RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
MORNING REPORT
Attention: Directorate
Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
CC: RAD Information Net
Day/date: Friday, May 31, 1991
INCIDENTS
91-182 - Hawaii Volcanoes (Hawaii) - Followup on Helicopter Crash
The contract Hughs 500 helicopter which crashed in the park was
in the process of sling-loading fencing materials from a staging
area at 4,600 feet to a work site at 7,800 feet. On a return
trip to the staging area, the helicopter's engine failed. The
pilot may have tried to autorotate, but did not have enough
altitude and crashed at the 6,000 feet. Debris was spread for
about 200 feet; the ship itself came to rest against a tree and
burned. The pilot's helmet was caught in the wreckage, but he
managed to free himself from it and walk away from the ship.
His injuries included a slight concussion, fractured vertebrae,
a fractured collarbone, and a compound fracture of the arm. An
investigation into the cause of the accident is underway.
[CompuServe message from Carl Christensen, RAD/WRO, 5/30]
91-188 - Cuyahoga Valley (Ohio) - Drug Arrest
Off-duty ranger Blane Dolges noticed a suspicious motorcycle
parked near a barn near the western boundary of the park on the
afternoon of May 29th. He notified onduty rangers Judy Folts
and Cheryl Hess, who investigated and subsequently arrested two
individuals - J.M., 20, of Boulder, Colorado, and R.K.,
25, of Richfield, Ohio for felonious cultivation of
marijuana. Over 68 plants have been found so far; hand-drawn
maps of 12 other areas of the park were also found. An
investigation is underway with assistance from local police and
DEA agents. Investigators believe that at least one of the two
men has a prior conviction for marijuana cultivation. [Brian
McHugh, CR, CUVA, via telefax from J.J. McLaughlin, RAD/MWRO,
5/30]
91-189 - San Juan (Puerto Rico) - Homicides
Two men and a women were killed by what was reportedly automatic
weapons fire in a drive-by shooting at San Tomas Bastion on the
evening of May 26th. A third male is in critical condition.
The shooting is believed to be drug-related, but no further
details are presently available. The commonwealth is handling
the investigation. [Mark Hardgrove, SAJU, via telephone report
from Steve Alscher, RAD/SERO, 5/30]
91-190 - Chattahoochee River (Georgia) - Suicide
Rangers found a vehicle belonging to W.P., 37, at Sope
Creek on May 23rd and began a search for him. His body was by a
ranger on the afternoon of the 26th. W.P. had shot himself.
No note was found. [Telephone report from Steve Alscher,
RAD/SERO, 5/30]
FIRE ACTIVITY
1) FIRE SITUATION Preparedness Level II
One geographic area experiencing high fire danger. Numerous
Class A, B, and C fires occurring and a potential exists for
escapes to larger (project) fires. Minimal mobilization of
resources from other geographic areas occurring. The potential
exists for mobilizing additional resources from other geographic
areas.
2) FIRE SUMMARY
State Agency Area Fire 5/30 5/31 Status
AK FWS Kenai NWR Pothole T1 8,400 8,400 CN 6/2
NOTES:
Fires - Asterisk indicates newly reported fire (on this report).
T1 and T2 indicate assigned Type I and Type II Teams.
Status The following abbreviations are employed:
* NR No report received * MS Modified suppression strategy
* CN Contained * MN Being monitored
* CL Controlled * None No estimate of containment
* CS Confinement strategy * Yes Fire has been contained
3) ANALYSIS - Initial attack activity continues in the Southwest.
Several areas are reporting very high to extreme fire indices.
4) PROGNOSIS Fire activity is expected to continue in the
Southwest.
[NIFCC Intelligence Section, 0530 MDT, 5/31]
THIS DAY IN NPS SAR HISTORY...
No entries for today, but we missed a few earlier this month.
All submissions for this section are being prepared by Butch
Farabee of Padre Island and are being excerpted from his
workinprogress on the history of SAR in the NPS...
May 20, 1989 - Ranger Hank Anderson received the Valor Award for
rescuing five people from the ocean at Cape Hatteras.
May 28, 1978 - The crew of a Lemoore NAS rescue helicopter
received the Valor Award the only nonDOI group ever to receive
the award for a rescue performed off Cloud's Rest in Yosemite.
May 28, 1980 - Grand Canyon rangerparamedic Mike Smith and
helicopter pilot Tom Caldwell conducted a night rescue of a
heart attack victim from the bottom of the canyon. The victim
would not otherwise have survived the night. The story was the
subject of a "Drama in Real Life" article in Reader's Digest.
STAFF STATUS
Division Chief: Dabney on AL (5/31).
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