NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Tuesday, December 30, 1997

Broadcast: By 1000 ET

INCIDENTS

97-208 - Great Smoky Mountains NP (Tennessee) - Follow-up on Fatal MVA 

C.H., 26, of Sevierville, Tennessee, has been sentenced to six
years in federal prison as a result of a drunken driving accident last spring
that killed one of the passengers in the vehicle he was driving.  In a plea
agreement which dropped second degree murder charges, C.H. agreed to
accept the six year maximum sentence for involuntary manslaughter.  C.H.
had two prior drunken driving arrests, and had a blood alcohol level almost
twice the legal limit following the accident.  Under current federal
sentencing guidelines, he will have to serve about five years and three
months in prison before becoming eligible for parole.  [Jason Houck, CR,
GRSM, 12/29]

97-747 - War in the Pacific NHP (Guam) - Follow-up on Super Typhoon Paka

The park and park staff are slowly recovering from the severe damages
inflicted by super typhoon Parka, which struck Guam on December 17th with
winds from 175 to 230 mph.  The following are highlights from a more
extensive report recently prepared by the park:

o Damage estimates are still under preparation, but it's estimated that
the total will reach at least $1 million.  The park is focusing its
efforts on restoring the visitor center and the facilities at Asan
Beach.  The visitor center is now in operating condition and is
functioning on emergency generator power, but remains closed to the
public to permit drying and rehabilitation of its contents.  It's
estimated that it will take a crew of 20 emergency hires at least a
month to remove debris from the Asan beach unit.  

o Power is still out to 90% of the island, and it appears that it will be
several months before it will be restored to all areas.

o Hawaii Volcanoes NP has provided personnel to assist in the recovery
and has shipped a dump truck to the park.  The Arizona Memorial Museum
association has provided much-needed supplies, including a refrigerator
and washer and dryer which can be used by employees who have no power
at home.  FWS has also provided an evidence freezer which employees can
use to store food.  

o Staff members are beginning to show some signs of exhaustion, and
efforts are being made to assure that everyone is rotated and gets
adequate rest.  The lack of electricity and air conditioning at
residences makes the office the most attractive alternative for non-
field staff.  Those with families are more apt to return home when
provided with the opportunity to do so.  

The park does not currently anticipate a need for additional overhead, except
for select NPS professionals to assist in damage assessment and
rehabilitation planning.  [Ed Wood, Superintendent, WAPA, 12/29]

97-765 - Whiskeytown NRA (CA) - Homicide

A park maintenance worker discovered a body slumped over a berm near the
Davis Gulch nature trail parking lot during the early morning hours of
Monday, December 22nd.  She notified park dispatch immediately; rangers
responded and found the body of an adult male.  The only obvious sign of foul
play was a small tear in his left rear pocket, above which was dried blood. 
The area was secured and the sheriff's office's major crimes unit summoned. 
A lengthy investigation revealed that the man, who was about 35 years old,
had been shot five times with an AK-47 assault rifle.  None of the wounds was
immediately fatal.  The exact time of death has not been determined, but
estimates suggest that the homicide took place some time during the previous
night.  No identification was found on the victim.  A joint investigation is
underway.  [Larry Carr, CR, WHIS, 12/29]

97-766 - Fort Sumter NM (SC) - Assist; Drownings

On the morning of December 29th, the park received a report of a body in the
surf in front of Fort Moultrie just outside the park's boundary.  Ranger Bill
Martin and local EMS personnel responded.  The victim, a juvenile male, had
been pulled to the beach by bystanders; a second victim, also a juvenile
male, was discovered in the water a short distance away and also brought to
shore.  CPR was begun on both victims.  NPS boat captain David Richardson
searched the area and found a sunken sailboat at the entrance to Charleston
Harbor.  The Coast Guard was notified and a search by helicopter was begun. 
Several local and state agencies joined the search for other victims and for
evidence of a boating accident.  The first two victims were taken by an
ambulance to a hospital.  A third was later found in the water outside the
harbor's entrance.  None of the three survived, and none has yet been
identified.  A diving team was assembled to examine the sailboat.  The park's
work boat shuttled the divers to the site.  The search effort was continuing
at the time of the report and was scheduled to go on until sunset.  [Bill
Martin, ACR, FOSU, 12/29]

97-767 - Golden Gate NRA (CA) - Assist; Fall

G.G., age two, was walking with her parents on the east sidewalk near
the north end of the Golden Gate Bridge on the afternoon of December 21st
when she somehow fell through a gap measuring about nine-and-a-half inches
between the sidewalk and the roadway.  Her parents attempted to catch her,
but she fell 180 feet and landed on a dirt slope below the bridge in the
vicinity of lower Conzelman Road in East Fort Baker.  A joint emergency
response was begun which included personnel from the park, state police,
bridge authority, Marin County and the city of Sausalito.  Ranger Alex Naar
served as a unified command incident commander along with the fire chief from
Sausalito.  Following provision of initial advanced life support, the little
girl was transported by ambulance to the parade ground at East Fort Baker,
then airlifted by helicopter to Children's Hospital in Oakland.  She was
pronounced dead a short time before arrival at the hospital.  The incident is
being investigated by state police and bridge authorities.  Corrective
measures are being taken to prevent a similar accident.  [Richard Danielsen,
Operations Supervisor, GOGA, 12/29]

97-768 - Golden Gate NRA (CA) - Structural Fire

On the afternoon of December 28th, a fire occurred in a single-story historic
structure measuring about 800 square feet at Fort Mason.  The building was
being used by a park partner.  The fire, which apparently started outside the
building, caused extensive damage to both the structure and the contents of
the building.  There were no injuries.  The fire is under investigation. 
[William Oswald, GOGA, 12/29]

97-769 - President's Park (DC) - Significant Vandalism

A display on the Ellipse depicting the Islamic star and crescent moon - part
of the "Pageant of Peace" celebration - was vandalized over the weekend. 
Vandals removed the star from the display and painted a crude, red swastika
on one side of the wooden star.  The star was then abandoned near the
display.  Park Police officers are investigating the incident as a hate
crime.  This is the first year that an Islamic display has been placed
alongside Christian and Jewish symbols on the Ellipse.  [Bill Lynch, RLES,
NCRO, 12/29]


RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No entries.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

No entries.

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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