RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION MORNING REPORT Attention: Directorate Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC CC: RAD Information Net Day/date: Monday, August 19, 1991 INCIDENTS 91-410 - East Coast Areas - Hurricane Bob NPS-administered seashores along the East coast from North Carolina to Massachusetts have prepared or are preparing for potential impacts from Hurricane Bob. The following reports summarize the scope and nature of activities as of yesterday evening: * Cape Hatteras (North Carolina) - The park closed and evacuated Hatteras and Ocracoke campgrounds on Saturday evening, and closed the visitor centers at Ocracoke, Hatteras, Wright Brothers and Fort Raleigh either Saturday evening or by midafternoon on Sunday. Nonessential employees were moved inland; key employees were housed in a motel in Manteo in preparation for poststorm response. All NPS facilities were closed and secured. At the time of the report, a voluntary evacuation had been ordered for the entire island, and traffic was backed up several miles at the park's northern entry point at Whalebone Junction. * Cape Lookout (North Carolina) - All visitors were evacuated from the island on Saturday, park boats were taken out of the water and park facilities were secured. Seasonal and temporary employees were moved inland, but permanent staff remained on island and were prepared to respond to any emergencies. * Assateague Island (Maryland/Virginia) - All areas of the park were being closed yesterday afternoon, and all visitors and employees were to be evacuated by 7:30 p.m., including seasonals residing at both ends of the park. Park facilities were being secured. * Sandy Hook, Gateway (New Jersey) - Park staff will be meeting early this morning to review the park's hurricane plan and determine what actions need to be taken. * Fire Island (New York) - The park began emergency preparations yesterday. Watch Hill campground and marina were closed and evacuated on Sunday, and park staff will be evacuated early this morning. Some horses and vehicles were moved off the island yesterday, and the remainder will be moved today. Grounds and facilities have been secured; anything that can be blown by winds has either been tied down or moved. Boats will be moved to park headquarters at Patchogue today. If Hurricane Bob arrives late tomorrow afternoon, its arrival will coincide with high tides and could lead to serious flooding. * Cape Cod (Massachusetts) - Since the park does not have campgrounds or beachfront accommodations and has no island areas, the primary area of concern will be access to beaches. The park staff will meet this morning to determine what actions need to be taken. If circumstances warrant, beaches will be closed and park facilities will be secured. Reports were received from two parks at 7:30 a.m. EDT this morning. Cape Hatteras reports minor damage. Some poles may be down along the seashore, but no other damage has yet been discovered. The park's pilot will fly over Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout today to make a full assessment of the hurricane's impacts. Cape Lookout reports no damage at headquarters. Although they haven't gotten out to the outer banks yet this morning, damage is expected to be light because winds in the area did not exceed 50 mph. Further updates on Hurricane Bob's impacts will appear in Tuesday's morning report. [Telephone conversations on 8/18 with Bill Harris, CALO; Alan Whalon, ASIS; Bob Woody, CAHA; Frank Mills, Sandy Hook, GATE; Don Weir, FIIS; Andy Ringgold, CACO telephone reports on 8/19 from Mary Moran, CAHA, and Bill Munsey, CALO, via Bill Sturgeon, RAD/SERO] 91-411 - Grand Teton (Wyoming)- Search and Rescue On August 14th, climbers D.C. of Boston, Massachusetts, and D.C. of Sandy, Utah, set out to climb Black Ice couloir on the Grand Teton. The climbers became disoriented and got off their route, however, and then became separated from each other and stranded on the mountain side, with D.C. 150 feet below D.C.. A climbing party descending the East Ridge the next day heard calls for help and reported them to a climbing guide, who passed on the report to rangers via mobile phone around 1:30 p.m. The guide then climbed to Upper Saddle, made voice contact with the climbers, and called rangers just after 4:00 p.m. and advised them that D.C. and D.C. required assistance. A rescue team comprised of rangers Bob Irvine, Bill Alexander, Renny Jackson, Scott Berkenfield, Jim Woodmency, John Carr, Tom Kimbrough and Susie Harrington was dispatched to the mountain via helicopter. At 7:15 p.m., Jackson and Alexander reached D.C.; Jackson then rappelled to D.C. on the ledge below. Although conscious, D.C. was wet, cold and hypothermic, with an oral temperature of 90.5 degrees. Rangers used ropes and pulleys to lift D.C. up to the ledge on which D.C. was located, then moved him to a wide bench where he was evacuated by helicopter. D.C. was taken to Lower Saddle, where he spent the night with the rescue team. D.C. was admitted to a hospital in Jackson for treatment and observation. Helicopter pilot Ken Johnson was cited by superintendent Jack Neckels for his "extraordinary skill" and outstanding efforts in getting the rescuers to the scene and evacuating D.C.. Johnson had to hover his helicopter 100 feet above the climbers in turbulent winds up to 30 mph with only five minutes of daylight left in order to effect the rescue. D.C. might not have survived without the timely efforts of Johnson and the park rescue team. [Telefax from Ed Christian, ACR, GRTE, 8/16] 91-412 - Canyonlands (Utah) - Search and Rescue On the morning of August 17th, visitors reported finding an abandoned GMC Jimmy located in the Bobby's Hole area outside the south boundary of the Needles District. The truck had been driven into a four-feet-deep graben located along a twotrack road at the head of Cross Canyon. Seasonal ranger Jeff West and county deputies investigated the accident and determined that it had occurred on the 14th and that the driver, J.C., 60, of Marion Station, Pennsylvania, was wandering back towards an area of the park known as The Grabens. A search was begun, and a helicopter and crew from Mesa Verde were dispatched to the scene. On August 18th, four search teams were conveyed to this remote area, and West and a county deputy began tracking J.C.. Shortly before noon, J.C. was spotted by ground searchers. He was severely dehydrated, had an elevated body temperature and was disoriented and had been hallucinating. By the time of his discovery, J.C. had been without food and water and his heart medication for four days. He was immediately taken to the hospital in Moab and admitted. Daytime temperatures during the four days exceeded 95 degrees, and J.C. would not have survived if he hadn't been found by searchers. Preliminary details indicate the J.C. drove into the Graben when driving after dark. He stayed with his vehicle that night, but left it to scout around the following day and soon became lost. J.C. covered at least 11 miles before being found near Deep Canyon, which is about three and a half miles from his vehicle. (Telefax from Tony Schetzsle, CR, CANY, 8/18] 91-413 - Delaware Water Gap (New Jersey/Pennsylvania) - Assault on Ranger Ranger Franklin Wade was deliberately struck and injured by a woman in a Dodge Caravan who attempted to run him over in the park's visitor center on Friday night. She was later arrested and will be charged with assault on a federal officer. Wade received injuries to his left leg. A report on the incident is pending. [Telephone report from Bob Reid, RAD/MARO, 8/17] FIRE ACTIVITY **** No fire report available this morning **** STAFF STATUS Division Chief (Acting): No leave or travel scheduled. Branch of Resource & Visitor Protection: Marriott on drug program review at Great Smokies (8/18-8/22). Branch of Fire & Aviation: Erskine in ARO, Anchorage, AK (8/19-8/28); Spruill on aviation program orientation in Alaska (8/18-8/29]. 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