NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date: Thursday, December 19, 1996 

Broadcast: By 1000 ET

INCIDENTS

96-692 - Lake Meredith NRA (Texas) - Follow-up on Boating Accident

Search efforts continue for the bodies of the two boys still missing from the
incident on Saturday in which four members of the B. family drowned when
their boat capsized in high winds on the lake.  Aircraft are flying the lake
every day when weather permits, and air scent dog teams will be brought in
when conditions improve.  Temperatures have been in the teens and single
digits with high winds and an inch of snow since Monday evening.  The funeral
for Dr. R.B. and his son P.B. will be held this afternoon.  The
family has asked the park to send a representative, and several employees
will be attending.  A critical incident stress debriefing team will be in the
park tomorrow to work with those involved in the search, including park staff
and personnel from the state's parks and wildlife department, the Fritch
police department, and the Moore County sheriff's office.  The superintendent
and members of his staff met with about two dozen family members (including
several children) and close friends on Tuesday and provided them with as much
information as they could on what happened on the lake and what to expect
from the search efforts.  [Editor's note: Every year, between 700 and 800
incidents appear in the Morning Report, many of them as tragic as this one. 
Most protection rangers and many others among us have directly experienced
such accidents and can tell similar stories, and there's a tendency to become
inured to the pain and suffering they engender, particularly among the
survivors.  We customarily reach out to the families and friends of fellow
workers who die or suffer serious medical problems or other calamities. 
Perhaps this is a good time to extend that compassion to others.
H.B. lost her entire family in this incident; J.B. reports that
she and G.H., R.B.'s sister, have been devastated by the
tragedy.  A note of sympathy from you might not heal, but will help.
Perhaps another to the park's staff would be in order as well.]  [John Benjamin,
Superintendent, LAMR]

96-699 - Badlands NP (South Dakota) - Storm Impacts; Park Closure

The park was closed on December 17th due to extreme winds and cold.  All
public access roads, including Interstate 90, were closed by the state
police.  The park registered winds of 67 mph, with a wind chill of - 48
degrees Fahrenheit.  The air temperature at 7 a.m. on the 18th was zero, but
the park was to reopen as soon as the interstate reopened.  [Marianne Mills,
PIO, BADL] 

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Organ Pipe Cactus NM (Arizona) - Sonoran Pronghorn Survey

Staff from Organ Pipe Cactus recently participated in a range-wide aerial
survey using the line transect and mark recapture methods to estimate the
number of endangered Sonoran pronghorn sheep existing in three federal areas
in southern Arizona.   Between 130 and 164 pronghorns were counted.  The
surveys are a cooperative interagency effort, involving representatives from
the park, Arizona Game and Fish, and Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge. 
These low level survey transects were flown over the park, the refuge, and
the Barry M. Goldwater Bombing Range.  The majority of the animals observed
were wintering on park lands.  Preliminary results indicate that pronghorn
numbers may be down since the last survey.  Minimal winter rains during
previous years may have contributed to any population decline. 
Unfortunately, winter rains have again been lacking this winter.  The survey
is part of a continuing effort to estimate the total population of this
"phantom of the desert," and to continue international efforts in appropriate
management of the species.  [Aniceto L. Olais, CR, ORPI]   

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Housing Update - The Omnibus Parks Bill (PL 104-333), which passed Congress
this fall, directed the Service to review - and revise if necessary - the
current criteria under which we provide housing to employees, with specific
attention to required occupancy.  During the week of December 10th, a task
group comprised of representatives from each of the field areas met in
Washington to begin this process.  The group was tasked with laying the
groundwork for a draft policy paper that will form the core of a final report
to be submitted to the Congress in May, 1997.   The draft policy paper will
be circulated around January 15th to all field directors and park
superintendents for a 60-day comment period.  Members of the task group are:

     AKFA - Dave Mills                    IMFA - Jose Cisneros
     MWFA - Jimmy Taylor                  NEFA - Irene Schrader
     NCFA - Cynthia Wyant                 PWFA - Roger Rudolph
     SEFA - Charlie Powell

     IMFA - Carm Cronin, at the request of WASO Housing Office
     MWFA - Pat Bantner, at the request of WASO Housing Office
     PWFA - Chris Kanda, at the request of WASO Housing Office
     YOSE - Kevin Cann, representing the Servicewide Maintenance Advisory
                        Committee

     WASO - Jodi Vargas, representing Employee Relations
     WASO - Jim Giammo, representing Budget
     WASO - Peggy Sandretzky, representing Policy
     WASO - Bill Sanders and Dennis Burnett, representing Ranger Activities

Both the Association of National Park Maintenance Employees and the
Association of National Park Rangers were also invited to participate.  Both
organizations chose to submit statements expressing the concerns of their
memberships.  [Donna Compton, FMD/WASO]

"Expedition Into Parks" Grants - The National Park Foundation will announce
the recipients of the "Expedition Into The Parks" grants by January 6th. 
Those receiving grants from this joint NPS-NPF-Canon USA program will receive
award letters from the foundation on or around that date.  [Lissa Fox, WASO]

Environmental Contract Fraud Advisory - Over the past several months, NPS
employees have discovered several attempted or potential environmental
contractor efforts to defraud the agency.  These involved asbestos and
underground storage tank removal contractors.  The types of fraud may include
falsification of documents on training, insurance, and medical records, and
improper removal and disposal practices.  Employees are urged to verify
information submitted by contractors, as incidents of document alteration
have occurred.  Contractors have also been known to purchase training
certificates for their employees without having sent the employees to
training.  [Einar Olsen, NPS Environmental Crimes Coordinator, RAD/NCFA]

Uniform Program Update - Monthly uniform program updates from Ranger
Activities, which were suspended last April, have been resumed.  A
comprehensive update on recent developments in the program was sent to all
park uniform program coordinators yesterday for further dissemination to
uniformed employees.  If you are interested in current activities in the
program, including the status of several components under development, please
contact your park uniform program coordinator.  [Bill Halainen, for RAD/WASO]

MEMORANDA

No submissions.

EXCHANGE

No submissions.

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Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation and
support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.

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