NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Wednesday, December 17, 1997

Broadcast: By 1000 ET

INCIDENTS

97-747 - Western Pacific Areas - Follow-up on Super Typhoon Paka

Operations at American Memorial Park on Guam were suspended on December 16th
(local time) due to the imminent arrival of the super typhoon.  War in the
Pacific NHS on Guam was closed on the 14th.  Although no reports have since
been received from either area, the Associated Press this morning reports
that the typhoon struck Guam with sustained winds of 150 mph and much higher
gusts - including one of 236 mph, the highest wind speed ever recorded on
earth.  There were no reported deaths, but up to 3,000 families lost their
homes.  Electricity was knocked out for nearly the entire island.  The
governor of the island has declared a state of emergency and asked the White
House for a federal disaster declaration.  [Chuck Sayon, Site Manager, AMME,
12/16; Associated Press, 12/17]

97-753 - Southwest SO (NM) - Assist; ARPA/NAGPRA Prosecution

In December of 1994, the FBI contacted Southwest Region's Resource Protection
Unit and asked for assistance in a case involving Archeological Resources
Protection Act (ARPA) and Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation
Act (NAGPRA) violations.  During the first meeting between the two agencies,
it became clear that wildlife violations were also possible, and
representatives from Fish and Wildlife were brought into the operation.  A
ranger from the RPU went undercover and bought several fans containing
feathers from protected species (primarily eagles and hawks) at the East-West
Trading Company.  The operation led to charges being filed against the
company for Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) infractions, and against R.C.
for dealing in sacred Navajo Yei masks.  The company pled guilty to
the MBTA violations; R.C. was convicted in April, 1996, in the first NAGPRA
trial ever held in the country.  He appealed to the 10th Circuit Court of
Appeals, which upheld the conviction in July, and is now seeking a review by
the Supreme Court.  The NPS participation came about in part because of
requests by the FBI, BIA and U.S. Attorney, in part because of a long
tradition of assisting Native Americans with similar cases.  Along with
providing an undercover ranger, the RPU assigned a case agent to assist FWS
and FBI agents, consulted with the Navajo nation to determine if the masks
constituted items of cultural patrimony protected by NAGPRA, wrote the search
warrants, led the search and seizures, kept the evidence in custody,
testified at the trial, and repatriated the masks to the Navajo nation. 
[Phil Young, SA, SWSO, 12/16]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No entries.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

WASO Law Enforcement Specialist - Captain Michael Fogarty of the U.S. Park
Police has been selected to fill the vacant major position in the Ranger
Activities Division.  Fogarty is a 21-year veteran of the Park Police and is
currently assigned to their Operations Division.  [Rick Gale, RAD/WASO]

OSHA Ruling - OSHA has issued a reminder that, as of January 1, 1998, body
belts will no longer be acceptable as part of personal fall arrest systems
for construction workers (including alteration and/or repair, painting and
decorating).  Locking snap hooks must also be used in such systems, effective
on that same date.  Both requirements are part of the OSHA final rule on fall
protection for the construction industry issued in 1994 (the OSHA fall
protection standard is found in 29 CFR 1926, Subpart M).  Implementation of
the prohibition against body belts and non-locking snap hooks was delayed to
reduce the economic impact.  In issuing the final rule on fall protection,
OSHA noted that employees who fall while wearing a body belt do not receive
the same level of protection they would have if wearing a full body harness. 
Studies indicate that persons suspended in body belts receive internal
injuries and cannot tolerate suspension long enough to allow for retrieval. 
Locking snap hooks also provide the most adequate protection against
"rollout," where snap hooks become accidentally disengaged.  More information
may be found on the WASO Risk Management home page at http://www.nps.
gov/riskmgmt.  The OSHA home page is found at http://www.osha.gov.  [Rick
Management Division, WASO]

Giardia Update - WASO Public Health has provided an update on giardia, which
continues to present problems in the parks and is not well known to both
visitors and staff: Giardia is a microscopic protozoan parasite that infects
man and warm-blooded animals.  People become infected when they ingest the
cysts of this protozoan parasite in contaminated water or food.  Giardiasis
is the most prevalent water-borne disease in the United States.  The parasite
is wide spread in the U.S., including Alaska.  Symptoms of giardiasis
typically last for about two weeks, and usually include severe diarrhea,
nausea, abdominal cramps, fatigue and weight loss.  The onset of symptoms
normally occur within seven to ten days after exposure to the parasite. 
Symptoms are more severe in children.   Persons with compromised immune
systems including AIDS patients and persons receiving chemo or radiation
therapy are at greatest risk.   Humans and warm blooded domestic and wild
animals, particularly beaver and muskrats, are the reservoir of this
parasite.   Giardia parasites are excreted in the feces.  The environmentally
resistant cysts can last for several months in water and can even withstand
freezing for a short period of time.   The primary sources of this disease
are surface waters contaminated by animals and water supplies contaminated by
human sewage.   Large community outbreaks have occurred from drinking treated
but unfiltered water.  Smaller outbreaks have resulted from contaminated food
and person-to-person transmission in day care centers.  Giardiasis also is
frequently transmitted by ingesting untreated surface water and water from
shallow wells.  Giardiasis is a common disease among hikers and campers who
drink untreated surface water from lakes, streams and springs.  Exposure to
this parasite can be minimized through the following actions: 

o Avoid ingesting untreated water from lakes, rivers, streams, and
shallow wells (less than 25 foot deep).

o Bring untreated water to a rolling boil far at least one minute (three
to five minutes at higher elevations).  Filters are less reliable for
removing the parasite, unless they are certified as at least an
'absolute 1 micron filter'.  In conjunction with the use of absolute
filters, the addition of one part per million chlorine (eight drops
household bleach per gallon of water) or other means of disinfection
approved in NPS-83 is strongly recommended.  

o Provide a minimum of 15 minutes contact time between the disinfectant
and water before using.

o Practice good personal hygiene, particularly proper handwashing before
handling food, eating, and after changing diapers, and using the
toilet.  

If you have any questions, please contact your regional Public Health Service
consultant or park sanitarian, or call WASO Public Health for more
information at 202-565-1120 or check the division's web page at www.nps.
gov/public_health.  [Public Health, WASO]

MEMORANDA

No entries.

EXCHANGE

No entries.

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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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