INCIDENTS

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02-467
White Sands National Monument (NM)
Search for Missing Visitor

While closing the park on September 9, a ranger found a rental car in an area closed to camping. He searched the area for more than two hours, but was not able to find the driver. Subsequent investigation revealed that the car had been rented to K.F., a 29-year-old Japanese citizen. A more intensive search was begun the next day, employing helicopters from the nearby White Sands Missile Range and ground searchers skilled in sign-cutting techniques. No sign of the visitor was found. Search operations continued until Saturday, September 14, at which point they were suspended for lack of clues. Search managers utilized dog teams, a Customs airplane equipped with an infrared camera, helicopters, ATV's, mounted riders, six three-person ground teams, members of the New Mexico state police SAR team, and 45 airmen from Holloman AFB. K.F.'s parents and sister were flown to the U.S. by their son's employer, Sumikin Bussan International Corporation, but have since returned to Tokyo. The vehicle has been impounded and is being processed for clues. A missing persons report has been posted on NCIC.
[Submitted by Cliff Spencer, Chief Ranger, White Sands NM]

02-468
Ozark National Scenic Riverways (MO)
Cave Rescue; Life Saved

On August 10, T.H., 39, was celebrating her upcoming birthday with a group of friends in Martin Cave, a privately-owned cave on scenic easement property near the Current River. She left the group with the intent of exiting the cave, but failed to take a light with her. T.H.'s friends heard her fall, found her lying unconscious and bleeding from the ears at the base of an eleven-foot-high drop-off, and summoned help. Ranger Kelly Knutson responded by boat and was guided to the scene. Upon receiving the report, Knutson had radioed for help from other rangers and requested an ambulance. Knutson, an EMT, found T.H. about 250 yards into the cave. He administered oxygen and directed T.H.'s friends to maintain manual stabilization while he radioed for additional help. Rangers Knutson, Brett Painter, Mark Miller, Brad Conway, Becki Bulls and Bill McKinney, visitor use assistant John Corley, and St. John's Ambulance Service paramedic Mike Abbott (the park's volunteer assistant medical director) evacuated T.H. from the cave. T.H. was then transported by a park boat to the waiting Air-Evac helicopter that had landed on a nearby gravel bar in the river. She was flown to Ozarks Medical Center in West Plains, then to St. John's Hospital in Springfield, where she underwent surgery. She remains hospitalized in critical condition. The rescue was accomplished from the extensive cave system in just over two hours, a credit to the rescuers and the support from VUA's Verena Tucker and Melissa Fleenor.
[Submitted by Larry Johnson, Chief Ranger, Ozark NSR]

02-469
Ozark National Scenic Riverways (MO)
Near Drowing; Life Saved

On August 4, 41-year-old P.S. fell from a ten- to fifteen-foot-high ledge into the Current River at the Cedargrove Bluff Hole area of the park. She did not immediately surface, so witnesses to the fall began rescue efforts. After three to five minutes, she was located in six feet of water and brought to the surface, where rescue breathing was begun by the witnesses and her husband. Ranger Mary Ficker, a certified First Responder, arrived on scene five minutes later and provided oxygen, airway management, and spinal immobilization. P.S. remained unconscious, but began responding to treatment and began breathing on her own. She was flown by air ambulance to St. John's Hospital in Springfield, where she was treated for pneumonia. She responded well to treatment and was released several days later. P.S. evidently suffered a grand mal seizure that caused her to fall. The witnesses' quick response and Ficker's medical interventions were crucial to her survival and complete recovery.
[Submitted by Larry Johnson, Chief Ranger, Ozark NSR]

02-470
Independence National Historical Park (PA)
Special Event

EPA Administrator Christie Whitman participated in a news conference on Friday, September 13, at the Independence Visitor Center to announce that the new Liberty Bell Center, currently under construction, will use 100 percent renewable energy for power. A number of VIP's attended. During the ceremony, one of the wind turbines located in western Pennsylvania was symbolically dedicated as the "Liberty Bell" turbine. The park currently draws over 10 percent of its power for park facilities from renewable energy sources.
[Submitted by Phil Sheridan, Public Affairs Officer, Independence NHP]

02-471
Perry's Victory & International Peace Memorial (OH)
Special Event

On September 7 and 8, the park held the 189th anniversary event commemorating the Battle of Lake Erie, which was a pivotal event in the War of 1812, and the subsequent international peace between Canada and the United States. The brig Niagara, a reproduction of one of the two flagships used by Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry while defeating a squadron of six British vessels, sailed to Put-in-Bay for the weekend. Other activities included a living history camp with reenactors in period costume who gave craft presentations and weapons firing demonstrations. There were also art exhibits, a parade with 2,000 participants through town, and an encampment of 1,285 Boy Scouts from five states and Canada. During a special ceremony at the new visitor center, a seven-foot by twelve-foot painting entitled "Perry Breaking the Line" was unveiled. The mural was donated by the Huntington National Bank and paid for in part by an Ohio bicentennial legacy grant. Crew members from the USS Lake Erie provided a color guard for the ceremony.
[Submitted by Ralph Moore, Superintendent, Perry's Victory ]

FIRE MANAGEMENT

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National Fire Situation

Preparedness Level 2

Initial attack continues to be light nationwide. Two of the 244 fires reported on Monday became project fires. One large fire was contained.

Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in the following states: California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington and Wyoming.

National Resource Commitments

Day	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun	Mon
Date	9/9	9/10	9/11	9/12	9/13	9/14	9/15	9/16
Crews	142	148	175	114	103	99	91	88
Engines	315	406	250	196	175	243	202	192
Helicopters	50	62	66	62	46	44	47	50
Air Tankers	3	7	4	2	0	2	1	5
Overhead	2,002	1,720	1,701	1,615	1,025	1,330	1,251	1,046

National Team Commitments

State	Type Team	Team IC	Fire/Location	Acres 9/15	Acres 9/16	Percent Contain	Est. Full Contain
WA	ST	Johnson/ Barnett	Ewe Neck, Washington State	100	100	100	----
WA	FUMT	Cones	Quartz Mountain Complex, Okanogan NF	4,922	4,922	0	UNK

[Submitted by NICC Incident Management Situation Report]

Park Fire Situation

Yosemite NP (CA) - During September and October, the park plans to burn between 500 and 8,000 acres in three separate prescribed fires to meet its 2002 management goals for wildland-urban interface protection and ecosystem restoration. The largest of the three, which will cover 7,288 acres, is scheduled to begin this week in the Gin Flat area along the Tioga Road east of the Tuolumne Grove of giant sequoias. The Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias is also scheduled for a prescribed burn. Managed fire in the sequoias will enhance their health and encourage regeneration, protecting them from the risk of more damaging fires in the future. The third and final area to be burned is along Northside and Southside Drive in Yosemite Valley; the object will be to continue the restoration of meadows and open up forests. Weather permitting, all burns will be conducted between now and the end of October.
[Submitted by Public Affairs, Yosemite NP]

Submission standards for the Morning Report can be found on the left side of the front page of InsideNPS. All reports should be submitted via email to Bill Halainen at Delaware Water Gap NRA, with a copy to your regional office and a copy to Dennis Burnett in Division of Law Enforcement and Emergency Services, WASO.

Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement and Emergency Services, WASO, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.