- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Monday, July 28, 1997
- Date: Mon, 28 Jul 1997
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
To: All National Park Service Areas and Offices
From: Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office
Day/Date: Monday, July 28, 1997
Broadcast: By 1000 ET
INCIDENTS
97-398 - Rocky Mountain NP (CO) - Climbing Fatality
T.M., 34, of Estes Park, Colorado, was killed in a fall at a point
near the summit of 12,500-foot Petit Grepon on the evening of July 2nd. His
Italian climbing partner was uninjured. T.M. was the lead climber at the
time of the accident and was not wearing a helmet when he fell between 50 and
75 feet, striking the cliff face head first. When the pair failed to return
from their day climb by the following morning, T.M.'s wife called the
park and reported them overdue. Responding rangers received other reports of
a motionless climber hanging upside down on the cliff and subsequently
confirmed that T.M. had been killed. The body recovery was completed on
Friday, July 4th, which would have been T.M.'s 35th birthday. A CISD
debriefing was provide for those involved in the body recovery on Sunday,
July 6th. [Kris Holien, ROMO, 7/9]
97-399 - White Sands NM (NM) - Rescue
On the morning of Sunday, July 6th, members of a group that had camped
illegally in the park the previous night reported that one of their number -
N.W., 19 - was missing. He'd last been seen asking directions to the
road. Since afternoon temperatures were in the mid-90s, the park sought
assistance from the 48th Rescue Squadron at Holloman AFB. Ranger Jonathan
Brotzman worked from the helicopter, while ranger Paul Jones and a Border
Patrol agent followed N.W.'s windblown tracks. They found that he had
abandoned his guitar, shoes and a backpack containing a water bottle. N.W.
was found in the early evening and transported to a hospital for medical
attention. He was given seven bags of intravenous fluids at the hospital as
treatment for severe dehydration and sun exposure. [Nancy Wizner, CR, WHSA,
7/7]
97-400 - Yellowstone NP (WY) - Rescue
On July 6th, rangers responded to a one-vehicle accident at Rustic Falls on
the Grand Loop road. A 1995 Ford Explorer with four occupants had run off
the road and into a 50-foot-deep ravine below the falls. One adult and two
children with minor injuries were taken to a hospital in Livingston; a second
adult with neurological problems was short-hauled from the bottom of the
ravine to an emergency landing zone at Swan Lake Flat by the park contract
helicopter, then flown to a hospital in Idaho Falls, where she was treated
for a cervical fracture. Approximately 14 park personnel participated in the
rescue, including members of the wildland fire crew, the Mammoth fire
department, and rangers from several subdistricts. [Mike Murray, ACR, YELL,
7/9]
97-401 - Curecanti NRA (CO) - Assist: MVA with Two Fatalities; Rescue
Rangers from Curecanti and Black Canyon of the Gunnison NM responded to a
head-on collision on U.S. 50 in Gunnison River Canyon at 11 a.m. on June
27th - just a mile from the location where they were conducting vertical
rescue training. A full-size pickup driven by a 19-year-old Colorado
resident apparently crossed the double yellow line and collided with a small
recreational vehicle, killing the elderly male driver instantly. His wife
was flown to the hospital in Grand Junction with severe head and internal
injuries; she died the following day. Following a lengthy extrication
operation, the driver of the pickup was also flown to Grand Junction, where
he was admitted to the hospital in critical condition with internal injuries.
Rangers were first on scene and provided emergency medical services and
traffic control until state police and ambulance personnel arrived. [Kinsey
Shilling, DR, CURE, 6/28]
97-402 - Fort Sumter NM (SC) - Concessioner Boat Fire
A fire broke out in the engine room of the "Major Anderson" while on a non-
NPS trip around 1 p.m. on June 30th. Park employees and members of a local
fire department responded in the park's boat. The concession vessel's
captain was able to bring the boat alongside an anchored work barge and off-
load 55 passengers with no injuries. The fire was finally brought under
control with help from the Coast Guard. A complete assessment was not yet
available at the time of the report, but damage to the boat appeared to be
severe. Although no park visitors were on the boat on this trip, the vessel
is routinely used to convey visitors to and from Fort Sumter. The
concessioner's other two vessels will maintain ferry service to the park.
[Ann Childress, CR, FOSU Group, 7/1]
97-403 - Redwood N&SP (CA) - Marijuana Eradication; Two Convictions
During the summer of 1996, a total of 1,027 marijuana plants were found in
seven separate gardens within the park by an interagency narcotics task
force. The plants had an estimated street value of about $5.1 million. Due
to the lack of personnel for surveillance operations, most of the plants were
eradicated; some surveillance was conducted, however, and, together with
information gathered from informants, led to the conviction of two people -
Kirk Stewart, 34, and Kevin Wilson, 35, both of Crescent City - responsible
for at least three of the gardens. Stewart was recently sentenced to nine
months in prison; Wilson received a suspended sentence. The park now has a
ranger permanently assigned to the task force. [Bob Martin, CR, REDW, 7/22]
97-404 - Redwood N&SP (CA) - Arrests for Drugs and Other Violations
On July 5th, rangers investigating a report that several people failed to pay
camping fees at Mill Creek campground arrested six individuals for a variety
of crimes, including outstanding drug-related warrants, possession of a
stolen Ryder truck, possession of marijuana for use and sale, and failure to
pay user fees. State officers and county deputies assisted in the arrests.
[Bob Martin, CR, REDW, 7/22]
[Additional reports pending...]
FIRE ACTIVITY
NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level II
LARGE FIRE/INCIDENT SUMMARY
Fri Sun % Est
State Unit Fire/Incident IMT 7/25 7/27 Con Con
AK Southwest Area Inowak T2 475,150 480,000 0 NEC
Chiniklik Mt. T2 3,350 3,340 20 8/3
Oskawalik T2 1,320 2,140 100 CND
Galena District Paimiut -- 700 1,200 25 8/3
* Simels -- - 317,350 0 NEC
WA Wallowa-Whitman NF * Bull -- - 100 0 NEC
Yakima Agency * Logy Cow Camp -- - 100 50 NEC
CA Bakersfield District * Priest -- - 500 100 CND
UT Cedar City District * North Hills -- - 469 100 CND
S.C. Idaho District * Tidura South -- - 450 100 CND
TX McFaddin NWR * East Easement -- - 500 100 CND
* Whites Unit -- - 2,300 100 CND
Heading Notes
Unit -- Agency = BIA area; NF = national forest; RU = CA state resource
or ranger unit; RD = state ranger district; District = BLM
district; NWR = USFWS wildlife refuge
Fire -- * = newly reported fire (on this report); Cx = complex; LSS =
limited suppression strategy; CSS = containment suppression
strategy
IMT -- T1 = Type 1; T2 = Type II; ST = State Team
% Con -- Percent of fire contained
Est Con -- Estimated containment date; NEC = no estimated date of
containment; CND = fully contained; NR = no report; LPS = limited
protection status
NUMBER OF NEW FIRES (FIVE DAY TREND)
NPS BIA BLM FWS States USFS Total
Wednesday, 7/23 1 10 20 0 66 32 129
Thursday, 7/24 0 6 11 5 41 32 95
Friday, 7/25 0 4 14 0 39 33 90
Saturday, 7/26 0 2 14 1 26 29 72
Sunday, 7/27 0 4 25 1 44 74 148
TOTAL COMMITTED RESOURCES (FIVE DAY TREND)
Crews Engines Helicopters Airtankers Overhead
Wednesday, 7/23 42 33 20 4 130
Thursday, 7/24 47 62 21 10 161
Friday, 7/25 43 46 27 7 174
Saturday, 7/26 47 95 26 8 144
Sunday, 7/27 69 130 27 13 183
COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT
1997: YTD Ten Year Average: YTD
Number of fires 39,669 49,836
Acres burned 2,121,924 1,668,749
CURRENT SITUATION
New large fires were reported yesterday in Alaska and the Northwest.
Favorable weather conditions allowed firefighters to make good progress on
most other fires in Alaska. Initial attack activity increased in the western
Great Basin, Northwest and northern California. Fire indices remain high to
extreme for units from Texas to Montana.
[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 7/26-8]
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Reports pending.
OPERATIONAL NOTES
Seatbelt Regulations - The proposed rule changing the existing seatbelt
regulation (36 CFR 4.15) in accord with Executive Order 13043 will be
published int he Federal Register today. There will be a 60-day comment
period on the rule. If you would like a copy of the proposed rule, address a
cc:Mail message to Dennis Burnett at NP-WASO-POPS and enter the word SEATBELT
on the subject line. No message needs to be included. The computer will
automatically retrieve the document and send it to you. If you want to
comment on the regulation, please follow the instructions on the proposed
rule. [Dennis Burnett, RAD/WASO]
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.
8/18-22 -- Environmental Crime Investigative Techniques, New Orleans, LA.
Contact: Lana Burwell, Southern Environmental Enforcement
Network, 334-242-7369. [Einar Olsen, NCRO]
8/19-27* -- Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response for National
Park Service Employees. Contact: Hank Brightman, 202-565-1259.
[Steve Hastings, HOAL]
8/25-29* -- Servicewide Instructor Team Opportunity for Fundamental
Principles of Administration, Mather Training Center, Harpers
Ferry, WV. The center is recruiting interested persons to
prepare and present competency-based administrative training.
NOMINATIONS ARE DUE BY AUGUST 1ST. Contact: The Learning Place
bulletin board, Administrative Issues bulletin board, or Jan
Gauthier at 304-535-6402. [Joyce Howe, STMA]
8/28* -- Symposium on Slavery. George Washington University, Washington,
DC. This one-day symposium will provide the context for historic
presentations on African-American slavery. See NPS Learning
Place bulletin board. Contact: Marie Tyler-McGraw, 202-343-5380.
[Joyce Howe, STMA]
9/8-11 -- Preserving the Historic Designed Landscape, Mount Rainier NP, WA.
The course is designed to provide training and development in the
management of cultural landscapes, with a particular emphasis on
the issues related to historic designated landscapes in western
national parks. Contact: Anthony Knapp, 304-535-6178. [Joyce
Howe, STMA]
9/8-12 -- Master of "Leave No Trace" Rafting Training Course, Vernal, UT.
Tuition is $650. Applications are due at least one month before
the course starting date and can be obtained from the National
Outdoor Leadership School, 1-800-332-4100 (307-332-8811, fax).
Contact: NOLS or Roger Semler at 406-888-7837. [Roger Semler,
GLAC]
9/8-12 -- The New Superintendent, Shenandoah NP, VA. The course is
intended primarily for newly assigned, first-time park
superintendents at the GS-12 or GS-13 levels. Assistant/ deputy
superintendents and SO superintendents may also apply. The
course will focus on organizational values, philosophy, and
concepts that are critical to the thought process that a
superintendent uses to make decisions. Tuition: $375. Closing
date for nominations is July 7th. Contact: Jim Bellamy, HOAL,
520-638-7983. [Jim Bellamy, HOAL]
9/9-18 -- Cultural Resources for Managers, Mather Training Center, Harpers
Ferry, WV. A core course for all superintendents, cultural
resource managers, and other program managers involved in
cultural resource management. A variety of present techniques
will be used, including field trips, exercises and case studies
to familiarize managers with important cultural resource
stewardship issues. It will cover basic principles, regulations,
laws and policies. Contact: Mary Robinson, 304-535-6732, or Tony
Knapp, 304-535-6178. [Joyce Howe, STMA]
9/15-19 -- Master of "Leave No Trace" Canoeing Training Course, Ely, MN.
Tuition is $650. Applications are due at least one month before
the course starting date and can be obtained from the National
Outdoor Leadership School, 1-800-332-4100 (307-332-8811, fax).
Contact: NOLS or Roger Semler at 406-888-7837. [Roger Semler,
GLAC]
9/15-19* -- Interpretive Instructor's Training I: Supervisory Training -
Competency-Based Professional Development, Mather Training
Center, Harpers Ferry, WV. The center is recruiting interested
persons to prepare and present a four to six hour workshop for
interpretive supervisors on using the interpretive competencies
and curriculum. Contact: NPS Learning Place bulletin board or
Dave Dahlen at 304-535-6215. [Joyce Howe, STMA]
9/16-19* -- Wilderness Curriculum and "Leave No Trace" Workshop, Camp Dodge,
White Mountain NF, near Gorham, NH. This workshop will prepare
participants to train the public "Leave No Trace" techniques and
to be comfortable with teaching lessons from the national K-8
grade wilderness curriculum, organizing teacher workshops, and
working with public school systems. Includes overnight camping
trip. Contact: Greg Kroll, Arthur Carhart National Wilderness
Training Center, by name on cc:Mail or at 406-626-5208, extension
14 (phone), 406-626-5395 (fax). [Joyce Howe, STMA]
9/18-21 -- Rocky Mountain Anthropological Conference, Holiday Inn, Bozeman,
MT. A field trip is planned for the last day. Contact:
Information and registration information are on the home page at
http://www.montana.edu/wwrmac. [Ken Cannon, MWAC]
9/19-20 -- Health, Safety and the Environment in Architectural Preservation,
Norwich University, Northfield, VT. The workshop will focus on
health and environmental hazards inherent in materials and
processes used in building conservation and restoration.
Sponsored by The Preservation Institute. Contact: Historic
Windsor, Inc., 802-674-6752. [Steve Hastings, HOAL]
9/22-26 -- Master of "Leave No Trace" Hiking Training Course, Bethel, ME.
Tuition is $650. Applications are due at least one month before
the course starting date and can be obtained from the National
Outdoor Leadership School, 1-800-332-4100 (307-332-8811, fax).
Contact: NOLS or Roger Semler at 406-888-7837. [Roger Semler,
GLAC]
9/29-10/4 -- "Our Shared Legacy: International Conference on the Conservation
and Restoration of Earthen Architecture," Rio Rico, AZ, and
Caborca, Sonora, Mexico. Training course sponsored by the NPS,
Tumacacori NHP, and the Instituto Nacional de Antropologia e
Histoira of Sonora, Mexico. The conference will explore the
history, unique architecture and preservation challenges of the
Sonoran region of Mexico and the United States. One day will be
spent on a preservation needs assessment on Mission Cocospera in
Sonora. Contact: David Yubeta, TUMA, 520-398-2341 ext 23, or Ann
Rasor, ext 21. [Ann Rasor, TUMA]
10/2-8 -- Advanced Regional Wilderness Management Training, Tucson, AZ.
Lectures, case studies, written materials and a two-night
backcountry field trip. Designed to strengthen the understanding
of wilderness values and concepts and enhance line and staff
knowledge of current resources and management issues affecting
wilderness. Contact: Richard Conrad or Greg Kroll, Arthur
Carhart National Wilderness Training Center, 406-626-5208.
[Joyce Howe, STMA]
10/14-15* -- Fire Protection for Historic Structures and Museum Collections,
Presidio, San Francisco, CA. This course will cover basic
practices and new technologies that focus on integrating fire
safety into park management. Contact: NPS Learning Place
bulletin board or Tony Knapp at 304-535-6732. [Joyce Howe, STMA]
10/15-16* -- Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability
Act Workshop, Mather EDC, Harpers Ferry, WV. The workshop will
provide participants with specific information on the multiple
responsibilities involved in the proper response to releases of
hazardous substances into the environment, impacting NPS lands
and facilities. Contact: Dan Reimer, Environmental Protection
Specialist, 202-565-1261. [Steve Hastings, HOAL]
10/27-31* -- Interpretive Competencies Workshop: Developmental Level Ranger
Careers Training, Mather EDC, Harpers Ferry, WV. This workshop
will allow participants to develop knowledge, skills and
abilities in one 200-level essential interpretive competency.
Contact: NPS Learning Place bulletin board, or Toni Dufficy at
305-242-7752. [Joyce Howe, STMA]
11/4-6* -- Programming and Budget, Tucson, AZ. The course is targeted at
the program management level, and is designed to provide the
participants with a better understanding of the NPS budget
process. Contact: Jan Gauthier, Mather EDC, 304-535-6215.
[Joyce Howe, STMA]
* * * * *
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
pertaining to receipt of the Morning Report to your servicing hub
coordinator.
Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation and
support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.
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