RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

Attention: Directorate
           Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
           CC: RAD Information Net

Day/date:  Tuesday, May 28, 1991

INCIDENTS

91-171 - Yosemite (California) - MVA with Three Fatalities

Just after dawn on May 25th, E.W., 44, was driving on 
Highway 140 near Bridalveil Falls when she fell asleep at the 
wheel and lost control of her car, which then went off the road 
and plunged into the Merced River.  E.W. and her four 
passengers - nephews L.T., 5, and M.T., 3; niece 
S., 7; and the children's grandmother, P.W.J.  
all survived the crash and climbed onto the car's roof.  The 
girl was able to grab a rope thrown to the car from the shore 
and was pulled to safety; her brothers tried to hold onto her, 
but were swept away by the swift current.  E.W. then dove into 
the river in an attempt to rescue the boys, but failed to reach 
them.  She was unconscious by the time rangers reached her and 
was pronounced dead soon thereafter at the Yosemite Medical 
Clinic.  Meanwhile, P.W.J. was rescued from the car's roof.  An 
air, water and ground search was begun for the two boys, but has 
so far been fruitless.  Six teams of snorkelers and scuba divers 
searched the less turbulent areas of the river along a two and a 
half mile stretch from the accident site, but were unable to 
find either of the victims.  The only item to turn up during the 
first two days' search was one of the boy's shirts.  Efforts are 
to continue today further down the river.  [United Press news 
story]

91-172 - Everglades (Florida) - Aircraft Accident

A single-engined Piper aircraft was flying over the park on the 
afternoon of the 25th when the pilot, J.S., 44, of 
Clearwater, Florida, reported that he was experiencing engine 
trouble.  Following a conversation among representatives from 
FAA, Metro Dade emergency services and the park, arrangements 
were made to permit an emergency landing near the walk-in tent 
site at Flamingo.  While landing, the plane struck a tree and 
flipped over.  Neither J.S. nor his wife, D.S., 46, were hurt, 
but the Piper was seriously damaged.  The couple were en route 
from St. Petersburg to Marathon Key when the incident occurred.  
[Telephone report from Steve Smith, RAD/SERO, 5/28]?

91-173 - Petrified Forest (Arizona) - Assault with Knife

Rangers John Williams, Karen Ball and Kerry Isensee responded to 
a disturbance call in the concessions housing area in the park 
on May 22nd.  They found that a 12-year-old boy had had an 
argument with his mother, had damaged property in their trailer 
with a knife, and had threatened his mother with the knife.  
They took the boy into custody, and have turned him over to 
county juvenile authorities.  [Kerry Isensee, CR, PEFO, via 
CompuServe message from Carl Christensen, RAD/WRO, 5/24]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No reports today.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

1) Dave Essex, the chief ranger at Rocky Mountain, will be 
retiring on June 28th.  The park is looking for a GS-12 or GS-13 
chief or assistant chief ranger to fill in on a detail until 
Dave's position is advertised or filled.  An acting grade of 
GS-13 is possible.  Interested person who are NOT PLANNING TO 
APPLY FOR THE VACANCY should call ROMO personnel at 303-586-3565 
(extension 215) for details by June 3rd. [Ken Unitt, ROMO]

STAFF STATUS

Division Chief: No leave or travel scheduled.

Branch of Resource & Visitor Protection: Sisto on AL (5/27-5/31).

Branch of Fire: Norum at annual meeting of national advisory group on
fire danger rating, Asheville, NC (5/27-5/31); Botti and Burg at FIREPRO
steering committee meeting, San Francisco, CA (5/28-6/4).

Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities

Telephone:  FTS 268-4874/6039 or 202-208-4874/6039
Telefax:    FTS 268-5977 or 202-208-5977
CompuServe: WASO-RANGER (Branch of R&VP); WASO-FIRE-WO (Branch of Fire)
SEAdog:     1/650