NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Tuesday, May 6, 1997

Broadcast: By 1000 ET

INCIDENTS

97-181 - Glen Canyon NRA (Arizona/Utah) - Plane Crash; Four Fatalities

Park personnel from all divisions responded to a report of a plane crash and
fire at the Bullfrog airstrip around 10 a.m. on the morning of Saturday, May
3rd.  Upon arrival, they found a Cessna 210 turboprop fully engulfed in
flames 300 yards north of the runway.  The fire was quickly extinguished, but
none of the four occupants survived.  Killed were R.S., 52,
G.R., 34, T.P., 36, and G.J., 38.  R.S. and
G.r. were from Gunnison, Colorado; T.P. and G.J. were from Crested
Butte, also in Colorado.  Preliminary investigation revealed that the Cessna
had departed from Gunnison that morning and was approaching the runway for a
landing when the accident occurred.  The cause is still unknown at this time. 
The FAA and NTSB are investigating.  Bullfrog subdistrict ranger Dixon
Freeland was IC for the incident.  A CISD session was conducted by staff from
Canyonlands and Arches.  [CRO, GLCA, 5/5]

97-182 - Fredericksburg and Spottsylvania NMP (Virginia) - Search

Kr.L., 15, and her sister, Ka.L., 12, were reported missing at 5
p.m. on May 1st.  The sisters live adjacent to the Spottsylvania Battlefield
unit of the park and were last seen at 3 p.m. when they got off their school
buses.  A ground search was begun early on May 2nd, with the battlefield as a
primary focus.  Park staff were involved in the search from its inception. 
By late that day, the ICS operation had expanded and a separate division was
set up for the battlefield.  The park furnished ground search crews and the
logistical support for the division located in the park.  The battlefield was
closed all day on May 3rd and 4th as the search continued.  It was suspended
late on the 4th after all search objectives were met.  A criminal
investigation into the girls' disappearance has begun.  [Mike Johnson, CR,
FRSP, 5/5]

97-183 - Gulf Islands NS (Florida/Mississippi) - Disturbed Person

As the tour boat to Ship Island was off-loading about 600 visitors on the
morning of May 4th, one of passengers, D.T., 43, approached
rangers Bernie Doyle and Jeff Woods and informed them that he was feeling
both suicidal and homicidal.  D.T., who was extremely intoxicated, said
that he was a veteran and that he was suffering from post-traumatic stress
syndrome.  He showed them scars on both of his wrists and said that they
indicated previous suicide attempts; he also showed them documentation from
the Veterans Administration indicating that he'd been diagnosed with the
syndrome and was being treated by doctors.  D.T. said he needed help so
that no one would get hurt.  D.T. indicated that he'd cooperate with the
two rangers because both were veterans, but said he couldn't deal with
police.  Doyle and Woods were able to convince D.T. to accept
transportation to the mainland in a Coast Guard patrol vessel, since it was a
military craft.  The Coast Guard took him to Gulfport, where he was
transported by ambulance to a local VA hospital.  [Mark Lewis, DR, GUIS, 5/5]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No submissions.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Exemplary Act Awards - The Director has approved the conferral of exemplary
act awards to members of the New River Gorge search and rescue team for their
successful, nine-hour long effort to rescue a canoer who became stranded on a
rock at the base of Sandstone Falls last October (96-587).  The citation
reads in part: "Because of temperatures dropping into the lower forties and
the constant spray of water from the falls onto the victim, the biggest fear
of the rescue team was the victim would be unable to last through the night
on his sloped 45 degree slope, and would end up in the water.  Because of
hypothermia, darkness and the dangerous boulder garden through which the
waterfall was channeled, and the fact that rescue boats positioned downstream
were not in line of sight of the victim, rescue strategy boiled down to
making any immediate attempts feasible without undue danger to the rescuers. 
The roar of the waterfalls prevented voice contact.  Rescue lights were
positioned on the victim, and some hand communication was possible.  At the
request of the National Park Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers closed
gates in the upstream Bluestone Dam which succeeded in lowering river flow at
the waterfall just after midnight.  Two rangers were able to precariously
move to a position at the top of the falls and propel a rescue rope to the
victim.  Another ranger was then able to force his way through the channel of
water to the victim and stabilize him to the rescue line.  The victim was
then able to be safely removed from the rock.  The entire rescue took place
at night in an extremely hazardous situation in the middle of the largest
falls on the New River, with boats operating in darkness and personnel at the
top of the falls, there were no injuries or accidents.  It was the certain
fact that the victim would be unable to maintain his hold on the rock until
daylight that forced rescuers to make several daring attempts at rescue.  The
final attempt was successful.  Because of the heroic efforts of the rescue
team, a life was certainly saved."  Receiving the award were Dave Bartlett
(IC), Bill Handy (ops chief), Kinsey Shilling, Mark Carrico, Cindy Bradley,
Andy Steel, Jim Light, Peggy Brown, Harry Perkowski, Donald Sledz and Mike
Peck.  [Bill Blake, CR, NERI]

MEMORANDA

No submissions.

EXCHANGE

No submissions.

UPCOMING IN CONGRESS

The following activities will be taking place in Congress during coming weeks
on matters pertaining to the National Park Service.  For inquiries regarding
legislation pertaining to the NPS, please visit the Office of Legislative and
Congressional Affairs Website at http://www.nps.gov/legal, or contact the
main office at 202-208-5883/5656 and ask to be forwarded to the appropriate
legislative specialist.

Tuesday, May 20

House Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands: Hearing on H.R. 60,
establishment of Casa Malpais National Historic Landmark.  Witness: Not yet
determined.

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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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