- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Wednesday, September 3, 1997
- Date: Wed, 3 Sep 1997
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
To: All National Park Service Areas and Offices
From: Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office
Day/Date: Wednesday, September 3, 1997
Broadcast: 9:20 p.m. EDT
*** NOTICE ***
Due to continuing system upgrade configuration problems with the park LAN,
the Morning Report will be transmitted from a remote terminal during evening
hours (EDT) until further notice.
INCIDENTS
97-424 - Yosemite NP (CA) - Follow-up on Search for Missing Aircraft
On the morning of July 23rd, a single-engine 1962 Navion with two men on
board disappeared from radar while crossing the Sierra Nevadas. The search
for the aircraft involved park, Air Force and Civil Air Patrol personnel.
The search is still underway, but no clues have yet been found regarding the
plane's location. There are a number of airplane crash sites on the crest of
the Sierras, so searchers are continuing to receive reports of airplane
parts, crash sites, and/or reflections. The search is complicated by the
fact that the Navion was painted dull black, lacked a transponder, and had a
questionable emergency locator transmitter. [Steve Stockdale, YOSE, 8/30]
97-519 - Blue Ridge Parkway (NC/VA) - Shootings
At approximately 5 a.m. on August 31st, three men who were sleeping in their
car at the Haw Creek overlook were approached by two men who fired a total of
13 9mm and 45 caliber rounds into the car, wounding all three. The injured
were transported to an Asheville hospital and full recovery is expected.
Another shooting incident in downtown Asheville, and a third in Canton, North
Carolina, are believed to be related. The shootings were apparently random;
all victims survived the attacks. Two suspects were later apprehended in
Franklin, North Carolina, and are now in custody in Asheville. Ranger Martin
Golden is investigating. [CRO, BLRI, 9/2]
97-520 - Delaware Water Gap NRA (NJ/PA) - Assault on Ranger
While checking the park campground around 1:30 a.m. on August 31st, ranger
Troy Mueller had to talk with several people about a noisy party. Shortly
thereafter, Mueller saw one of the party who he knew to be impaired - T.F.,
30, of Red Bank, New Jersey - driving at a high rate of speed
through the campground, returning some children to their campsite. Mueller
flagged her down to talk with her; she told him to get out of her way, then
struck him twice with her van. Mueller struck the windshield of the van with
his flashlight in an attempt to defend himself. Mueller and ranger Randy
Seese called for backup; three rangers and a local officer responded, and
they took Franklin into custody at her campsite. T.F.'s father attempted
to impede the officers and was also subdued and arrested. The F.s were
transported to a county jail. Doctors determined that Mueller suffered soft
tissue injuries to his knee and lower back. He will remain off-duty for a
week. [Ed Whitaker, DR, Pennsylvania District, DEWA, 9/2]
97-521 - Golden Gate NRA (CA) - Special Event
On August 23rd, an event titled "Hemptown, USA" occurred at Crissy Field in
the Presidio of San Francisco. Approximately 2,000 people attended the
festival, which advocated the legalization of marijuana. Three stages were
in operation for the ten bands that played at the event. Vendors sold drug
paraphernalia such as glass pipes, stash kits and clothing made from hemp. A
detail of six uniformed officers and four plainclothes officers made a total
of seven arrests for violations which included drug sales, possession of the
drug known as "ecstasy" (MDMA), giving false information, and disorderly
conduct. Officers also issued over 25 citations for possession of marijuana.
Extra units had to be brought in from the park after the crowd became
hostile. Officer Todd Roth injured his leg during one arrest for disorderly
conduct; he was treated and released from a local hospital. [Lt. Kevin Hay,
USPP/GOGA, 8/30]
97-522 - Golden Gate NRA (CA) - Demonstration
Reverend Jesse Jackson and the mayors of San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley
led a march of between 5,000 and 8,000 protestors across the east sidewalk of
Golden Gate Bridge on Thursday, August 28th. The group then marched through
the Presidio to Crissy Field, where they held a permitted first amendment
demonstration. The group was protesting California's proposition 209, which
became law that day. The demonstration was peaceful and no arrests occurred.
After the march started, a few buses stopped to let demonstrators out in the
slow lane of the bridge. Fearing a collision, the California Highway Patrol
asked the Park Police to stop the last ten buses from entering the bridge. A
compromise was reached and the late demonstrators joined the march at Fort
Point NHS. Some non-permitted demonstrators were given a separate first
amendment area outside the gate to Crissy Field. [Lt. Kevin Hay, USPP/GOGA,
8/30]
97-523 - Yellowstone NP (WY) - Geothermal Burn
K.H., 21, an Amfac employee at Mammoth Hot Springs, suffered a
geothermal burn while hiking in the Seven-Mile Hole area of the Grand Canyon
of the Yellowstone on the morning of August 28th. K.H. and a companion
had obtained a backcountry permit for a campsite at Seven-Mile Hole and had
spent the previous night there. While hiking out, K.H. apparently
followed a faint switchback cutoff, stepped in a small hole created by a
geothermal feature, and burned her right foot. She received first aid at the
scene, hiked five miles to the trailhead, then reported the incident at the
Canyon visitor center. After being evaluated by ranger EMTs at Canyon,
K.H. was transported by private vehicle to Lake Hospital, where she was
treated for first and second degree burns to her right foot and ankle. [Mike
Murray, ACR, YELL, 9/1]
97-524 - Zion NP (UT) - Rescue
On August 30th, D.G., 66, slipped and fell on the stream bottom
while hiking the popular "Subway" route of the North Fork Creek.
sustained a closed fracture of his lower right leg. The fracture was reduced
and treated on scene by an orthopedic surgeon who happened upon
shortly after the accident. Rangers responded to the scene and provided
additional medical treatment. Due to impending darkness and the
approximately three mile litter carry-out over rough terrain which would be
required to reach the trailhead, was shorthauled from the scene by
the Grand Canyon NP SAR helicopter team. [Dispatch, ZION, 9/2]
[Additional reports pending...]
FIRE ACTIVITY
NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level II
LARGE FIRE/INCIDENT SUMMARY
Mon Tue % Est
State Unit Fire/Incident IMT 9/1 9/2 Con Con
CA Riverside RU * Pauba ST1 7,000 7,000 90 9/2
Orange County * Santiago ST1 - 600 0 NEC
WY Black Hills NF * Dewey II T2 3,200 3,200 60 9/4
NV Humboldt NF * Troy Canyon -- 600 808 100 CND
ID Boise District * Indian Ridge -- 4,500 4,500 25 9/2
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
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
NUMBER OF NEW FIRES (FIVE DAY TREND)
NPS BIA BLM FWS States USFS Total
Friday, 8/29 0 2 14 0 39 17 72
Saturday, 8/30 0 2 6 1 30 23 62
Sunday, 8/31 1 1 6 0 28 18 54
Monday, 9/1 2 1 27 0 20 39 89
Tuesday, 9/2 2 11 11 0 114 51 189
TOTAL COMMITTED RESOURCES (FIVE DAY TREND)
Crews Engines Helicopters Airtankers Overhead
Friday, 8/29 15 48 9 0 6
Saturday, 8/30 9 30 6 2 4
Sunday, 8/31 55 154 19 21 32
Monday, 9/1 57 142 17 6 87
Tuesday, 9/2 87 169 16 10 4
CURRENT SITUATION
Large fire activity contained in southern California and the Rockies
yesterday. Minor initial attack was reported elsewhere. Very high and
extreme fire indices were reported in areas in the Northwest, western Great
Basin, California and northern Rockies.
[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 9/3]
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Report pending.
OPERATIONAL NOTES
No submissions.
MEMORANDA
No submissions.
EXCHANGE
No submissions.
* * * * *
Distribution of the Morning Report is through a mailing list managed by park,
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coordinator.
Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation and
support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.
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