NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                               MORNING REPORT

To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Wednesday, July 22, 1998

                        *** NOTE FROM THE EDITOR ***

The format of the Morning Report (MR) has undergone modest but meaningful
changes. These changes are based on suggestions from a number of sources,
including regular contributors, technical specialists, ranger advisory groups
and readers.  The objectives have been several - to clarify the purposes of
the various sections; to enlarge reporting on resource issues; to provide a
forum for exchanging ideas, tips and other practical working information; and
to include "non-incident" type reports on significant activities in parks. 
Much of this information is already being sent along, but until now had no
proper place for inclusion in the MR.

Specific changes:

o     A short sentence summarizing the purpose of each section will be
      included after the section heading for a few days and will appear
      intermittently in the future.
o     A section entitled "Park Dispatches" has been added for short reports
      on significant activities in parks.
o     The "Resource Management" section has been enlarged to include resource
      protection and education.
o     The former "Exchange" section has been retitled "Interchange" and
      enlarged in purpose to include more practical, work-related
      information.

We hope you find the changes informative and useful.

Effective today, the Morning Report is also available at the National Park
Service's web site.  You can dial it up at http://www.nps.gov/morningreport.

INCIDENTS

Incidents reportable under DOI and NPS criteria, as outlined in annual
instructional memoranda to the field (soon to be reissued to the field and
recapitulated in the Morning Report).  Reports are numbered for tracking
purposes.

98-410 - Yellowstone NP (WY) - Carbon Monoxide Poisoning; Three Lives Saved

On the evening of July 19th, ranger Dino Nicholau came upon an RV parked in
the Sand Point picnic area along Yellowstone Lake.  The engine was turned
off, but a generator was running in the left rear quarter section of the
vehicle.  All windows and doors were shut tight, with the exception of a two-
inch gap in the left rear quarter panel window located directly above the
generator.  Nicholau was able to see a hand in the vehicle while looking
through a rear window.  When several knocks on the side door went unanswered,
Nicholau entered the vehicle.  He was immediately aware of heat and strong
fumes.  He saw E.R., 60, of Columbia, Mississippi, lying unconscious
and face down in her own vomit.  He carried her from the RV and returned to
find two other unconscious victims, her five-year-old granddaughter, S.R.,
and her husband C.R., 68.  Nicholau was able to carry the granddaughter to
safety, then summoned another visitor to help him carry out C.R. 
All three victims were exhibiting severe signs of carbon monoxide poisoning
from fumes that had entered through the rear window.  S.R. was most
critical, having been closest to the window.  Additional rangers were on
scene within minutes of Nicholau's call for assistance.  An incident command
system was established and emergency rescue operations were begun in an
attempt to revive the three.  All three were taken to Lake hospital, then
flown to a hospital in Billings, Montana.  Both adults have since been
discharged from the hospital; S.R. is also expected to recover fully
and should be discharged in two days.  Over 20 NPS personnel, three
ambulances, a helicopter, and an aircraft were utilized during the incident. 
Investigation revealed that the three had been sleeping in the RV for
approximately two hours before Nicholau discovered them.  The generator was
on in order to run the vehicle's air conditioning.  Attending physicians
confirmed that all three would have died within minutes if they had not been
removed from the RV.  [Keith McAuliffe, Shift Supervisor, Lake Area, YELL,
7/20]

98-411 - Golden Gate NRA (CA) - Shots Fired at Unoccupied Cruiser

Park Police dispatch received reports of the sound of gunshots being fired on
the Presidio around 2 a.m. on July 17th.  A search of the area revealed that
an unoccupied Park Police decoy patrol car parked on a residential street had
been struck by five .40 caliber rounds.  Three shell casings were recovered,
but no suspects have yet been identified.  The vehicle is used to slow down
drivers and for other purposes.  The investigation continues.  [Jeff
Wasserman, USPP, GOGA, 7/17]

98-412 - Vicksburg NMP (MS) - Unexploded Civil War Ordnance

A park visitor found an unexploded Civil War projectile in the area of a
vista clearing project about 100 yards north of Fort Garrott on the evening
of July 15th.  The shell was left undisturbed and park historian Terry
Winschel was advised the following morning.  Winschel and ranger Dean
Reasoner examined the shell on scene and determined that it was a 14-pound
PDR James type II rifled cannon shell with a percussion fuse.  It measured
about eight inches by four inches.  The projectile was probably fired in May
of 1863 by the 16th Ohio Artillery Battery near what is today the Iowa State
Memorial.  The shell apparently fell short of its intended target, Fort
Garrott.  An explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) team from Camp Shelby was
called in to dispose of the shell.  Rather than risk transporting it, they
decided to detonate the shell within the vista clearing area.  An excavation
was prepared and the shell was fitted with plastic explosives and moved into
position.  The first explosive charge cut the projectile in two and consumed
a majority of the explosive black powder.  A second explosive charge was set
to burn off any black powder residue in the excavation.  Visitor traffic was
delayed about 30 minutes for safety purposes.  [Greg Zeman, VICK, 7/20]

98-413 - Lake Mead NRA (NV) - Vehicle Fire

Boulder District shift supervisor Tom Valenta spotted a fire at mile five on
Lake Shore Road on the afternoon of July 16th.  When he arrived at that
location, he found a 40-foot motor home on fire.  Park fire engines
responded.  The front section of the vehicle was engulfed in flame, a 40-
gallon propane tank was venting, and the fire extended across the road.  Fire
chief Bob Trodhal took command and had additional park units respond; Boulder
City fire department units were also summoned.  The temperature was 122
degrees in the shade at the time, so heat exhaustion was a major concern. 
Besides the heat, there were dangers associated with exploding ammunition and
the heavy fuel load in the interior, as the owners were moving and had filled
it with clothes and other property.  Two firefighters were taken to the
hospital for heat exhaustion and released later that evening.  The total loss
has been placed at $100,000.  [Bud Inman, LAME, 7/17]

98-414 - Washington Monument (DC) - Significant Vandalism

One or more persons spray painted the north side of the Washington Monument
with three-foot-high letters on or about July 20th.  The letters L E S T were
sprayed on in a light silver paint and spanned six feet from left to right. 
A can of spray paint was recovered at the scene and submitted for lab
processing.  [Henry Berberich, RLES, NCRO, 7/21]

                       [Additional reports pending...]

FIRE ACTIVITY

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level III

LARGE FIRE/INCIDENT SUMMARY 

                                                     Mon      Tue    %   Est
State      Unit             Fire/Incident     IMT    7/20     7/21  Con  Con

FL   State                  Suwanee Cx        T1   36,508   36,508  100  CND 

GA   Okefenokee NWR         Honey Scrub Cx    T1    5,233    5,233  100  CND

NC   Pisgah NF            * Hensleys Ridge    T2        -      100  UNK  UNK
                          * Back Creek        T2        -      100   40  UNK

LA   Sabine NWR           * North Bayou       --        -      600   20  UNK

AR   State                * Sevier County     --        -      505  100  CND

OK   State                * 515               --        -      168  100  CND

NV   Carson City District   Sand              --   20,000   20,000   75  7/21
     Elko District          Cedar Ridge       --      800      800   45  7/22
     Ely District           Caliente Cx       T2      600    1,500   85  7/22

OR   Burns District         Fifteen Cent      --      650      650  100  CND 

UT   Salt Lake District     Salt Lake Cx      --    3,132    8,800   60  7/22
     Moab District          Hovenweep         --    1,500    2,510  100  CND 
     Cedar City District  * Milford East      --        -      662   95  100
 
NM   State                  Fresques          --      320      320  100  7/22

AZ   Phoenix District       McCarrin          --      280      280  100  CND 
     Tonto NF               Granite           --      100      100  100  CND 

CO   Craig District         Peekaboo          --      330      390   50  7/22

CA   Angeles NF             San Fran          --      450      450  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; UNK = unknown
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, 7/18       1     10        24       0       53     45       133
Sunday, 7/19         1     16        35       4       79     74       209
Monday, 7/20         2     10        60       0       92     74       238
Tuesday, 7/21       11     24        32       2      143     87       299

TOTAL COMMITTED RESOURCES (FOUR DAY TREND) 

                  Crews     Engines    Helicopters    Airtankers   Overhead

Saturday, 7/18      53        299          59             2           813
Sunday, 7/19        76        369          91             9           832
Monday, 7/20       101        348          60            19         1,005
Tuesday, 7/21       91        282          78            13           657

CURRENT SITUATION

Fire activity continued to increased yesterday throughout the West due to
lightning associated with the seasonal monsoonal flow.  Extensive initial
attack is still being reported in west Texas, and is increasing in Louisiana,
Oklahoma, and Arkansas. 

Very high and extreme fire indices were reported in Florida, Georgia, Texas,
Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, Wyoming, Nebraska, South Dakota, Colorado,
Utah, Nevada, California, and Washington.

The FIRE WEATHER WATCH that NICC posted yesterday for dry thunderstorms and
very hot and dry conditions in Nevada, southeast Oregon, southern Idaho and
western Wyoming has been continued through today.

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 7/22]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION

Significant news and activities in natural and cultural resource management,
protection and education.

Rocky Mountain NP (CO) - Bighorn Sheep Relocation

On July 2nd, rangers, other park staff, and representatives from the Colorado
Division of Wildlife relocated a full-curl bighorn ram from the popular
Forest Canyon overlook (11,600 feet) on Trail Ridge Road.  The ram was
originally relocated last summer after becoming attracted to the area by the
sweet taste of antifreeze from overheated vehicles and food scraps. 
Antifreeze is also known to attract other small mammals and is normally
fatal.  The ram returned this summer, leading as many as four younger rams to
the area.  Attempts at aversive conditioning, including fire crackers, proved
unsuccessful, which lead to the relocation of the dominant ram.  The younger
rams have so far not returned.  During the two-week period surrounding this
action, rangers also managed an on-going black bear problem in the
frontcountry, coordinated two days of volunteer trail work on climber access
trails, and issued 113 violation notices, 73 of which were directly related
to park resource protection.  [Joe Evans, CR, ROMO]

Yellowstone NP (WY) - Visitors and Bear Management 

On June 21st, park naturalist Sandy Snell-Dobert saw a traffic jam and people
running from a bear near the moose exhibit between Mammoth and Norris.  A
grizzly bear was loping behind and looking around at all the running people. 
One person tripped and fell to the ground, landing on his video camera.  The
bear pulled up within five feet, stopped momentarily, and watched the man get
up and continue to run.  The bear then changed directions and ran across the
road.  It appeared obvious to Snell-Dobert that the bear could have overtaken
the running children or adults at any time.  Several bystanders mentioned
that the man with the video camera had been very close to the bear when she
started to run.  Although this occurred just after the well-publicized
incident at Glacier NP in which the concession employee was killed and
consumed by grizzlies, some visitors were still willing to leave the safety
of their cars to approach an adult female grizzly bear foraging out in a
meadow.  As the grizzly bear population in the Yellowstone ecosystem
increases, more bears are occupying habitat in road corridors and adjacent to
developed areas.  The park is faced with the challenge of educating visitors
on how to live with and behave properly around them.  ["The Buffalo Chip,"
Yellowstone RM Newsletter]

PARK DISPATCHES

Brief reports from the field on significant and newsworthy matters, human
interest vignettes, and similar stories not reportable as incidents or
resource management actions.

California Extremes Department: It's only about 350 miles from Lassen
Volcanic NP to Furnace Creek in Death Valley NP, but you wouldn't know it
from two interesting reports just received from those areas.  On July 10th,
the road through Lassen Volcanic opened after 110 days of continuous snow
plowing operations.  The park experienced record snowfall during the winter
and spring; the total accumulation for the winter was 802 inches, or 75 feet
of snow.  Equipment and operators from Crater Lake NP, Death Valley NP,
Sequoia Kings NPs, Whiskeytown NRA, Yosemite NP and the California Department
of Transportation assisted with snow removal.  Only a week later, on July
17th, the official high temperature in Death Valley NP reached 129 degrees
Fahrenheit - the highest temperature recorded in Death Valley and possibly
the U.S. in the past 85 years, and only five degrees off the all-time high
recorded temperature for the U.S. of 134 degrees, set in Death Valley on July
10, 1913.  The heat wave of 1913 lasted for ten days, with daily temperatures
of 125 degrees or above and temperatures from July 9th to July 13th reaching
129 degrees or above.  This year's heat wave has been underway since July
15th, when a temperature of 124 degrees was recorded.  All temperatures were
recorded in the shade.  The park has sent along a plaintive note: "Send ice!"
Oh, yes - a post script: Superintendent Dick Martin was super at Wrangell-St.
Elias a few years ago during the big Alaskan cold snap.  During that period,
he experienced a wind chill temperature of 125 degrees below zero.  That
means he's experienced a temperature range of 254 degrees during his career. 
He offers to send an ice cube to anyone who can beat that range. [CRO, LAVO;
Charlie Callagan and Scot McElveen, DEVA]

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Instructional guidance and information from central offices to the field on
operational matters.

No entries.

MEMORANDA

Memoranda from the Directorate to the field on operational and personnel
matters.

No entries.

INTERCHANGE

A forum for sharing practical professional information and lessons learned
and for offering or soliciting help or support or material.

Investigative Tip - During a recent dumping investigation at Cuyahoga Valley
NRA, ranger Mark Carroll contacted the corporate security office for Hewlett-
Packard Corporation (HP) in an attempt to interpret coded information on the
shipping label of a cardboard box that once contained HP components.  With
their assistance and extensive corporate sales database, Carroll was able to
trace the box to a regional wholesale distributor, a local retail outlet,
and, eventually, to the address of a customer who resides within the park. 
HP security said that they would be happy to assist in similar investigations
in the future.  They can be contacted at: HP Corporate Security Department,
3000 Hanover Street, Mail Stop #20AB, Palo Alto, CA 94304, 415-857-3084
(phone), 650-852-3730 (fax).  [Dale Silvis, DR, CUVA]

Vehicle Defect - Ford Motor Company has decided that a defect pertaining to
motor vehicle safety exists in all 1997 and certain 1998 F-150/250 series
trucks under 8,000 pounds, all 1997 and certain 1998 Expeditions, and certain
1998 Navigators.  Affected vehicles may have one or more lug nuts that do not
apply sufficient clamp loads to the wheels.  Vehicle operations could
possibly result in wheel nuts becoming loose, potentially causing the wheel
studs to shear.  This could possibly result in the wheel separating from the
vehicle and loss of vehicle control.  Replacement lug nuts are not available
at this time.  Interim instructions on how to tighten lug nuts are available
from Cheryl Vaughn via cc:Mail at NP-WASO-CPD. Or you can get your dealer to
perform the interim corrective action with no charge to you.  Information on
replacement lug nuts will be disseminated shortly.  [Cheryl Vaughn, CPD/WASO]

                                *  *  *  *  *

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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