NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Wednesday, May 20, 1998

INCIDENTS

98-213 - Canyonlands NP (UT) - Demonstration/Special Event

On January 6th, waters within the park were closed to the use of personal
watercraft (PWC) under the superintendent's authority (36 CFR 1.5(a)(1)),
pending the issuance of the final rule on use of PWCs in parks.  Three
justifications were cited:

Historical use of the Green and Colorado Rivers has been and continues
to be primarily by slow-moving rafts and canoes. 

The visitor experience of a multi-day river trip includes infrequent
encounters with other parties and the expectation of solitude and a
primitive setting, which is consistent with the park's general
management plan.  Total numbers for overnight use are capped to help
assure such an experience.  

The introduction of high speed PWCs resulting in frequent interruptions
of slow-moving river trips is inconsistent with the purposes of the
park and the values being protected within the river corridors. 

Late last month, the park was notified that a number of people would be
running their PWCs through the park in deliberate defiance of this closure. 
The event's organizer, James Wilcox of Grand Junction, Colorado, said that he
believes the use of PWCs in the park to be historical and that they should be
allowed on the river in the future.  He added that he was confident that the
NPS did not have the law enforcement authority and/or resources to intercede
in the event.  Rangers determined that an estimated 60 to 80 participants and
nearly as many watercraft were scheduled to make the run through the park on
May 17th; they would launch at the town of Green River, run the 120 river
miles downstream to the confluence with the Colorado River, then run up the
Colorado to the Potash ramp (47 miles) or the Moab ramp (64 miles).  The run
would therefore be for a total of either 167 or 184 river miles.  They
anticipated being on the river for three to four hours, which meant
continuous vessel speeds of from 42 to 61 mph.  National Park Service, Bureau
of Land Management, and state park rangers cooperated in the management of
the event, with the primary objective of stopping it.  On May 17th, 37 PWCs
launched from the town of Green River.  They traveled 73 miles downstream to
Mineral Bottom near the park boundary, where they were met by rangers.  The
PWCs then turned around and returned to Green River without entering the
park.  The event organizers stated they are not backing down in their intent
to fight the prohibition.  Organizers stated that they had a $100,000 legal
defense fund and hinted that they would initiate civil procedures challenging
the closure.  Ranger Marc Yeston served as incident commander for the
operation, which utilized 14 field rangers prepositioned at four different
locations and supported by four NPS vessels.  The closure of park waters to
PWC use has drawn considerable media attention.  [Steve Swanke, DR, River
District, CANY, 5/18]

98-214 - Yosemite NP (CA) - Bus Fire

On May 15th, a tour bus carrying 31 students and teachers from Newport Beach
caught fire and burned on the Wawona highway.  The bus was fully engulfed in
flame when park units arrived and was a total loss.  None of the passengers
was injured, but the driver was treated for smoke inhalation at the scene and
released.  The cause of the fire is still under investigation.  The park
response included two engines, a water tender, a paramedic ambulance, and
five ranger units.  [Kevin McMillan, IC, YOSE, 5/19]

98-215 - Gulf Islands NS (FL/MS) - Agency Assist; Arrest of Homicide Suspects

Rangers received a radio advisory to be on the lookout for two fugitives from
North Carolina just after noon on May 11th.  The two men, who were driving a
white Chevrolet truck with Alabama license plates, had fled from two Gulf
Breeze police officers the previous evening.  Both were considered to be
armed and dangerous.  Ten minutes later, ranger Thomas Howell spotted the
truck on Perdido Key Drive and made a felony stop along with two Escambia
County deputies.  The men were taken into custody without incident and
transported to the county jail.  Further investigation revealed that the two
men, identified as Louis Stallings of Gulf Shores, Alabama, and Stanton
Stinson of Fort Morgan, Alabama, were suspects in a double homicide that had
occurred in North Carolina.  [JR Tomasovic, GUIS, 5/15]

98-216 - New River Gorge NR (WV) - HazMat Incident

Rangers discovered a burning coal refuse pile near Teay's Landing on May 9th. 
Piles of coal refuse left over from coal mining in the gorge are common in
parts of the park.  They are primarily tailings from mines and are composed
of carbonaceous shales that may spontaneously combust as they naturally
oxidize.  They can also be ignited by campfires or wildland fires.  Once lit,
they can be very difficult and even dangerous to extinguish.  Extensive
digging in the piles can cause a backdraft type explosion, and improper
application of water can cause a steam explosion.  The piles liberate
extensive amounts of carbon monoxide, sulfur, nitrogen compounds, and other
gases, some of which are known carcinogens.  Representatives from the West
Virginia Department of Environmental Protection's Abandoned Mine Lands
Division were brought in to extinguish the fire.  During the excavation, a
minor backdraft occurred which produced a 30-foot-high fireball, but wet
conditions prevented significant spread through vegetation.  At least a week
of excavation work will be required before all the burning materials can be
removed from the pile.  [Dave Bartlett, FMO, NERI, 5/19]

98-217 - Big Cypress NP (FL) - Drug Seizure

On May 3rd, a state wildlife officer and an FWS special agent working inside
the park contacted William Carter, who was illegally using a net while
fishing.  The agent noticed that Carter had a paper bag containing a small
amount of marijuana.  Carter fled from the area, jumped into an alligator-
filled canal, and escaped into a nearby wooded area.  Rangers were notified
and assisted in a search for Carter, who was captured as he tried to cross
another canal to reach a state highway.  Carter's vehicle was searched, and
rangers and the FWS agent found and seized 40 grams of marijuana, 240 grams
of cocaine, $5,600 in currency, two firearms and a live alligator.  Carter
will be tried in state court; park and FWS personnel are assisting.  [Joe
O'Haver, ACR, BICY, 5/18]

FIRE ACTIVITY

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level II

LARGE FIRE/INCIDENT SUMMARY 

                                                     Mon      Tue    %   Est
State      Unit             Fire/Incident     IMT    5/18     5/19  Con  Con

CO   Pike-San Isabel NF     Big Turkey        T2      600      600  100  CND 

MI   Hiawatha NF            Camp Faunce       --    1,700    1,832   75  5/20
                          * Ester Lake        T2        -      250    0  NEC
     Huron NF               River Road II     --      100      100  100  CND 

MT   Miles City District    Sandburn          --      600    2,500   40  5/20

TX   State                  Cibolo Creek      --   60,000   60,000   90  5/19

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 I; 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 (FOUR DAY TREND) 

                    NPS    BIA      BLM     FWS    States   USFS     Total

Saturday, 5/16       0      1         0       0        7      2        10
Sunday, 5/17         0      1         0       0        6     12        19
Monday, 5/18         0      0         1       0       36     10        47 
Tuesday, 5/19        0      0         0       0       66      6        72

TOTAL COMMITTED RESOURCES (FOUR DAY TREND) 

                  Crews     Engines    Helicopters    Airtankers   Overhead

Saturday, 5/16      15         10           4             3            64 #
Sunday, 5/17        30         57           9             6           136
Monday, 5/18        30         57          13             1           201
Tuesday, 5/19       27         32           7             3           149

All numbers reflect partial reports (none from the South)

CURRENT SITUATION

Fire activity continued yesterday in the East and in the northern Rockies.
Very high and/or extreme fire indices were reported in units in California,
Colorado, Kansas, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and Michigan.  

NICC has been tasked with identifying resources to assist Mexico with its
numerous current wildfires.

NICC has posted a FIRE WEATHER WATCH in northern Florida due to low humidity.

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 5/20]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No entries.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Side Impact Airbag Hazard Alert - The front doors of 1997 and 1998 sedans
should NOT BE OPENED with lockout tools, as such probing may cause the
premature inflation of side impact airbags, driving the tool into the person
attempting to open the door.  According to the American Automobile
Association, at least five police officers and tow truck operators have been
killed in such incidents.  AAA recommends employing a qualified locksmith to
open door locks in such vehicles.  [Forwarded by Ken Hay, CRLA]

EMS National Register Testing - The National Registry of EMTs recently
withdrew its recognition of the NPS as the "51st" state and has refused to
allow individual parks to offer National Registry testing.  Several current
problems in the NPS were cited as causes, including the lack of an EMS
medical director, an outdated guideline (NPS-51), and the lack of a current
inventory of EMS coordinators.  These problems are currently being mitigated,
but major improvements are not expected until FY98.  Sherrie Collins has been
designated as the NPS EMS coordinator as a collateral duty, and will be
assisting WASO Ranger Activities in these projects.  Ranger Activities has
been able to reach an interim agreement with the National Registry that will
satisfy their security and quality assurance requirements.  This is a
temporary procedure that will be in place only until the NPS program is
streamlined.  Please employ these procedures, which will take about six weeks
from beginning to end:

Request the testing package from National Registry.

Sign all security forms and add a cover letter on official letterhead. 
The cover letter should include the date and location of the National
Registry exam, the name of the medical director for the park's program,
a shipping address, the name of the exam coordinator, a phone number,
and the number of candidates.  

Mail the package and cover letter to Sherrie Collins for review and
signature approval.  The package will then be forwarded to the National
Registry for final approval.  Her post office mailing address is:
Sherrie Collins, Chief, Branch of Emergency Services, PO Box 129, Grand
Canyon, AZ 86023.  Send FedEx packages to her at 1 Center Road, Grand
Canyon, AZ 86023.

If you have any questions concerning these procedures, please contact Sherrie
Collins at 520-638-7840 or cc:Mail Sherrie L. Collins at NP-GRCA.  [Dennis
Burnett, RAD/WASO]

MEMORANDA

No entries.

EXCHANGE

Rewards - Indiana Dunes is interested in hearing from anyone with experience
in setting up a program in which rewards are offered for information. 
They're particularly interested in the administrative aspects of making
payments.  They've received funds from private sources and would like to
match these with operational funds.  Contact Rich Littlefield via cc:Mail at
NP-INDU or by phone at 219-926-7561 x 301.

                    *  *  *  *  *

Distribution of the Morning Report is through a mailing list managed by park,
office and/or field area cc:Mail hub coordinators.  Please address requests
pertaining to receipt of the Morning Report to your servicing hub
coordinator.

Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation and
support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.

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