RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
MORNING REPORT
Attention: Directorate
Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
Ranger Activities Division Information Network
Day/Date: Tuesday, October 29, 1991
INCIDENTS
91-582 - Grand Teton (Wyoming) - Follow-up on Search
The search for the downed Western Air Research aircraft continues, but bad
weather has hampered search efforts and created hazardous flying conditions.
A helicopter involved in the search suffered engine failure yesterday and
auto-rotated to the ground near the Mount Moran turnout. Neither the pilot
nor his two passengers were injured, but one of the helicopter's skids was
bent and the windshield was cracked. The pilot was able to restart the
helicopter's engine and fly it back to base. Since the helicopter was
flying for the Teton County sheriff's office at the time, the sheriff will
make the necessary FAA notification. Both Grand Teton and Yellowstone are
supporting the search, and Yellowstone has committed as many as 30 people
at a time to ground search efforts. [Jim Northrop, FMO, GRTE, via telefax
from Jim Reilly, RAD/RMRO, 10/28]
91-585 - Hot Springs (Arkansas) - Kidnapping and Attempted Homicide
On October 27th, a Hot Springs couple was driving with an acquaintance on
Gulpha Gorge Road when the third party shot both the husband and wife twice,
then sexually assaulted the woman. The assailant then forced the woman
back into the car, drove to another location, and assaulted her again.
During this time, the husband was found by a citizen and was taken to a
hospital, where he gave the police a statement and a description of the
vehicle. Hot Springs police and Garland County deputies subsequently
located the vehicle and arrested the suspect without incident. The woman
was taken to a hospital, where she is currently reported to be in good
condition. Her husband is in stable condition in an intensive care unit.
The weapon used in the assault, a .22 caliber revolver, has been recovered,
and the suspect has been arraigned. Further information to follow. [Rod
Harris, HOSP, via telefax from Jim Radney, LES, RAD/SWRO, 10/28]
91-586 - Big Cypress (Florida) - Search; Victim Found
When Miccosukee police officer D.T. failed to return from an
airboat patrol in the Miccosukee reservation adjacent to the park on
October 26th, the department asked Big Cypress for assistance in finding
him. At 6:30 a.m. the following morning, the Big Cypress helicopter began
searching for Thornbury along the preserve's north boundary from Highway 41
to I-75, an area containing numerous hunting camps and criss-crossed by
airboat trails employed by hunters to get from the reservation into the
preserve. While this effort was underway, Miccosukee searchers found
D.T.'s body. No further details are currently available on the
incident, but a supplementary report is to follow. [Carl Davis, BICY, via
telefax from Steve Alscher, LES, RAD/SERO, 10/28]
91-587 - Grand Canyon (Arizona) - Shooting
On the afternoon of October 18th, South Rim rangers were called to the
Grand Canyon airport to investigate a report of a shooting. Ranger Chris
Pergiel was first on scene, and found a 14-year-old male with a gunshot
wound in his left forearm and lower left abdomen. Pergiel detained a
16-year-old juvenile suspect and recovered the Colt .357 magnum used in the
shooting. Three park paramedics and two I-EMT's began administering
advanced life support measures, including two large-bore IV's, a MAST suit
and a Pro-Pac monitor. A park helicopter then transported the victim to
the Flagstaff Medical Center, where he is receiving treatment. Paramedic
Sherrie Collins provided continued medical support during the flight. The
victim, who is expected to fully recover, was shot from a distance of two
feet. The suspect is believed to have been playing a game of "Russian
roulette", which may have been part of a local youth gang initiation.
Ranger and DARE instructor Ronnie Gibson has since spent considerable time
following up on the incident with students in the park's school system.
Charges of criminal endangerment are pending in the Coconino County
attorney's office. [CompuServe message from Herb Gercke, RAD/WRO, 10/28]
91-588 - Crater Lake (Oregon) - Search in Progress
On October 23rd, the park began a search for G.A.M., 33, of
Brea, California, after his car was found in the Rim Village parking area
with his driver's license, keys, passport and cash inside. Investigation
revealed that Mackie entered the park sometime between the 19th and 21st.
He has not been seen since. Limited information currently available on
G.A.M. indicates that he is not a hiker or backpacker, but that he is an
avid photographer. G.A.M. resigned a position at Rockwell International in
March, and has reportedly been touring national parks since that time.
Within the past month, he had visited Yosemite, Grand Teton and Rocky
Mountain. Ground searchers and dogs are being employed in the search,
which has been hampered by several feet of snow, all of which has fallen
since last week. [SEAdog report from Mark Forbes, RAD/PNRO, 10/28; UP news
story, 10/28]
91-589 - Guadalupe Mountains (Texas) - Successful Search
Early on the afternoon of October 27th, two young men from Carlsbad, New
Mexico, ages 17 and 19, entered McKittrick Canyon for a day hike to see the
fall colors. At 11:00 p.m., rangers were notified by their parents that
they had not returned. The two were lightly clad; one boy was in shorts,
neither had jackets. The late afternoon weather turned from unseasonably
warm to cold and rainy with the passage of a front, and winds were between
30 and 40 mph, with higher gusts. Temperatures in the mountains were
expected to drop into the 30's during the night. A search was begun
immediately and continued through the night. The boys were finally located
at 9:30 a.m. over 11 miles from the trailhead and at a higher elevation.
One boy was in an advanced state of hypothermia. After warming, they were
transported by horse from the backcountry, then taken by ambulance to a
medical center in Guadalupe. [SEAdog message from Lori Serrano, RAD/SWRO,
10/28]
[More pending incident reports tomorrow...]
FIRE ACTIVITY
1) FIRE SITUATION - Preparedness Level I
2) FIRE SUMMARY
State Agency Area Fire 10/28 10/29 Status
TN State - Green Mt. - T2 250 350 CND
USFS Cherokee NF *Polly Hollow - 135 NEC
KY USFS D. Boone NF Red Bird Comp - T2 1,000+ 1,500 CN 11/1?
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
CL - Controlled MN - Being monitored
CS - Confinement strategy NEC - No estimate of containment
CN (date) - Expected date CND - Contained
of containment
3) ANALYSIS - Fire activity is increasing in the South. Sixteen Western
crews were dispatched to the area yesterday.
4) PROGNOSIS - Fire activity is expected to continue in the South, but no
resource shortages are anticipated.
[NIFCC Intelligence Section, 0530 MDT, 10/29]
OPERATIONAL NOTES
1) On September 11th, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled
that the federal government may not use the Assimilative Crimes Act (18 USC
13) to invoke stiffer state law penalties already covered by applicable
federal law. The defendant, Michael Palmer, 28, of Mariposa, California,
had been arrested in the park and charged with felony driving under the
influence in violation of California Vehicle Codes because he had three DUI
convictions within the previous seven year period. The court ruled that
"the conduct at issue, driving in the nation's parks while intoxicated, is
prohibited by federal law (36 CFR 4.23), [so] the Assimilative Crimes Act
may not be used to vary the prescribed federal punishment." The case
citation is U.S. v. Palmer, CA9, No. 90-10630, 9/11/91. The defendant was
released immediately from Lompoc prison, where he had served nine months of
a twelve month sentence. [M. Scott Connelly, YOSE]
STAFF STATUS
Division Chief: No leave or travel scheduled.
Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection: Martin on oil spill review, PNRO,
Seattle, WA (10/28-10/31).
Branch of Fire and Aviation: Hurd at meeting of instructors for fire
management for agency administrators, Marana, AZ (10/28-11/1); Bristol at
InciNet committee meeting, Sacramento, CA (10/28-11/1); Norum at meeting of
prescribed fire analyst unit leaders and faculty, Denver, CO (10/29-10/31);
Clark serving as NPS representative at NWS advisory group meeting, Denver,
CO (10/30-11/1).
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