NPS Morning Report - Tuesday, July 23, 2002


                           NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                              MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Tuesday, July 23, 2002

INCIDENTS

02-186 - Yellowstone NP (WY/MT) - Follow-up: Attempted Murder

A number of intoxicated people got into a verbal altercation on Front
Street in Gardiner, Montana, just within park boundaries, around 12:30 a.m.
on May 21st. Two of them then got into a pickup and accelerated out of the
area. According to several witnesses, the driver, R.N.,
intentionally drove toward three men who were walking back toward a bar,
running over J.G. After hitting J.G., R.N. reportedly
turned the truck around and ran over him again, severely injuring him.
Rangers intercepted the truck and arrested R.N.. On July 17th, a federal
grand jury in Wyoming delivered a true bill and indicted R.N. on two
felony counts of  violation of 18 USC sections on assault with intent
commit murder and assault causing grave bodily injury. He remains in
federal custody pending trial. NPS special agent Chris Fors is the case
agent. [Brian Smith, SSA, YELL, 7/17]

02-323 - Obed W&SR (TN) - Follow-up: Oil Spill and Fire

The oil well that caught fire on July 20th continues to burn. The well is
about 200 yards from the park boundary. The fire also sparked a ten-acre
blaze that has been contained. Fuel moistures in the area are high, which
has kept the fire from spreading. Park staff and a ten-person Job Corps
crew will be completing and improving fire lines and felling snags along
the line today. Coast Guard and EPA hazmat teams and a special oil well
fire crew are on site. Oil storage tanks that were on site have been
removed to prevent the possibility of additional explosions. It's estimated
that 1,000 gallons of oil have spilled into the river within the park. Oil
absorbing booms are in place to keep additional oil from reaching the
river. The fire continues to burn off much of the oil.  An attempt was to
be made yesterday to extinguish the oil fire and cap the well. The EPA was
to take over operations yesterday from the state of Tennessee. (F. Graham,
CR, BISO, 7/22; Ken Garvin, FMO, SERO, 7/22)

03-328 - Andrew Johnson NHS (TN) - Death of Employee

Park maintenance laborer Charles M. Wright, 67, died of cancer early on the
morning of Monday, July 22nd. Charles had been diagnosed with cancer last
December. He passed away at Takoma Hospital in Greeneville, Tennessee. He
is survived by a sister-in-law, Louise Wright, who also served for many
years as Charles' legal guardian, and by several cousins, nieces, and
nephews. A memorial service is scheduled for 8 p.m. on Tuesday, July 23rd,
at Kiser Funeral Home in Greeneville, with visitation immediately
preceding the service from 6 to 8 p.m.  Condolences may be sent to L.W.
Charles was first appointed to a temporary position as a laborer in May
of 1990. He was converted to a permanent intermittent appointment in
February, 2000. Charles was responsible for trimming operations within
the Andrew Johnson National Cemetery. The cemetery includes
approximately 1,200 headstones and a concrete wall that surrounds the
15-acre cemetery.  The many compliments received about the cemetery's
appearance were due in large part to his pride and hard working
attitude. His presence will be sorely missed by all of his relatives,
friends and co-workers. [Mark Corey, Superintendent, ANJO, 7/22]

03-329 - Delaware Water Gap NRA (PA/NJ) - Multiple Lives Saved

On the afternoon of July 21st, eight visitors - later identified as
F.C.-P., M.C.-P., A.C., R.C., G.P., A.P. and two toddlers - went swimming at
Bushkill launch on the Delaware River. A.P., 12, entered the river
just south of the canoe launch, swam far out from shore, and got caught in
the current. His father, G.P., and uncle, R.C., entered the
river in an attempt to rescue him. Almost immediately, all three began to
have difficulty. A.P.'s grandfather, F.C.-P., then ran down the riverbank
and jumped into the river; he attempted to swim to them, but also began
experiencing difficulty. Kevin Scheirer, an employee of a canoe livery,
heard the commotion and saw R.C. and A.P. attempting but failing to
rescue the boy. Scheirer immediately swam out to their location, grabbed
the young boy, and swam him to shore. Scheirer then swam back out and
rescued G.P. Upon reaching shore, Scheier heard screaming and
turned to see R.C.'s arms submerge. Scheirer again swam out into the river
and dove down and recovered him from the river bottom. Upon breaking the
surface, R.C. began coughing and breathing again. Scheirer then brought
him to shore. F.C.-P. made it back to shore unassisted. Scheirer
remained with all three until EMS personnel arrived on scene. G.P.
was treated on scene for shock and R.C. was flown to Lehigh Valley
Medical Center. He was held overnight for observation and discharged on the
following day. Scheirer's quick and selfless actions averted what would
have undoubtedly been a triple, if not quadruple, drowning. [Mike Croll,
PR, DEWA, 7/22]

[Additional reports pending. . . . ]

FIRE MANAGEMENT

National Fire Situation

Preparedness Level 5

Initial attack was heavy in northern California yesterday and light
elsewhere. Nationally, 348 new fires were reported. Four of these became
large fires; another five large fires were contained.

A battalion of Army soldiers from Fort Riley have arrived at the Monument
Fire and are beginning two days of field training.

 Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in Alaska, Arizona,
California, Colorado, Georgia, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New
Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

Priorities for large fires in the Northwest, Southwest, the Rockies and the
Great Basin are being established by the multi-agency coordinating groups
for those areas.

Two area command teams are in the field - Mann's team has been assigned to
southeast Oregon to manage the large fires there, and the Williams-Rhodes
team is assigned to management of large fires on the Malheur and Ochoco
National Forests in Oregon.

For a map showing the locations of current major fires , click on
http://www.nifc.gov/fireinfo/firemap.html ; for details on all major fires
currently burning, click on http://www.nifc.gov/news/sitreprt.pdf or
http://www.nifc.gov/fireinfo/nfn.html.

National Resource Commitments

                  Mon   Tue   Wed   Thu   Fri   Sat   Sun   Mon
Date              7/15  7/16  7/17  7/18  7/19  7/20  7/21  7/22

Crews             474   561   537   500   #     516   520   568
Engines           990   1,009 928   1,030 #     1,006 1,013 1,175
Helicopters       161   162   154   147   #     144   147   153
Air Tankers       8     2     4     2     #     5     7     13
Overhead          3,287 3,504 3,610 3,951 #     4,104 4,830 4,391
Area Commands     0     0     1     2     #     2     2     2
Type 1 IMT        7     7     9     10    #     10    11    10
Type 2 IMT        24    20    19    16    #     15    14    12
T1/T2 S/IMT *     5     6     7     7     #     4     4     4
Fire Use IMT            1     1     1     2     #     1     1     1

* Type 1 and Type 2 state incident management teams
# Information not available

National Fire Warnings and Watches

NIFC has issued a FIRE WEATHER WATCH for dry lightning in northeast Oregon,
eastern Washington and southern Washington.

Park Fire Situation

Rocky Mountain NP (CO) - Although the 4,100-acre Big Elk Fire is some
distance from the park, it has nonetheless had impacts on park staff and
operations:

•     Some park employees continue to be under mandatory evacuation orders.
•     A park engine crew participated in the initial attack response on the
Big Elk Fire and was committed to the incident for three
      days.
•     Seven park employees were assigned to the Northern Colorado Type II
crew and were involved in recovery of pieces resulting of
      the air tanker that crashed last Thursday and suppression of the
resulting fires.  All participated in a critical incident stress
      debriefing and were released from the fire.
•     Several other park employees are committed to various overhead
assignments.

A small  ICS operation (IC Joe Evans) was implemented to respond to
potential impacts to park operations and employees as a result of the fire.
To be consistent with USFS closures, a small area of the park known as Twin
Sisters was closed to all public use. The park has increased ranger patrols
to enforce the closure orders.  Fire crews, with assistance from Everglades
NP staff assigned on severity detail, are also actively patrolling for any
new ignitions.  They assisted with suppression of a small human caused fire
just outside of the park on Thursday.

Yellowstone NP (WY) - The Broad Fire has burned 9,000 acres (no change from
yesterday) and is 55% contained. Frye's Type 1 team is managing the fire;
363 firefighters and overhead are committed. The fire was relatively quiet
yesterday. Crews are constructing direct attack fire lines, mopping up and
patrolling.  Aircraft are being used in suppression operations.

All previously reported fires - except for the Broad Fire - are now
contained and in patrol status. Only one new fire has been reported since
Sunday. The Sink Fire (0.1 acre) is located in the northwest section of the
park near the park's West Boundary. An initial attack team, along with
water bucket drops, was able to suppress this lightning-caused fire
yesterday afternoon. The fire is contained and in patrol status.


Some trails and backcountry campsites have been closed near the Broad Fire,
but the Crystal Creek Trail and Yellowstone River Picnic Area Trail were
reopened yesterday. The Agate Creek Trail will reopen for public use on
Wednesday. Trails that will remain closed until further notice include:
Specimen Ridge Trail east of the Agate Creek Trail Junction, Astringent and
Pelican Creek Trails closed north of campsite 5B1, north of Fern Lake, and
1 mile north of Fern Lake Cabin, and Seven Mile Hole Trail and Washburn
Hotsprings/Spur Trail closed from the summit of Mt. Washburn to the
junction with Seven Mile Hole Trail. Visitors planning to day hike or stay
overnight in the backcountry are encouraged to call the Backcountry Office
at (307) 344-2160 for specific trail and campsite closure information and
other possible restrictions.

For a recorded message of updated fire information, call 307-344-2580.  For
fire maps and other fire information visit the park's web site at:
http://www.nps.gov/yell/technical/fire/index.htm

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 7/22-23; Public Affairs,
Yellowstone NP, 7/22; Scott Sticha, ROMO, 7/22]

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Hagerman Fossil Beds NM - The park is looking for a GS-5, GS-7 or GS-9
interpretive ranger interested in a detail from August 18th through
September 21st, with a possibility that the length of the detail may be
extended. They are looking for someone to staff and handle all operations
in a visitor center and handle some related duties. Visitation is usually
winding down during this period; after Labor Day, the visitor center goes
on winter hours - 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Thursday to Sunday. The park will
pay for base salary, travel and per diem. [Judi Hart, HAFO]

                               *  *  *  *  *

Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation
and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.

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