year-old boy 
with significant trauma injuries adjacent to the trail. He'd been 
climbing up from the lower pool to the middle pool when he pulled a 
rock loose and fell backwards. He was stabilized by park medic Rick 
DeLappe and Springdale EMS personnel, then carried on a litter to a 
waiting ambulance. The ambulance met a medivac helicopter about ten 
miles outside of the park and flew the boy to the UMC Trauma Center in 
Las Vegas.  Ranger Ray O'Neil was ops chief on this incident. While 
personnel were engaged in this operation, they found that the boy's 
13-year-old brother, who had been climbing with him, had become 
stranded on a ledge. Park SAR team members rappelled down to the boy, 
secured him to a lowering system, then lowered him to the ground. He 
was uninjured. Ranger Scott Cooper was operations chief. [Chuck 
Passek, ZION, 4/15]

01-152 - Cape Hatteras NS (NC) - Serious Visitor Injury

T.H., 21, of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, checked into Frisco 
Campground on Friday, April 13th, and was told by campground staff and 
LE ranger Mark White that he could not legally use his ATV on park 
beaches. T.H. nonetheless drove his ATV onto the beach around 11 p.m. 
on April 14th. There he met R.H., 31, of Frisco, who was with 
some friends, and gave her a ride. Just before midnight, White was 
notified that T.H. had flipped his ATV and that both he and R.H. had 
been thrown from the vehicle. Although T.H. was relatively unhurt, 
R.H. had been knocked unconscious. A friend of T.H. came upon the 
accident in a four-wheel-drive vehicle; he and T.H. transported R.H. 
back to her friends, who summoned an ambulance from Hatteras Medical 
Center. She was flown from there to Norfolk General Hospital, where 
she was still in a coma at the time of the report. Investigation 
showed extensive damage to dunes and dune vegetation from the ATV.  
Alcohol appears to have been a contributing factor. T.H. was charged 
with reckless driving, destruction of natural resources, and operating 
an ATV without proper licensing. White is the investigating ranger.  
[CRO, CAHA, 4/16]

01-153 - Oklahoma City NM (OK) - Special Event

On Tuesday, April 10th, attorney general John Ashcroft visited the 
park while on a trip to Oklahoma City to meet with family members and 
survivors of the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building to discuss the 
execution of Timothy McVeigh. Protection for the attorney general's 
visit was coordinated by the FBI; support was provided by the NPS and 
city police. Major national media attention was received on that day 
and continues. Media coverage at the park continues to be managed by 
the Memorial Trust in cooperation with the NPS and Oklahoma City.  The 
Memorial Center was closed until noon, but only minimal visitor 
inconveniences occurred. Governor Frank Keating accompanied the 
attorney general while in the park. [Superintendent, OKCI, 4/13]

                   [Additional reports pending....]

FIRE MANAGEMENT

National Fire Plan

The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) is responding to an 
increase in media inquiries regarding the upcoming fire season and the 
National Fire Plan. Over the past two weeks, NIFC staff have been 
interviewed by reporters from CNN, ABC, National Public Radio, US News 
and World Report, the Idaho Statesman, the Christian Science Monitor, 
and the Associated Press.  Celebrity Ice T will record a five-minute 
piece on smoke jumper training for the UPN program "Beyond Tough." 
C-Span is working on a live broadcast from the center which will 
highlight NIFC's fire program. Barry Serafin of ABC News will visit 
NIFC during the first week in May to cover the fire season and 
National Fire Plan.

Everglades NP will be hiring 15 permanent full-time and permanent 
subject-to-furlough employees for various fire positions. Vacancies 
include three GS-7 permanent full-time engine captain positions, three 
GS-6 permanent full-time engine foreman positions, five GS-5 permanent 
full-time firefighter positions (to work on those engines), and GS-6 
and GS-5 permanent subject-to-furlough (40 weeks per year) helitack 
positions. The Service has obtained direct hiring authority for these 
positions. The vacancy announcements are posted on the web at 
www.nps.gov/fire/jobs .

Park Fires

Everglades NP (FL) - No new fires, but one of the park's engines 
responded on Tuesday to a request from the state for assistance on a 
fire that burned 25 acres east of the park. The fire burned in light 
fuels and a dense stand of Brazilian pepper trees near several 
agricultural fields. A red flag warning for low humidity was posted 
for the park yesterday.

Park Fire Danger

High            Everglades NP

[Debee Schwarz, NPS Fire Information, WASO; NPS Situation Summary 
Report, 4/18]

CULTURAL/NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Olympic NP (WA) - Lake Protection and Rehabilitation

On April 13th, ranger Dan Pontbriand and maintenance foreman Paul 
Seyler, members of the park's dive team, traveled to Lake Chelan NRA 
(administered by North Cascades NP) to assist in a number of tasks. 
Divers were asked to repair and replace anchors, anchor chains, 
cables, and aids-to-navigation buoys that were in poor condition. 
Divers repaired and replaced four buoys in waters near Stehekin. Water 
depths were up to 80 feet, with 75 water foot visibility and 40 degree 
water temperatures. Divers also conducted an underwater clean-up 
operation of the public dock areas and removed many old tires, 
batteries, coolers, boat parts and personal belongings. Several 
hundred pounds of junk were brought to the surface for disposal. The 
Olympic National Park dive team consists of six rangers, three 
biological technicians, a maintenance foreman, a local game warden, 
and two volunteers.  Olympic divers have recently been working with 
local county agents identifying various species of milfoil in lakes in 
and around the park.  Other projects include continued support of the 
Elwha River restoration project and protection of water quality in 
Lake Crescent and Lake Ozette.  [Dan Pontbriand, Dive Officer, OLYM]

OPERATIONAL NOTES

DO-26 - DO-26 on youth programs is now out for a 60-day review. This 
is the first director's order written for youth programs, so there is 
ample opportunity to have an impact on the final product. [Max 
Lockwood, WASO]

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Saguaro NP (AZ) - Dwight Stinson, a 37-year veteran with the National 
Park Service, passed away on April 13th. Dwight began his 
distinguished NPS career in 1960 at Antietam and subsequently worked 
at Pea Ridge, Bents Old Fort, Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania, Harper's 
Ferry and C&O Canal. He retired in October, 1997. On April 16th, a 
memorial service was held at the family 's home in Funkstown, 
Maryland. Dwight is survived by his wife, Peggy, four sons, five 
daughters, one stepson and three stepdaughters. His son Robert Stinson 
is a second-generation park ranger and is currently a district ranger 
at Saguaro NP.  Condolences can be sent to Peggy Stinson and Family, 
P.O. Box 656, Funkstown, MD 21734.  Donations may be made to the 
Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, Grand Central 
Station, P.O. Box 4777, New York, NY 10163.  (Paula Nasiatka, SAGU)

ADDITIONAL SECTIONS

Regular sections not appearing today but available at all times for 
submissions:

Interpretation/Visitor Services - Significant developments in these 
fields.
Memoranda - Memoranda from WASO to the field on all operational 
matters.
Interchange - Requests or offers from any park or office for 
materials, information or any other operational needs.
Hot Links - Web addresses for NPS-related sites.
Film at 11 - Reports on current or upcoming print or electronic media 
stories on the NPS.

                            *  *  *  *  *

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.

                             --- ### ---