NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Friday, May 29, 1998

INCIDENTS

97-619 - Denali NP (AK) - Follow-up on Rescue

On the morning of October 6, 1997, the park was advised that three mining
claimants had departed from Kantishna the previous evening in a snowstorm in
an attempt to drive the unplowed park road to headquarters.  Park
headquarters had received 18 inches of snow the previous day.  The claimants'
flatbed truck was spotted from the park's contract helicopter, mired in
drifted snow at mile 62.  Two flights were required to evacuate the three
family members and the dogs.  On May 22nd, the owner of the truck was finally
able to get back to it.  The truck had wintered well and started on the first
try.  [Tom Habecker, Acting CR, DENA, 5/23]

98-226 - Yosemite NP (CA) - Follow-up on Search in Progress

Searchers have found tracks which could be those of D.M., who has
been missing since Monday.  A half dozen tracks were discovered yesterday
afternoon which match the tread of the shoes he was wearing when he began a
solo hike to Half Dome.  Investigators are now working to determine if the
tracks were made during the time D.M. is believed to have been hiking in
the area.  This is the strongest lead that has developed since an earlier
report that D.M. was seen on the trail on Monday morning.  Searchers have
already covered at least three-quarters of three search areas and smaller
percentages of the remaining search areas.  Search managers are planning to
continue full-scale efforts today despite rain, lightning, and the threat of
snow.  Two dozen members of the search team spent last night in Little
Yosemite Valley.  Nearly 250 people are currently assigned to the operation,
including 100 ground searchers and 15 dog teams.  Four helicopters are being
used.  [Christine Cowles, IO, YOSE, 5/28]

98-231 - Canyonlands NP (UT) - Boating Accident; Rescue

G.L. and C.L. of South Salem, New York, were involved in a boating
accident near Beaver Bottom on the Green River on the afternoon of May 26th. 
The L.s were on a multiple-day flatwater trip in 15-foot kayaks.  Strong
winds produced waves about two feet high, flipping C.L.'s kayak. 
She then floated into a tree which was protruding from the Maze District side
of the river.  The force of the water held her against the tree.  Her husband
tried to free her, but his kayak flipped in the process and he was carried
down the river.  C.L. was finally able to free herself.  The L.s
floated downstream with his kayak for 15 minutes until they were able to
reach the shore on the Maze side.  Her kayak, which contained their drinking
water, sleeping bags and cooking stove, was lost.  The L.s were able to
make voice contact the next day with mountain bikers who were biking in the
Island in the Sky District side of the river.  Rangers Alyssa Van Schmus and
Marc Yeston coordinated the rescue and evacuation of the L.s from this
remote backcountry area.  Neither was injured.  At the time of the accident,
the Green River was flowing at about 22,000 cubic feet per second and had a
water temperature of about 55 degrees.  [Steve Swanke, CANY, 5/28]

98-232 - Olympic NP (WA) - Rescue

Rangers and crewmen from the Quillayute Coast Guard station responded to a
request to rescue two stranded hikers at Taylor Point on May 24th.  Two young
teenaged girls had become trapped by the incoming tide and sought refuge on a
cliff shelf about 20 feet above the ocean.  Rangers in a Zodiac, supported by
two USCG motor lifeboats, attempted to reach the pair, but high surf and
surge made it impossible to do so.  They were eventually plucked from the
cliff face by a USCG helicopter from Port Angeles.  Ranger Cody Cole, who was
IC for the incident, had directed the park's technical rescue team into
position for a high-angle rescue as a contingency in case the helicopter
rescue effort failed.  The girls suffered from minor hypothermia due to their
exposure to repeated soakings from large wave splashes.  Their hiking
equipment was lost to ocean surges.  Although experienced in coastal hiking
and aware of the danger signs directing hikers to use the headland trail, the
girls decided to try to beat the tide and walk the shoreline.  [Mark O'Neill,
DR, OLYM, 5/26]

98-233 - Cape Lookout NS (NC) - Severe Storm; Rescue

A severe storm with wind gusts up to 70 mph struck the park on the afternoon
of May 23rd.  There were about 250 vessels in the park at that time.  The
winds kicked up high seas in the sound and Cape Lookout bight, causing six
recreational boats to swamp or sink.  Many of the remainder sought shelter in
the bight and the park's boat basin.  A one-and-a-half year old child
suffered respiratory distress when the boat she was on sank and family
members were unable to keep the child's head above the waves.  The family of
eight was rescued by a passing boat and the child was airlifted to a local
hospital, where she was treated and released.  A visitor was brought to the
park visitor center with a dislocated shoulder.  Both he and his friend were
orthopedic surgeons; the doctor, with assistance from a ranger, set the
shoulder in the park's conference room.  Rangers spent the rest of the day
looking for and assisting distressed vessels.  [Jim Zahradka, SPR, CALO,
5/24]

    [Numerous additional reports pending, which will appear next week...]

FIRE ACTIVITY

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level II

LARGE FIRE/INCIDENT SUMMARY 

                                                     Wed      Thu    %   Est
State      Unit             Fire/Incident     IMT    5/27     5/28  Con  Con

FL   Apalachicola NF        Holiday           T2    1,875    2,000   50  NEC 

AK   Fort Greely            Carla Lake        --    6,800   13,800    0  NEC 

MT   Miles City District  * Snow Creek        --        -      500  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 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

Monday, 5/25         0      5         1       0       13     14        33
Tuesday, 5/26        0     12        10       1      386     16       425
Wednesday, 5/27      0     15         1       0      101      5       122
Thursday, 5/28       0      8         6       1       71     12        98

TOTAL COMMITTED RESOURCES (FOUR DAY TREND) 

                  Crews     Engines    Helicopters    Airtankers   Overhead

Monday, 5/25         7         16           6             0            25
Tuesday, 5/26        6          2           8             0            26
Wednesday, 5/27     10         16          11             0           107
Thursday, 5/28      11         14          14             0            77

CURRENT SITUATION

There was little fire activity yesterday.

The Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance has tasked NICC with sending
supplies and equipment to Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica.

Very high and extreme fire indices were reported in units in Texas, New
Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Minnesota, Michigan, New York and New Hampshire.  

NICC has posted two FIRE WEATHER WATCHES - one for southwest winds between 15
and 30 mph for northwest Arizona and for locations in New Mexico above 9,000
feet, the other for winds and low humidity for the northern lower peninsula
of Michigan.

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 5/29]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No entries.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Uniform Program Update - The long-awaited new women's pants fit (for summer
tropical trousers, field work trousers, and winter elastique trousers) will
be available this month.  In response to comments from the field, R&R tested
pants patterns in several government agencies, including the NPS.  This new
fit accommodates most body shapes, and the sizes have been realigned to be
compatible with the casual clothing market.  No change has been made to the
women's jeans.  The former women's pants fit will be discontinued, but will
be available until current stock is depleted or through September 30th,
whichever comes first.  Employees with comments/concerns regarding this
revised uniform component should work through their park uniform
coordinators.  Park coordinators should address any issues to the appropriate
regional uniform coordinator.  [Meg Leffel, RAD/WASO]

FLHP Reauthorization Funding - Both houses of Congress have now passed the
conference report reauthorizing ISTEA (a major transportation act), which
includes funding for the Service's highway program.  The president has
indicated that he will sign the bill.  A total of $115 million has been
authorized for FY98 (a sum which includes the $42 million already
appropriated through an earlier six-month extension) and $165 million per
fiscal year for each of the next five fiscal years.  [John Gingles, FMD/WASO]

Side Impact Airbag Hazard Report - John Conoboy in the NPS office in Santa Fe
has done a little research on the airbag hazard notice, which appeared in the
May 20th Morning Report.  That notice paraphrased a warning reportedly issued
by the American Automobile Association which said that the front doors of
1997 and 1998 sedans should not be opened with lockout tools, as such probing
could cause the premature inflation of side impact airbags, driving the
tool - sometimes fatally - into the person attempting to open the door. 
Well, it appears that this report is nothing more than what John has called
"an urban legend."  According to the reputable Caliber Press Street Survival
Newsline, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigator William
Evans has checked this report extensively.  Every auto manufacturer he
contacted said that it would be impossible to deploy a side impact air bag by
probing with any door opening device.  Evans also said that "NHTSA has been
unable to verify that any incidents of the type described have occurred." 
[Editor]

MEMORANDA

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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