NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Tuesday, January 21, 1997

Broadcast: By 1000 ET

INCIDENTS

96-707 - Yosemite NP (California) - Follow-up on Winter Storm Impacts

Progress and setbacks continue as the park and ICS team work to restore
sections of the park damaged in the flood.  As of yesterday, operations were
largely on hold due to heavy snows falling in the park and the diversion of
resources for snow removal, fallen tree removal and restoration of power. 
The following report was submitted over the weekend:

o Sewage and other utilities - Spirited cheers and applause echoed
throughout Yosemite Valley last Thursday morning when the park's
utilities branch succeeded in bringing the temporary sewage system
bypass on line - 15 days after record flooding obliterated much of the
20-inch diameter sewer pipe paralleling the Merced River between
Yosemite Valley and El Portal.  On Sunday, however, a leak was detected
about a thousand feet upstream from the bypass at the "Cookie" rock
slide, requiring that the system in the valley be shut down again until
further notice.  Utilities branch personnel have worked around the
clock to bring the emergency sewer system and other utilities at El
Portal and in Yosemite Valley back on line.  The overall structural
integrity of the sewer system bypass remains unknown and will require
on-going monitoring.  

o Road reopening - Federal Highway Administration engineers have been
supervising blasting at the "Cookie" rock slide over recent days as
part of the overall effort to clear rock debris on Highway 140.  Once
this project is finished, blasting will begin on Foresta Road.  

o Community support - Park community meetings and get-togethers continue
for park employees and their families in both El Portal and Yosemite
Valley.  

o Reopening of park - As the preliminary assessment of damage to the
park's infrastructure nears completion, criteria are being developed to
govern reopening of portions of the park to the public.  These criteria
will address visitor safety, health, and management issues, the
availability of visitor services, and resource protection.  Yosemite
Valley will remain closed through the month of February.  

o Damage and cost assessment - A preliminary report on infrastructure
damages and associated repair costs should be completed by tomorrow. 
This preliminary assessment will include both costs to date for support
from the NPS Type I all risk incident management team and projected
costs for long-term needs and rehabilitation work.  An executive
summary of this preliminary recovery assessment will be released to the
public concurrent with the report's completion.

A total of 568 people are currently assigned to the incident, including 528
from the NPS, two from BLM, and eleven from the California Division of
Forestry.  Other cooperating agencies include the Mariposa County Sheriff's
Department, Mariposa County Fire Department, Mariposa County Road Department,
California Highway Patrol, California Department of Transportation, American
Red Cross, California Office of Emergency Services, Pacific Gas and Electric
Company, Yosemite Concessions Service Company, and all other park
concessioners.  [Amy Vanderbilt, IO, "Highwater '97A Incident", YOSE]

97-20 - Grand Canyon NP (Arizona) - Successful SAR

On the morning of January 17th, the park received notification that W.K.
of Phoenix, Arizona, was overdue from a hike into the canyon.  W.K.
was to have hiked out on the 16th.  Search personnel covered a 144-square-
mile area of the inner canyon which encompassed the four use areas on his
hiking permit - Clear Creek, Cheyava, Trinity and Phantom Creek.  A severe
winter storm which struck the area last week made conditions for rescuers icy
and dangerous.  Initial efforts involved ground searchers, helicopters, a
search dog unit and several trackers.  By the 18th, there were 98 people in
the field from several organizations, including the Forest Service, BLM,
Border Patrol, Coconino and Yavapai counties and the park's Explorer post. 
NPS areas contributing personnel were Lake Mead NRA, Glen Canyon NRA, Zion
NP, Saguaro NP and Organ Pipe Cactus NM.  W.K. was found at Phantom Ranch
that evening.  He'd gone off his itinerary shortly after beginning his hike,
had become disoriented, and, slowed by winter weather, had opted to continue
off itinerary rather than returning by a known route.  [Jennifer Kish, GRCA]

97-21 - Valley Forge NHP (Pennsylvania) - HazMat Incident

On the morning of January 9th, a park contractor digging a trench to bury an
underground cable in the parking area near the park amphitheater struck what
appeared to be a pocket of asbestos.  Approximately 15 tons of the material
was excavated from a 100-foot-long trench.  Park engineer Kate Shemwell saw
and reported the material.  A bulk sample was retrieved and laboratory
analysis confirmed that it was 70% amosite asbestos.  The asbestos was
probably from a building materials manufacturing company that operated in the
area prior to the creation of the park.  The company may have disposed of the
asbestos in a number of stone quarries in the park as early as the late
1920s.  The parking area where the material was excavated is in the bottom of
an old quarry.  The excavated material will be removed and disposed of at a
state permitted landfill in accord with EPA regulations.  The Pennsylvania
Department of Environmental Protection commended the park on its actions in
preventing a release of the material into the environment.  Cleanup and site
remediation costs are expected to exceed $10,000.  [Earl Cram, Safety
Specialist, VAFO]

97-22 - Crater Lake NP (Oregon) - Snowmobiling Fatality

M.L., 62, of Milwaukee, Oregon, was killed on the morning of January
18th when her snowmobile struck a tree at the north end of the park while
riding with a group of snowmobilers which included other members of her
family.  The state police and local EMS personnel responded.  Rangers are
conducting a follow-up investigation.  [Pete Reinhardt, DR, CRLA]

97-23 - Virgin Islands NP (Virgin Islands) - Probable Drowning

Rangers and Virgin Islands police officers responded to a report of a body on
Salomon Beach on January 15th.  The victim, a 41-year-old male, was lying on
the ocean floor about 12 to 15 feet below the surface of the water.  The
death is being ruled a drowning.  Alcohol is believed to have been a factor. 
A joint investigation is underway.  [Troy Williams, Acting CR, VIIS]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Report pending.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Report pending.

MEMORANDA

No submissions.

EXCHANGE

No submissions.


TRAINING AND WORKSHOP CALENDAR

Two calendars alternate in the Morning Report on Mondays - this one, which
contains training courses and workshops, and a second, which contains
meetings, conferences and events.  If you know of a conference, meeting,
workshop or training session with Servicewide interest and implications,
please send the information along.  Entries are listed no earlier than FOUR
months before the event, EXCEPT in instances in which registration dates
close much earlier.  Asterisks indicate new entries; brackets at end of entry
indicate source of information.  Brevity is appreciated.

1/27-2/7* -- Modern Archives Institute, National Archives, College Park, MD. 
Survey of basic archival functions, including acquisitions,
appraisals, disposition, arrangement, description, preservation,
reference service, and outreach.  Cost: $525.  Contact: George
Chalou, 301-713-7100 x 259.  [Diane Vogt O'Connor, DCA/WASO]

1/29-31 -- "Federal and International Scientific Permits: A Workshop for
Natural History Museums and Collectors," San Diego, CA.  Contact:
619-232-3821 ext. 226 (phone); 619-232-0248 (fax);
libsdnhm@class.org (Internet).  [Diane Vogt O'Connor, DCA/WASO]

2/10 -- Introduction to Records Management, National Archives, College
Park, MD.  Overview of records operations, including
understanding terminology, concepts and requirements of records
management, introductory electronic records management, and
disposition programs.  Prospective attendees must register at
least three weeks in advance.  Cost: $140.  Contact: George
Chalou, 301-713-7100 x 259.  [Diane Vogt O'Connor, DCA/WASO]

2/11-12 -- Disposition of Electronic Records, National Archives, College
Park, MD.  Cost: $140.  Contact: George Chalou, 301-713-7100 x
259.  [Diane Vogt O'Connor, DCA/WASO]

2/13 -- Electronics Records Issues, National Archives, College Park, MD. 
Overview of the major issues and problems faced in managing
federal electronic records.  Cost: $140.  Contact: George Chalou,
301-713-7100 x 259.  [Diane Vogt O'Connor, DCA/WASO]

2/19-21 -- Window Conference and Exposition for Historic Buildings II,
Washington, DC.  Over 60 experts will discuss appropriate repair
and replacement of same.  Tours, workshops, and exhibits by over
40 manufacturers and repair companies.  Registration: $295. 
Technical workshops will b offered after the conference; AIA
continuing education credits will be offered.  Contact: Either
Brooks Prueher, 202-343-1185 (phone) or at NP-WASO-HPS (cc:Mail). 
[Brooks Prueher, HPS/WASO]

2/20-23* -- Critical Incident Stress Debriefing: Basic and Advanced Courses,
Albuquerque, NM.  Courses will be taught by Jeffrey Mitchell and
will cover critical incident stress debriefing and other aspects
of stress management programs.  Contact: Institute for Advanced
Studies in Crisis and Disaster Management, 410-995-5124, or Deb
Boehme, New Mexico CISM, 505-827-1421.  [Mark Maciha, CACA]

2/24  -- Managing Audiovisual Records, National Archives, College Park,
MD.  Management of the special problems and requirements of
audiovisual records in a federal agency.  Contact: George Chalou,
301-713-7100 x 259.  [Diane Vogt O'Connor, DCA/WASO]

3/10-12* -- Records Disposition, National Archives, College Park, MD.  Cost:
$420.  Contact: George Chalou, 301-713-7100 x 259.  [Diane Vogt
O'Connor, DCA/WASO]

3/24-4/4* -- Special Operations Training, Tucson, AZ.  The course is designed
for personnel who are directly involved in special law
enforcement operations in NPS areas.  One-page nomination forms
must be received in FLETC by close of business on February 12th. 
Tuition and per diem during training will be paid by a special
account; travel costs are paid by benefitting park accounts. 
Contact: Aniceto Olais, ORPI, at NP-SOAR or 520-387-7661
extension 7201.  [Aniceto Olais, ORPI]

4/7-11 -- Basic Technical Rescue, Canyonlands NP, Moab, UT.  No tuition;
other costs funded by benefitting accounts.  Program code 5399. 
One-page nominations are to be sent to Ken Phillips at Grand
Canyon NP by February 15th.  [Charles Anibal, WASO]

4/28-5/2* -- Federal Records Management, National Archives, College Park, MD. 
Fundamental policies, procedures and issues pertaining to the
life cycle of records.  Cost: $600.  Contact: George Chalou, 301-
713-7100 x 259.  [Diane Vogt O'Connor, DCA/WASO]

                                *  *  *  *  *

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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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