RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

Attention: Directorate
           Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
           Ranger Activities Division Information Network

Day/Date:	 Thursday, October 17, 1991

INCIDENTS

91-568 - Rocky Mountain (Colorado) - Rescue

A ham radio operator relayed a report of a man having fallen near the 
summit of Long's Peak to the park's dispatcher on October 12th.  The victim, 
21-year-old M.M. of Denver, had fallen about 70 feet and 
sustained a skull and elbow fractures and multiple, deep lacerations to his 
skull, legs and lower back.  Rangers, led by Jim Richardson and Jim 
Detterline, were airlifted to the summit, but increasing high winds 
prevented an air evacuation and forced a litter carry-out that lasted 
nearly 20 hours.  Rescue teams composed of park, county and local medical 
center employees labored through the frigid night and winds up to 80 mph to 
bring the victim to a lower elevation where a helicopter rescue might be 
more feasible.  A Flight-for-Life helicopter landed there the following 
morning and medevaced M.M. to a hospital in Denver.  Nearly 40 people 
assisted in this operation; many of them experienced exhaustion or altitude 
sickness during the prolonged effort.  As the rescue team descended by foot 
after the helicopter departed, they came upon a ten-year-old boy who was 
suffering from altitude sickness.  They placed him in a wheeled litter, 
gave him oxygen, and carried him to the trailhead.  [CompuServe message 
from Joe Evans, CR, ROMO, 10/16]

91-569 - Canyonlands (Utah) - Falling Fatality

Just before 8:00 a.m. on October 16th, R.A., 33, of Savannah, 
Georgia, fell to her death after watching the sunrise from White Rim 
Overlook trail in the park's Island in the Sky district.  R.A. and her 
husband had just left their observation point to return to their vehicle 
when R.A.'s husband heard her gasp.  As he turned to look back, he heard 
her scream, then saw a flash of color as she disappeared over the rim.  
Ranger Tom Cox subsequently arrived at the scene and confirmed the fatality.  
Two recovery teams were mobilized and transported to the area by helicopter.  
Following the county medical examiner's investigation, her body was removed 
by helicopter.  R.A. fell approximately 400 feet from the mesa top to a 
boulder field at the base of the cliff.  [Telefaxed report from Tony 
Schetzsle, CR, CANY, 10/16]

91-570 - Buffalo (Arkansas) - Marijuana Eradication

On October 1st, a late-season eradication effort employing private aircraft 
resulted in the discovery of a marijuana plantation containing 101 plants 
in the Upper Buffalo River district.  Rangers Campbell and Roe seized the 
plants, which were valued at about $150,000.  This search followed an 
extensive eradication effort conducted with the assistance of the Fifth 
Army a few weeks earlier.  Air detection flights, ground searches and river 
patrols have led to the discovery and eradication of 516 marijuana plants 
in numerous plantations in the park so far this year.  [Colin Campbell, LES, 
BUFF, via CompuServe message from Jim Radney, RLES, RAD/SWRO, 10/16]

91-571 - Mount Rainier (Washington) - Drowning

Seven-year-old A.A. of Puyallup, Washington, was hiking with his 
mother and 13-year-old sister along the Ohanapecosh River near the west end 
of the Steven's Canyon Road bridge on the afternoon of October 12th when he 
fell into the river.  His mother entered the water in an attempt to rescue 
him; at one point, she had the boy by his hair, but was unable to hold on 
to him.  A.T., a visitor from Mount Vernon, Washington, heard cries for 
help, ran to the river from the picnic area at the Grove of the Patriarch, 
and dove repeatedly in the river in an attempt to reach A.A., who'd become 
trapped in a ten-foot-deep pool.  At the same time, ranger Tammy Wilson, 
who was working at the Steven's Canyon entrance booth, radioed for 
assistance, closed the booth and headed for the river.  As rangers arrived 
with rope, A.T. again dove, finally reached A.A., and pulled him to shore.  
By that time, he'd been submerged for between seven and 14 minutes.  A 
visiting nurse and two doctors helped rangers administer CPR.  A MAST 
medevac helicopter then flew the boy and his mother to a local hospital.  
Despite all efforts by hospital doctors, however, A.A. succumbed at 9:30 
p.m. that evening.  [Lance Gillispie, MORA, via SEAdog message from Mark 
Forbes, RAD/PNRO, 10/15]

91-572 - Biscayne (Florida) - Columbus Day Regatta

The 38th annual Columbus Day regatta, billed as the "world's largest 
sailboat race," was run from Miami's Dinner Key Marina south on Biscayne 
Bay to Boca Chita Key in the park on October 12th.  There were 600 race 
entrants in the two-day event, and between 15,000 and 18,000 spectators 
watched from approximately 4,000 boats within park waters.  Rangers, Coast 
Guard boarding officers and Florida Marine Patrol and local government 
marine law enforcement officers patrolled throughout the weekend, providing 
communications, controlling boat traffic, and emphasizing safety to park 
visitors.  As a result, citations were kept to a minimum, though there were 
many boat stops and warnings for minor violations, primarily for speeding 
in no-wake zones and in prescribed anchorages.  Other incidents included 
several lost persons found, one major boat accident involving three vessels, 
and several altercations among partying spectators.  One boat operator was 
thrown overboard; his boat continued running in a tight circle until it ran 
out of gas and could be safely boarded.  The boat was monitored while it 
circled, but posed no threat to either the operator or other boaters.  
There were some minor injuries requiring the attention of park EMT's, but 
no medevacs.  [CompuServe message from L. Wayne Landrum, CR, BISC, 10/15] 

STAFF STATUS

Division Chief: No leave or travel scheduled. 

Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection: Marriott at drug operations 
meeting (10/16-10/17).

Branch of Fire and Aviation: Hurd at IFCC fire education workshop, Boise, 
ID (10/15-10/18); Farrel at metropolitan structural fire planning 
conference, Orlando, FL (10/14-10/17) and structural fire review at Big 
Cypress, Everglades and Biscayne (10/18-10/22); Bristol at InciNet 
committee meeting, Denver, CO (10/15-10/18); Erskine and Gale instructing 
at MAC Group meeting, NARTC, Marana, AZ (10/16-10/18); Norum and Broyles on 
AL (10/15-10/18).

Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities

Telephone:	All Offices - FTS 268-4874/6039 or 202-208-4874/6039
Telefax:	Branch of R&VP - FTS 268-6756 or 202-208-6756
              Branch of Fire - FTS 268-5977 or 202-208-5977
CompuServe:	Branch of R&VP - WASO-RANGER
              Branch of Fire - WASO-FIRE-WO
SEAdog:	All Offices - 1/650