RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
MORNING REPORT
Attention: Directorate
Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
Ranger Activities Division Information Network
Day/Date: Friday, October 25, 1991
INCIDENTS
91-579 - Carlsbad Cavern (New Mexico) - Employee Fatality
James W. Hatfield, 62, an elevator mechanic who'd worked in the park for
eight years, was killed on October 23rd when he was struck by elevator
weights at the bottom of an elevator shaft. He was part of a maintenance
team which was shortening cable on the elevator at the time of the accident.
Procedures for this standard operation, which were developed with the
assistance of the contractor that installed the elevator, stipulated that
nobody was to be under the elevator while work was underway, and it is
unclear at present why Hatfield was at the bottom of the shaft. The
procedures have been in place for some time, and it is believed that
Hatfield had been trained in them. An investigative team comprised of the
regional safety officer, a representative from OSHA and a criminal
investigator was en route to the park at the time of the report. An
autopsy was to be performed in Albuquerque yesterday, and park employees
were to attend an employee assistance program briefing. A follow-up report
will be forthcoming after the investigation into the incident is completed.
[Report from Bill Tanner, RAD/SWRO, 10/24]
91-580 - Delaware Water Gap (New Jersey/Pennsylvania) - Fatal Air Crash
A single-engine, single-seat homebuilt airplane crashed into the Delaware
River at the north end of the park on the afternoon of October 23rd,
killing the pilot, 26-year-old L.R., a flight instructor from
Franklin Lakes, New Jersey. Witnesses say the plane, which appeared to be
having engine problems, struck and cut a cable TV wire which stretches
across the river, flipped over, then crashed into three feet of water. The
force of the impact caused the rear-engined airplane to break apart. A
park maintenance employee who saw the crash joined several others in wading
out to the plane and pulling L.R. to shore. At the request of the FAA,
park divers assisted in the removal of the wreckage from the river. The
fuselage and other debris have been stored pending an FAA investigation.
[CompuServe message from Barry Sullivan, Acting CR, DEWA, 10/24]
91-581 - Buffalo (Arkansas) - Structural Fire
While on patrol near Silver Hill on the afternoon of October 22nd, ranger
Tracy Whitaker observed smoke billowing from the home of F.P., a
long-time resident of the area and park neighbor. Whitaker summoned
assistance, determined that the residence was unoccupied, then joined
ranger Dale MacMillan and maintenance workers Chester Stark and Dan Jackson
in efforts to protect adjacent park housing and secure what property of
Patterson's that they could reach. The house was fully involved within 15
minutes of Whitaker's report and was totally destroyed. Even though there
were numerous spot fires in the park, no park buildings were lost. [Colin
Campbell, Acting CR, BUFF, via CompuServe message from Lori Serrano,
RAD/SWRO, 10/24]?
91-582 - Grand Teton (Wyoming) - Search in Progress
On October 16th, a Western Air Research aircraft with a pilot and two state
fish and game biologists aboard failed to return from a bear locating
mission in Teton County and a major multi-agency search effort was begun
which is still underway. Initial indications were that the plane crashed
in an area around Grouse Mountain and Mount Leidy. Fixed-wing aircraft,
helicopters, dog teams, and ground searchers were employed in the search,
but failed to find any sign of the plane. On the 19th, searchers received
confirmed reports that the plane had been seen in the Thorofare area in the
vicinity of Hidden Creek, which vastly increased the search area to a size
of about 1800 square miles. By October 21st, about 100 people were
involved in air operations and another 80 were working on ground operations.
Over 50 fixed-wing and helicopter missions were flown. At the time of the
report, additional resources were being sought because of the large amount
of terrain still to be searched. Rangers from both Grand Teton and
Yellowstone are participating in the search along with more than a score of
other country, state, federal and volunteer organizations. [Ed Christian,
GRTE, via telefax from Jim Reilly, RAD/RMRO, 10/23]
91-583 - Colorado (Colorado) - MVA with Fatality
D.W., 35, of Price, Utah, was killed on the afternoon of October
22nd when she lost control of the vehicle she was driving on Rim Rock Drive,
went off the road, and plunged over a 140-foot cliff. The vehicle landed
on the road below, and the park had to close it for two hours while the
vehicle was being removed. Rangers are investigating the possibility that
D.W. was operating while under the influence of alcohol. [Jim Taylor,
COLM, via telefax from Jim Reilly, RAD/RMRO, 10/23]
FIRE ACTIVITY
1) FIRE SITUATION - Preparedness Level I
No large fire activity nationally. Most geographic areas have low to
moderate fire danger. Little or no commitment of national resources.
2) FIRE SUMMARY
State Agency Area Fire 10/24 10/25 Status
WY USFS Bridger-Tet. NF Dry Cott. - T1 7,157 7,157 CN
NC USFS Cherokee NF Little Pond Mt. - T2 100 150 NEC
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
3) ANALYSIS - Snow and rain showers fell over most areas in the Northwest,
Northern Rockies and Great Basin yesterday. Demobilization is continuing
on Western fires. Initial attack activity is increasing in the South.
4) PROGNOSIS - Fire indices in the West are expected to drop significantly
due to cool and wet weather.
[NIFCC Intelligence Section, 0530 MDT, 10/25] ?
STAFF STATUS
Division Chief: Brady at regional chief rangers' conference, Boise, ID
(10/21-10/25).
Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection: Martin, Schamp, Marriott, Smith,
Lee, and Halainen at regional chief rangers' conference, Boise, ID (10/21-
10/25); Coffey at grazing lands forum, Harpers Ferry, WV (10/22).
Branch of Fire and Aviation: Broyles at NFPA wildland fire quals meeting,
Salt Lake City, UT (10/20-10/25); Norum at NPS parks and wilderness
management course faculty meeting, NARTC, Marana, AZ (10/21-10/25); Botti
in budget meetings, WASO, Washington, DC (10/21-10/25).
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