NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Wednesday, April 29, 1998

INCIDENTS

98-167 - Hawaii Volcanoes NP (HI) - Search in Progress

Early on the morning of April 28th, the park received a report of a missing
hiker in the area where lava from the volcano's on-going eruption is flowing. 
S.-D.T., 26, and S.K. had walked out to the area from
the closed Kalapana Road with some friends around 11 p.m. the previous
evening.  S.-D.T. and S.K. decided to get closer to the flow and hiked
out to the west side of a littoral cone.  S.-D.T. was in the lead and called
back to S.K. to be careful because the ground was unstable.  The steam
from the flows was so intense that it fogged up S.K.'s glasses and he
could no longer see well.  He suddenly realized that he was no longer able to
either see or hear S.-D.T.; he called to him, and found that S.-D.T. had
fallen.  S.K. called back to him, but this time got no response.  He
left the area to get the rest of the group.  They returned to the point where
they thought S.-D.T. had fallen, but could not find him and accordingly
opted to seek help.  They had difficulty locating their vehicle, though, and
wandered around for about five hours before locating it.  County dispatch
received a call from a member of the group at 6:30 a.m. and notified the
park.  A county helicopter was airborne within 30 minutes, and rangers Gail
Minami, Neil Akana and Al Aviles responded by land and began a ground search. 
Additional rangers, personnel from other agencies, a boat, and other
helicopters soon joined the search.  The effort proved fruitless, however,
and the search was called off late yesterday afternoon.  Although S.-D.T. is
presumed dead, search operations will resume at first light this morning. 
[Yvette Ruan, CR, HAVO, 4/28]

98-168 - Wilson's Creek NB (MO) - Assault on Ranger

Ranger Sam Martinsen came upon a vehicle parked in an area of the park noted
for illegal activities on the evening of April 27th.  He approached the
vehicle and asked the driver for some identification; the driver instead
grabbed him and drove off, dragging Martinsen for about 30 feet.  Martinsen
was able to free himself and roll away from the vehicle, suffering only minor
scrapes and bruises in the process.  He got back to his vehicle, summoned
assistance from the local sheriff, and was then taken to a local hospital,
where he was treated and released.  Martinsen was able to get the vehicle's
plate, however, and FBI agents and county officers are investigating. 
Additional details to follow.  [John Townsend, MWRO, 4/28]

98-169 - George Washington Memorial Parkway (VA) - HazMat Spill

While conducting observations on nesting waterthrush on a small creek at
Turkey Run Park on Friday, April 24th, members of the park's natural resource
management staff noticed a white, milky substance coming from a culvert that
originates on adjacent CIA property.  The National Response Center, an
interagency hazardous materials emergency response team, was notified, and
park representatives worked with the Coast Guard, EPA, Fish and Wildlife
Service, Fairfax County, and the NPS Washington Office to investigate the
type and source of the pollutant.  The CIA reported that they had used a
combination of biocides and a strong alkaline solution to wash the coolers at
their facility and had then flushed the solution into the stormwater system
which dumps directly into the stream.  The stream's pH was found to be as
high as 12 (pH 14 is the maximum on the pH scale and pH 10 is considered
unhealthy for human contact; local streams typically have a pH of
approximately 7.5).  The stream is in a natural area and the Potomac Heritage
Trail crosses it near the Potomac shore.  A cursory check by USFWS
epresentatives revealed no aquatic invertebrates left near the outfall on
Friday.  A hazardous materials response unit was mobilized to flush the
stream.  On Monday, park and NCR staffs again observed a white discoloration
in the stream and field tests showed the pH to be approximately 10+ near the
outfall and 9 downstream.  Early analysis of aquatic organisms appeared to
show that those organisms with low tolerance are missing from the stream. 
CIA personnel continue to clean the creek and have placed weirs to induce
settling of residue.  Although water from the cooling system has been shut
off, white residue from the outfall was still evident yesterday.  The spill
may also have originated from the facility's incinerating operations, which
could have produced the high pH.  Tests yesterday revealed that the stream pH
was back down to about 7.2.  The NPS is working with members of the
interagency environmental crimes unit to determine if any permits were issued
by state agencies for this discharge, and a long-term monitoring program is
being designed to determine impacts to the stream ecosystem.  Waterthrushes
are tropical migratory birds that nest on stream banks and eat small aquatic
invertebrates.  The park's natural resource management staff had initiated a
volunteer project to determine nesting occurrences and survivorship.  [Dan
Sealy, RMS, GWMP, 4/28 and 4/29]

                        [Additional reports pending...]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No entries.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

OWCP Investigations - The Risk Management Office has retained the services of
a private investigation firm to identify and when necessary investigate
possible abuse and/or fraudulent use of OWCP benefits.  This company has
extensive experience in this line of work and has field offices across the
United States.  These services will be used to evaluate both long-term and
new workers' compensation cases to identify possible abuse and/or fraudulent
use of OWCP benefits.  Services include, as the case warrants:

     Evaluation of case files

     Conducting background investigations including employment history and
     previous workers' compensation claims with any employer

     Obtaining statements and conducting interviews

     Surveillance
     
The National Park Service's first and foremost responsibility is to ensure
that employees who become injured and ill on the job receive appropriate
medical care, workers' compensation benefits, and time necessary to recover. 
It is also our responsibility to assist these employees to return to gainful
employment as soon as they are physically capable.  Recognizing that most
employees use these benefits appropriately, we also believe that some abuse
of benefits does occur.  This service has been established to evaluate, and
when warranted, investigate those cases.  For further information, or to
request use of these services, please contact Jo Ann Pena, Workers'
Compensation Manager, Office of Risk Management, WASO, at 202/565-1105. 
[Dick Powell, ORM/WASO]

Correction - Yesterday's "Upcoming in Congress" summary noted that a hearing
would be held on May 12th on a bill to authorize the government of Indiana to
establish a memorial to Mahatma Gandhi in the District of Columbia.  The
government in question was that of the nation of India, where Gandhi led his
famed passive resistance campaign against the British empire, not the state
of Indiana, which neither advocated nor participated in said empire. 
[Editor]

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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