NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Friday, January 19, 1996

Broadcast: By 1000 ET

INCIDENTS

96-15 - Guadalupe Mountains (Texas) - Wind Storm Damage

Winds exceeding 130 mph buffeted park headquarters at Pine Springs throughout
much of Wednesday, January 17th.  The winds were accompanied by blowing dirt,
which significantly lowered visibility.  Nine government and four employee
vehicles had most or all of their windows blown out, a step van was blown over
on its side, and all vehicles were dented by blowing rocks.  One of the
employee vehicles was hit by an airborne picnic table, as was a visitor's RV. 
Windows were blown out of or broken in several park buildings; some roof damage
also occurred.  The roof of one building at the Texas highway department
complex adjacent to headquarters was blown off, and a double trailer semi was
blown over on the highway.  Other pieces of park equipment were relocated by
the wind.  [Larry Henderson, Superintendent, GUMO; Rich McCamant, GUMO]

96-16 - Mount Rainier (Washington) - Search and Rescue

Winter campers D.J. and K.H. were caught in a storm during
their overnight trip to Camp Muir last weekend.  On Sunday, they contacted park
rangers by cellular phone to report that they were lost, but were okay for
another night.  Rangers gave them instructions on how to descend the snowfield
and return to Paradise.  The pair camped at the 9,000-foot level on Mount
Rainier that night, then called the park the following morning.  The battery in
their phone died in mid-conversation, however, so rangers were uncertain on
their condition or situation.  The weather on Monday was severe, with strong
winds, blowing snow and very limited visibility, thereby precluding any
possibility of a search.  On Tuesday, a ground team headed toward Camp Muir.  A
break in the weather later permitted a helicopter search of the upper
snowfield, but the effort proved fruitless.  The helicopter then descended
below the cloud level and found footprints in a remote drainage far east of the
Muir snowfield.  The helicopter crew eventually found D.J. and K.H. at the
mountain's 6,000-foot level.  They were hypothermic, exhausted and on their
second day without food or water.  They had abandoned all their gear at the
9,000-foot level and had spent Monday night huddling in a snow cave that they'd
dug with their hands.  The helicopter flew them to a local hospital for
evaluation and treatment.  [Rick Kirschner, MORA]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No field reports today.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

1) Park Directory - The NPS park and office directory has been updated and is
now available for Servicewide use.  To obtain a copy, send a cc:Mail message to
Betsy Chittenden with the single word "FONELIST" on the subject line.  A copy
of the directory database and software will be automatically sent to you as a
self-extracting file; instructions will be included.  Due to its size, the
directory will not be posted on bulletin boards.  The directory allows users to
look up information on any park or office in the Service.  There are also three
pre-programmed reports which produce a Servicewide phone list, directory and
mailing labels.  These ASCII reports can be imported into most word processing
softwares, including WordPerfect.  The directory's address database can also be
imported into most database and spreadsheet softwares.  The lists will now
receive regular maintenance, with updates disseminated Servicewide.  Please
send your corrections, updates and additions to Betsy Chittenden on a regular
basis, preferably via cc:Mail.  [Betsy Chittenden, WASO]

MEMORANDA

No memoranda.

OBSERVATIONS

"It is absolutely essential that man should manage to preserve something other
than what helps to make soles for his shoes or sewing machines, that he should
leave a margin, a sanctuary, where some of life's beauty can take refuge and
where he himself can feel safe from his own cleverness and folly."

                                     African game warden in novelist
                                     Romain Gary's "The Roots of
                                     Heaven"

Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation and
support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.  Distribution of the Morning Report is
through a mailing list managed by park, office and/or field area cc:Mail hub
coordinators.  Please address requests for the Morning Report to your servicing
hub coordinator.

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