- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Thursday, September 18, 1997
- Date: Thurs, 18 Sep 1997
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
To: All National Park Service Areas and Offices
From: Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office
Day/Date: Thursday, September 18, 1997
Broadcast: By 1000 ET
INCIDENTS
97-542 - Olympic NP (WA) - Follow-up on Helo Accident with Deaths, Injuries
The correct name of the helicopter pilot who was killed in last week's
accident is Kevin Johnston. His wife is Sherri Johnston. The last name was
previously incorrectly reported as Peterson. [Barb Maynes, PIO, OLYM, 9/17]
97-573 - Sequoia NP (CA) - Rescue
On September 14th, T.P., 43, who was on a solo hike on a class three
route at the 14,000-foot level of Mount Tyndall, fell 25 feet and fractured
his pelvis and a femur. T.P. was able to attract attention by rolling
large boulders, one of which was noted by a woman who was descending the
mountain. She reported the incident. Two park medics were able to reach
T.P. the following day, but evacuation efforts were hampered by high,
gusty winds. By noon on the 16th, a total of 26 rescuers were on scene to
move the 6'11", 250-pound T.P. down to lower elevations. T.P. was
picked up by a National Guard Blackhawk helicopter at the 12,600-foot level.
T.P.'s size, the nature of his injuries and the elevation at which the
incident occurred presented significant challenges to his rescuers.
Overnight temperatures on Mt. Tyndall dropped to 24 degrees. T.P. was
wearing light, day-hiking clothing, including a long-sleeved t-shirt; the
remainder of his gear was at his camp several miles away. [Tom Tschohl, DR,
SEKI, 9/17]
97-574 - Redwood N&SP (CA) - Search and Rescue
Rangers were notified on the evening of September 14th of a vehicle that had
been missing for nearly 14 hours. The vehicle was driven by the wife of a
county deputy and also contained their three small children. An interagency
search was begun, and the vehicle was found 100 feet off the Newton Drury
Parkway after midnight. There was no one in the vehicle, but blood was found
in it. The search continued, hampered by heavy rains. Around 9 a.m.,
searchers heard faint cries about a half mile north of the accident scene.
Rescuers found the mother and three children alive, huddled in very dense
vegetation. They had minor injuries and were suffering from severe
hypothermia. The mother apparently became disoriented after the accident and
was unable to return to the roadway. She reported that she and her three-
year-old slid about 60 feet down a near-vertical slope some time during the
night, separating the members of the family. All were taken to a local
hospital. The three-year-old was held for observation; the mother and
remaining two children were treated and released. [Dan Scott, CR, Prairie
Creek Redwoods SP, RN&SP, 9/17]
97-575 - Indiana Dunes (IN) - Shooting
On the afternoon of September 9th, C.M., 33, reported being
shot during an altercation in a park-owned house that is occupied under a
reservation of use. C.M. was a guest at the house, which is rented by his
ex-wife. He reported that he met his assailant and a female companion on a
gambling boat in nearby Michigan City earlier that day, and that the trio had
gone to the house to make a phone call. C.M. said that the man
subsequently shot him, striking him in the buttocks, then shot at him twice
more as he fled the building. C.M. called 911 from a nearby house, then
went to a hospital. Rangers and local police responded, but the assailant
and his companion had fled in a vehicle by the time they arrived. During the
crime scene investigation, the remains of a marijuana cigarette and rolling
papers were found in plain site. A drug dog was utilized and turned up over
30 grams of marijuana and suspected psilocybin mushrooms. C.M., who left
the hospital after being treated despite doctor's advice, returned to the
house at this time and was arrested by county officers on felony drug charges
and an outstanding felony DUI warrant. The only evidence of the shooting
recovered by investigators was a live .380 round, which matched the type of
handgun C.M. described and was consistent with the wound he had suffered.
C.M. has since given several accounts of the incident, and investigation
indicates that he was not on the gambling boat on the 9th. C.M. is an
admitted gambler and a convicted armed robber. Information indicates a
former prison mate may have been involved in the incident and that the
shooting may be related to armed robberies in local communities. C.M.
remains in jail. The case is being investigated by a park investigator and
county detective. [Joe Wieszczyk, CI, INDU, 9/17]
97-576 - Ozark NSR (MO) - Burglary; Arson
On the evening of September 14th, rangers discovered that the Buck Hollow
ranger station office had burned to the ground and determined that the fire
had occurred some time during the previous 24 hours. Investigation revealed
that a computer system and various pieces of equipment had been stolen prior
to the fire, and that other buildings had been forcibly entered. An
investigation is underway in conjunction with the state fire marshall's
office. [Tim Blank, Manager, South Unit, OZAR, 9/17]
97-577 - Glen Canyon NRA (UT/AZ) - Boating Fatality
R.E., 32, was exiting a side canyon in Hansen Creek Canyon on a
jet ski at high speed on the afternoon of September 10th when he struck a
small jet boat head on and was thrown from his jet ski. R.E. sustained
mortal injuries and never regained consciousness. [Cindy Ott-Jones, DR,
Uplake District, GLCA, 9/17]
97-578 - Ozark NSR (MO) - Drowning
J.N., 54, and his son, P.N., were spearing suckers on the Current
River around 10 p.m. on September 15th when their boat lost power and
eventually swamped. P.N. was in visual and voice contact with his
father for a short period of time, then lost contact. Due to the darkness,
P.N. waited until dawn to find his way to shore and home. When J.N.
failed to appear, family and friends returned to the river to search for him.
They were unsuccessful and notified the local sheriff and park rangers around
6 p.m. that evening. Rangers found J.N.'s body in a 12-foot-deep pool
downstream from the accident site about two hours later. [Tim Blank,
Manager, South Unit, OZAR, 9/17]
97-579 - Baltimore-Washington Parkway (DC/MD) - MVA with Fatality
A three-vehicle accident on the Baltimore Washington Memorial Parkway on
September 13th claimed the life of one of the operators. The accident began
when a Chevrolet and Honda collided on the northbound lanes of the parkway
near Powdermill Road. The impact pushed the Honda across the median strip
into the southbound lanes, where it collided head-on with a Geo and burst
into flames. The operator of the Honda was pronounced dead at the scene.
The operator of the Geo was flown by USPP helicopter to a local hospital and
is in serious condition. [Bill Lynch, RLES, NCRO, 9/17]
FIRE ACTIVITY
NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level II
LARGE FIRE/INCIDENT SUMMARY
Mon Tue % Est
State Unit Fire/Incident IMT 9/15 9/16 Con Con
MT Charles Russell NWR Hubbard -- 800 800 50 9/18
State * TK -- - 1,000 60 9/17
LA Kisatchie NF * Kisatchie Hills -- - 3,100 100 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
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
Saturday, 9/13 NR NR NR NR NR NR NR
Sunday, 9/14 0 2 8 1 6 19 36
Monday, 9/15 1 2 4 1 5 24 37
Tuesday, 9/16 0 4 1 2 24 15 46
Wednesday, 9/17 15 3 4 0 110 8 140
TOTAL COMMITTED RESOURCES (FIVE DAY TREND)
Crews Engines Helicopters Airtankers Overhead
Saturday, 9/13 NR NR NR NR NR
Sunday, 9/14* 4 38 6 0 2
Monday, 9/15 18 49 8 0 65
Tuesday, 9/16 7 18 6 1 0
Wednesday, 9/17 6 28 3 0 13
* No reports received from southern California.
CURRENT SITUATION
Large fire activity continued in the northern Rockies yesterday; there was
little activity elsewhere, except for a large fire in Louisiana. Units in
southern California, the western Great Basin and northern Rockies continue to
report very high fire indices.
[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 9/18]
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
No submissions.
OPERATIONAL NOTES
Hantavirus Update - Although the number of confirmed hantavirus pulmonary
syndrome (HPS) cases has dropped significantly over the last two years, with
14 confirmed cases so far in 1997, NPS employees still need to remain
vigilant. It is a serious and often deadly disease, which is fatal in almost
half of recorded cases. This has been a wetter than normal summer in the
desert Southwest, resulting in lusher vegetation growth. The El Nino weather
phenomenon suggests the West Coast will have a much wetter than normal
winter. As a result, an increase in the populations of rodents that harbor
and transmit HPS to man can be expected next year. The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention are very concerned about the likelihood of increased
human cases of HPS next year in the West and Southwest. Therefore, a brief
review of the disease and basic precautionary measures seems prudent:
o Source of HPS - The deer mouse is the primary carrier of the virus.
This rodent is found throughout the United States, except in the
Southeast and on the East Coast. In the Southeast, the cotton rat is
known to carry hantavirus. On the East Coast, the rice rat and the
white-footed mouse carry hantavirus.
o Spread - Hantavirus is spread from wild rodents to people. The virus
gets in the air as mist from urine and saliva or dust from feces.
Breathing in the virus is the most common way of becoming infected
although you can also become infected by touching the mouth or nose
after handling contaminated materials. A rodent's bite potentially can
also spread the virus.
o Symptoms - Symptoms of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome usually appear
within two weeks of infection, but can appear as early as three days to
as late as six weeks after infection. First symptoms are general and
flu-like: fever (a temperature of 101-104 degrees); headache;
abdominal, joint, and lower back pain; sometimes nausea and vomiting.
However, the primary symptom of this disease is difficulty in
breathing, which is caused by fluid build-up in the lungs and quickly
progresses to an inability to breathe. If any combination of the
symptoms described above - especially difficulty in breathing - appear
after direct or indirect exposure to rodents, contact your doctor or
public health clinic immediately and be sure to mention your exposure
to rodents.
In order to minimize risks, the following precautions should be taken:
o Camping - Before occupying abandoned or unused cabins, open them up to
air out. Inspect for rodents and do not use cabins if you find signs
of rodent infestation. If you sleep outdoors, check potential
campsites for rodent droppings and burrows. Do not disturb rodents,
burrows, or dens. Avoid sleeping near woodpiles or garbage areas that
may be frequented by rodents. Avoid sleeping on bare ground; use a mat
or elevated cots if they are available. Store foods in rodent-proof
containers and promptly discard, bury, or burn all garbage.
o Controlling Mice Outside - Locate woodpiles, and garbage cans at least
100 feet from house. Cover garbage cans with tight-fitting lids.
Eliminate food sources. Store all animal feed in containers with lids.
Discard excess pet food in the evening. Take up pet water bowls in the
evening. Clear brush and grass from around foundation. Seal exterior
holes and cracks 1/4 inch or larger in size.
o Controlling Mice Inside - Wash dishes and clean the floor and counters.
Put pet food and water away at night. Store food/garbage in containers
with tight lids. Seal interior holes and cracks 1/4 inch or larger in
size.
o Safety Precautions - Wear rubber gloves. Don't stir up and breath
dust. Wet contaminated areas, rodent carcasses and nest materials with
disinfectant. Dispose of dead animals properly. Disinfect used
gloves.
If you have any questions, please contact your regional public health
consultant or park sanitarian, or call WASO Public Health for more
information at 202-565-1120. [Jerry Johnson, Chief, PHS]
MEMORANDA
No submissions.
EXCHANGE
No submissions.
OBSERVATIONS
This section, which appears intermittently in the Morning Report, contains
observations regarding the National Park Service, the System and the several
professions of park employees. Today's observation has been excerpted from a
collection of quotations entitled "John Muir: In His Own Words," compiled and
edited by Peter Browning (Great West Books, 1988).
"The regular tourist, ever on the flow, is one of the most characteristic
productions of the present century; and however frivolous and inappreciative
the poorer specimens may appear, viewed comprehensively they are a most
helpful and significant sign of the times, indicating at least the beginning
of our return to nature - for going to the mountains is going home..."
John Muir, August, 1876, from an
article in the San Francisco Daily
Evening Bulletin
* * * * *
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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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