RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
MORNING REPORT
Attention: Directorate
Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
CC: RAD Information Net
Day/date: Tuesday, July 30, 1991
INCIDENTS
91-308 - Olympic (Washington) - Followup on Oil Spill
Although skimmers reportedly collected about 21,000 gallons of
an oil/water mixture from the Tenyo Maru over the weekend,
portions of the estimated 100,000 gallons which have leaked from
the ship have been coming up along the coast. Patches of oil
are now reported along approximately 15 miles of the park's 60
miles of beach. Park beaches are closed from Sand Point north
to the Ozette Indian Reservation. About 60 NPS personnel are
presently involved in responserelated activities. Just over 100
oiled birds have been collected from park beaches, and reports
of oiled otters are beginning to come in. A total of 360 oiled
birds have been collected 90 have died, 270 have survived.
Three bald eagles have been oiled, and three grey whales have
been seen swimming in the slick. As of last night, the southern
edge of the slick reportedly extended almost to Destruction
Island, a bird sanctuary about 15 miles offshore. It was moving
southeast toward the shore and was being pushed by winds of
around 20 mph. [Briefing by John Donahue, OEA/WASO, 7/29;
Associated Press, 7/29]
91-334 - Statue of Liberty (New York) - Demonstration
An abortion rights group comprised of several men and women
unfurled a huge banner from the pedestal of the statue yesterday,
then disappeared into the crowd of visitors. The banner, which
said "Abortion Is Health Care; Health Care is a Right", was
removed by a park ranger shortly after it was displayed.
Another banner, which protestors had apparently intended to hang
out of windows in the statue's crown, was found on the stairs
inside the statue. Minutes before the banner was unfurled, a
group called the Women's Health Action and Mobilization, issued
a statement saying that the statue had been "gagged" because
"that's exactly what the gag regulations do to all American
women." No arrests have been made. [United Press International,
7/29]
91-335 - Mount Rainier (Washington) - Successful Rescue
On July 23rd, D.C., 21, of Castle Rock, Washington,
slipped and fell down a steep 200-foot embankment on the
Wonderland Trail between Panhandle Gap and Indian Bar. The
incident was reported to the White River Ranger Station at 9:00
p.m., and rangers Mark Blaisdell and JoAnn Germano hiked all
night and arrived at the scene at 4:30 a.m. the following
morning. They found that D.C. had suffered a number of
serious injuries, including a possible fractured left tibia,
separated shoulder and multiple lacerations and bruises.
Rangers Mike Mullen, Pam Cox, Sandy Lustig and SCA emergency
hire Keith Nicholson hiked most of the way to the scene with
technical rescue gear and a litter during the night, then were
ferried the remaining distance by helicopter and lowered to the
site of the accident. By noon, however, the weather had
deteriorated dramatically, and the planned helicopter evacuation
was cancelled. Rangers Chris Nash, Paul Giordanella, Joe
Dreimiller, Berger Dodge, Peter Paul and Art Smart were then
dispatched with additional supplies and equipment for another
night's stay. Around noon on July 24th, a second hiker, L.H.,
28, of Rochester, New York, fell in the same location
while attempting to comply with rangers' instructions to leave
the area safely. Initial reports indicated that she was
uninjured, but it was later learned that she had probably
fractured several ribs. By 9:00 p.m. that evening, both D.C.
and L.H. had been evacuated off the slope and stabilized at
a camp on the Wonderland Trail. A nine-person Tacoma Mountain
Rescue team was dispatched to the camp to assist with the
carryouts on the 25th. D.C. was sledded to a point above
Summerland, then transferred to a wheeled litter. NPS teams,
including a crew made up of rangers Cathy Bruno, Kyle Nelson,
Laurie Axelson and SCA emergency hire Jeff Jacobs, carried
L.H. out. [Randy Brooks, MORA, via CompuServe message from
Diane Wisley, RAD/PNRO, 7/29]
91-336 - Padre Island (Texas) - Shooting
On July 24th, J.K.C., 49, walked into the concession
store at Malaquite Beach and told the employee there that she
had just shot her husband at their campsite on South Beach.
Responding ranger Tom Davison found the victim, W.J.C.,
59, walking along the beach. He had been shot three
times with a .32 caliber handgun - once each in the face, arm and
foot. Rangers provided first aid until a Corpus Christi fire
department ambulance arrived. J.K.C. was charged with attempted
murder and assault in U.S. District Court the following day.
FBI agents and park rangers are conducting an investigation into
the shooting. The victim is in stable condition at a local
hospital. [CompuServe message from Jim Radney, RAD/SWRO, 7/29]
91-337 - Big Bend (Texas) - Body Found
Unidentified river runners advised the park last weekend that
they had been contacted by Mexican nationals who reported
finding the body of a "gringo" in the river on the 27th. The
Mexicans said that they removed the body and buried it in a
shallow grave adjacent to a pumphouse near the Brewster Terrell
county line. Rangers and officers from the county sheriff's
office are en route to recover the body and begin an
investigation. The body was found 100 miles east of the Solis
incident at a point which is outside the park but along the Rio
Grande Wild and Scenic River. [Phil Koepp, CR, BIBE, via
CompuServe message from RAD/SWRO, 7/29]
91-338 - Cape Cod (Massachusetts) - Bicycling Fatality
On the afternoon of July 24th, F.L., 58, of Milton,
Massachusetts, was riding his bicycle on the Provincelands bike
trail when he apparently lost control of his bicycle while going
down a steep grade, ran off the trail, and sustained serious
head injuries, including what was later determined to be a skull
fracture, a cerebral contusion with hemorrhaging, and head
trauma. He was treated at the scene by rangers Ossoff, Guidera
and Volpe, then transported to Cape Cod Hospital by a local
rescue squad. He was later flown by helicopter to a trauma
center in Boston. On the 27th, the park was notified that F.L.
had died. F.L. had stopped by the Race Point Ranger Station
just before the accident for a soda and candy bar, and had told
employees there that he was a diabetic. He was riding a folding
bicycle and was not wearing a helmet. Rangers are investigating
the accident. [CompuServe message from Dennis Burnett, CACO,
7/29]
91-339 - Minute Man (Massachusetts) - Marijuana Cultivation Arrests
On the evening of July 24th, two individuals were arrested for
cultivation of marijuana within the park. The arrests
culminated an investigation which entailed five weeks of
surveillance of the park area where the plants were grown.
Rangers from Boston and Lowell assisted in this operation, and
support was provided by DEA, the Massachusetts State Police,
police departments in Concord and Lincoln, and the military.
The two men were charged with the cultivation of a controlled
substance on federal property at two separate sites, each of
which contained about 20 plants. Park maintenance employees
were credited with the discovery of one of the two sites. Their
observations led to an investigation in which the second site
was discovered. [Telefax from Bob DiTolla, RLES, RAD/NARO, 7/29]
91-340 - Glacier (Montana) - Bear Attack
Two hikers, L. and A.S. of Canfield, Ohio, were
attacked by a bear on the Avalanche Lake Trail around 10:30 a.m.
on July 17th. The two sustained serious injuries, but survived
the attack. Park medic Gary Moses and EMT Conrad Ervin arrived
at the scene of the attack about 20 minutes after it occurred
and began emergency medical care, including advanced life
support. A rescue team carried the victims approximately a half
mile to the trailhead, where they were picked up by an ambulance
and a medevac helicopter. The victims initially thought that
the bear was a black bear, but now think it may have been a
grizzly. An investigation by park rangers is underway. No
management action is planned against the bear, which was a
female with a young bear with her. The incident is considered
to be a surprise encounter which resulted in natural defensive
behavior on the part of the bear. [Telefax from Bob Andrew, CR,
GLAC, 7/29]
91-341 - Glacier (Montana) - Car Cloutings
Three cars were broken into in a park campground in the early
morning hours of July 26th. The thief or thieves took
approximately $850 in cash from purses that were either in plain
view or under the cars' seats. Slim jims were apparently used
to gain entry to the vehicles. Ranger Ron Bryan is
investigating. [Telefax from Bob Andrew, CR, GLAC, 7/29]
FIRE ACTIVITY
1) ACTIVITY LEVEL Planning Level II
2) FIRE SUMMARY
State Agency Area Fire 7/29 7/30 Status
AK FWS Up. Yukon Zone B460 80,500 80,760 NEC
AZ USFS Coronado NF Cumero 2,000 2,000 CN 7/30
ID BLM Boise Dist. * Alder 500 CN
Alaska also has 58 fires under modified and limited suppression
for 959,989 acres.
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 NEC No estimate of containment
CS Confinement strategy DM Demobed
3) 1990/1991 COMPARATIVE ACTIVITY SUMMARY
Fires Acres
1990 (Year-to-date) 40,111 2,694,368
1991 (Year-to-date) 42,195 1,755,393
1990-1991 (% difference) + 5% 35%
4) ANALYSIS - Increased initial attack activity is being
reported throughout much of the West.
5) PROGNOSIS - Warmer temperatures and thunderstorms will keep
initial attack forces active. Resources continue to be adequate.
[Fire Management Situation Report, NIFCC Intelligence Section,
7/30]
STAFF STATUS
Division Chief (Acting): Martin on Pearl Harbor 50th anniversary
preplanning site visit, Honolulu, Hawaii (7/31-8/7).
Branch of Resource & Visitor Protection: Schamp on annual leave
(7/29-8/2); Sisto on annual leave (8/1-8/2); Marriott on annual
leave (7/30-7/31).
Branch of Fire & Aviation: Farrel reviewing structural fire
protection of buildings at San Antonio and LBJ in Texas
(7/29-8/1); Gale on Pearl Harbor 50th anniversary preplanning
site visit, Honolulu, Hawaii (7/31-8/3); Broyles at NWCG training
working team meeting, Tacoma, Washington (7/30-8/3); Spruill on
aviation review of several parks in RMR (7/29-8/2).
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