NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                               MORNING REPORT

To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Friday, July 24, 1998

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.

96-613 - Yosemite NP (California) - Follow-up on BASE Jumping Fatality

On October 21, 1996, J.C., 42, of Phoenix was killed when he
slammed into a cliff while BASE jumping off El Capitan.  He was one of
several jumpers on El Capitan that day; five others were arrested.  Two of
the five jumped with him, the other three aided and abetted the jump. 
Following lengthy pre-trial motions, the five all pleaded guilty to illegal
air delivery charges under the terms of a plea agreement.  They were
sentenced in federal court on July 14th.  Each was sentenced to limited
supervised probation, fined $2,000, and ordered to contribute to a combined
sum of $5,680 to the Yosemite Mountain Safety Fund, which was established to
provide support to parkwide SAR activities.  [Dan Horner, CI, YOSE, 7/21]

98-417 - Grand Teton NP (WY) - Rescue

On the afternoon of July 11th, rangers received a cellular telephone call
advising that a climber had fallen 120 feet while descending the Lake Ledges
route on Disappointment Peak.  G.L., 56, a BLM employee from Casper,
Wyoming, had reportedly sustained bilateral ankle fractures, a femur
fracture, and head and chest trauma.  A team of four rangers was flown via an
interagency contract helicopter to a landing zone above the scene of the
accident, then descended steep snow and rock to reach G.L..  His injuries
were stabilized and he was shorthauled to Lupine Meadows, where the park
ambulance picked him up and took him to the hospital in Jackson.  G.L.
remains hospitalized.  The accident occurred while he was descending the
route after reaching the mountain's summit.  He slipped and fell while
traversing a snow couloir, stopping short of what would likely have been a
fatal fall when he landed on a large stone.  G.L. was not carrying an ice
axe.  [Colin Campbell, CR, GRTE, 7/23]

98-418 - Organ Pipe Cactus NM (AZ) - Heat Exposure Fatality

On July 13th, rangers Steve Ganitsch, Karl Pearson and Border Patrol agents
found the body of H.R., a suspected undocumented alien, in the
park's backcountry.  They also contacted another undocumented alien, J.A.,
who said that he and H.R. had entered the park from Mexico around
9 p.m. on the previous night.  The crossing area they utilized is a high
traffic area for drugs and illegal entry into the United States.  The two
traveled about 15 miles on foot.  They ran out of water, and the temperature
reached 118 degrees.  Rangers retrieved H.R.'s body and released it to the
medical examiner in Tucson.  J.A. was taken into custody by the Border
Patrol.  [Aniceto Olais, CR, ORPI, 7/16]

98-419 - Biscayne NP (FL) - Vessel Grounding

The tug "Allie B," which was towing a barge with 12 tons of sugar from Palm
Beach to Galveston, ran aground on the reef platform in the northeast corner
of the park on the afternoon of July 20th.  Preliminary investigation has
revealed extensive damage to both natural and submerged cultural resources at
the site of the grounding.  The vessel and barge may have also struck other
areas in the park before grounding.  Evidence collection and a site
assessment are underway to determine the full extent of the damage.  The park
is managing the incident under ICS, and is currently bringing in additional
people to help in the assessment and evidence collection.  Over 500 cubic
meters of coral rubble and reef community were either destroyed or displaced
at one site alone.  [Monika Mayr, IC, BISC, 7/23]

98-420 - Glen Canyon NRA (AZ/UT) - Boating Accident with Fatality

Four-year-old Z.D. of Bountiful, Utah, was thrown from the boat he
was riding in when it struck a rock shoal around 3:45 p.m. on the afternoon
of July 22nd.  Momentum carried the boat over the boy and he was struck on
the head and body by the propeller.  Family members brought him to the marina
at Dangling Rope.  Rangers Lisa Slobodzian, Mark Henderson, and maintenance
supervisor Ron Hockings provided advanced life support while awaiting the
arrival of the responding medical helicopter.  The medical staff on board the
helicopter pronounced Z.D. dead at 4:30 p.m.  [David Sandbakken, LES, GLCA,
7/23]

98-421 - Curecanti NRA (CO) - Falling Fatality

A.R. was camping with her family at the Gateview campground on
July 21st.  She went on a solo day hike, but failed to return to their
campsite and was reported missing to the county sheriff's office at 6 p.m. 
Rangers conducted a hasty search that evening, then expanded the operation
the following day to a multi-agency search with ground searchers, dog teams,
a helicopter and an airplane.  A.R.'s body was found by helicopter in a
very steep and narrow gully.  She evidently fell to her death; foul play is
not suspected.  Her body was removed through a technical scree evacuation. 
[Kinsey Shilling, DR, CURE, 7/23]

98-422 - Lake Meredith NRA (TX) - PWC Accident; Rescue

T.O., 32, fell from his personal water craft (PWC) while boating on
the lake on July 12th.  Because the ignition key was tied to his wrist, his
companion, Maria Valasquez, was unable to restart the PWC after it floated
away.  T.O. life jacket didn't fit properly, so he had difficulty keeping
his head above water.  Valasquez signaled a patrol boat; rangers Carl Dyer
and Pam Griswold responded and plucked T.O. from the lake.  He had spent
about 15 minutes in the water.  [Dale Thompson, CR, LAMR, 7/17]

98-423 - Capitol Reef NP (UT) - Rescue

K.B., 20, of Bicknell, Utah, jumped off a waterfall on the Fremont
River and broke his leg in two places on the afternoon of July 4th. 
K.B. jumped from a ledge about 20 feet above the pool that lies below
the falls, apparently unaware that the pool was only about three feet deep. 
Others were swimming there as well.  Alcohol was a factor.  Neither diving
nor jumping is permitted at the waterfall.  Ranger Jimmy Barna provided EMS
and led the eight-person carryout team.  [Tom Cox, CR, CARE, 7/14]

98-424 - Golden Gate NRA (CA) - Special Event

Between July 16th and the 19th, Fort Point NHS, which is a unit of Golden
Gate NRA, hosted four sold-out performances of "Invisible Wings," an
interpretive dance performance depicting the history of slavery and the
Underground Railroad movement.  The performances were produced by the Zaccho
Dance Theatre in collaboration with the park and the Golden Gate National
Parks Association.  The event was managed by Greg Shine of the park's special
park uses group and involved over seven months of planning and coordination,
including the scheduling of 25 park and USPP personnel for compliance,
monitoring and security.  Legislation is currently under consideration to
establish a nationwide web of sites, landmarks and programs to commemorate
the Underground Railroad movement.  [Armando Quintero, GOGA, 7/21]

98-425 - Yosemite NP (CA) - Special Event

The city of San Francisco held a celebration of the 75th anniversary of the
O'Shaughnessy Dam at Hetch Hetchy Reservoir on July 11th.  Due to protests
and unlawful demonstrations that have occurred at past events at the dam and
to some intelligence indicating potential civil disobedience, the Pacific
West all-risk management team (Fowler) and a special events team (Sullivan)
were employed to manage the incident.  No incidents were reported.  [Dave
Lattimore, DR, Mather District, YOSE, 7/16]

98-426 - Fort McHenry NM (MD) - Special Event

First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton visited the fort on July 13th as part of
the White House Millennium Council's "Save America's Treasures" tour. 
Superintendent Kayci Cook conducted her on a private tour of the fort which
focused on preservation work currently in progress.  Clinton then hosted a
roundtable discussion in the visitor center auditorium on the preservation of
historic buildings, monuments and objects; participating were the
superintendent, members of the council, the White House press corps, and
invited guests.  There were no incidents.  [Rick Nolan, CR, FOMC, 7/14]

98-427 - Bighorn Canyon NRA (WY/MT) - SIDS Fatality

Rangers Dale Culver, Preston Kroes, and Chris Ryan responded to a report of
an infant who was not breathing in the Government Camp housing area.  They
found a three-month-old baby boy who was not breathing and had no pulse. 
They began CPR and summoned an EMS helicopter.  None was available, so they
continued CPR in a patrol vehicle while en route to meet the Big Horn County
ambulance from Hardin.  The ambulance crew took over after they met. 
Resuscitation efforts continued until the baby was pronounced dead at a
hospital in Crow Agency.  The doctor determined that the baby had died from
sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).  Rangers comforted the parents,
including the infant's father, Armand Bird, who works for the Bureau of
Reclamation at the power plant at Yellowtail Dam.  [Chris Ryan, ACR, BICA,
7/18]

98-428 - Yosemite NP (CA) - Multiple MVAs 

There has been a string of motor vehicle accidents in the Mather District
since the opening of the Tioga Road for the season.  The following were
recorded over the 13-day period beginning on July 2nd:

o     Crane Flat - YCC van, 11 injured and transported (previously reported).
o     Siesta Lake, Tioga Road - Two vehicles, one serious injury.  The
      operator fell asleep.  The passenger is paralyzed from the neck down.
o     May Lake, Tioga Road - Two injured when the operator fell asleep. 
      Ambulance transport.
o     Crane Flat - A motor home ran into a government vehicle. No injuries.
o     Gin Flat, Tioga Road - A vehicle struck a tree - one fatality, five
      critically injured, three air ambulance helicopters and the park
      helicopter employed (previously reported).
o     Yosemite Creek, Tioga Road - Rollover accident, two occupants, both
      Swiss nationals.  Ambulance transport to park clinic.
o     Crane Flat - Three vehicle MVA, rear-end collision.  Speed a factor. 
      No injuries.  
o     Siesta Lake, Tioga Road - Vehicle ran into a rock, total loss.
o     Yosemite Creek, Tioga Road - Motorcycle struck a deer, two ambulance
      transports to the park clinic.  The driver had a .32 caliber semi-
      automatic pistol in his pocket.
o     Crane Flat, Tioga Road - Two vehicle MVA, rear-end collision, one minor
      injury.
o     White Wolf, Tioga Road - Solo vehicle accident, two injured and two
      transported, one with major facial injuries.  Operator fell asleep.

[Dave Lattimore, DR, Mather District, YOSE, 7/16]

98-429 - Yosemite NP (CA) - Assist; Serious MVA 

Tuolumne Rangers responded to a single vehicle accident just outside the
park's boundary on the afternoon of July 20th.  A VW camper with a family of
five aboard had left the road and struck a rock face head on, injuring all
five.  Rangers and Mono County paramedics treated them for injuries ranging
from fractures to acute abdominal distress and loss of consciousness.  The
park helicopter was used to transport a seriously injured juvenile to Mammoth
Lakes Hospital.  Several agencies were involved in the rescue.  [Martin
Ziebell, IC, YOSE, 7/21]

98-430 - National Capital Parks East (MD) - Burglary

A thief or thieves forcibly entered a secured bunker and locked storage box
at Fort Washington Park some time between July 12th and 21st and stole 15
pounds of black powder and three pounds of Goex smokeless powder.  The powder
was used during reenactments.  A park employee discovered the burglary during
a required inventory of the park's supply of black powder.  The Park Police
are offering a reward for information leading to the arrest and/or return of
the powder.  [Henry Berberich, RLES, NCRO, 7/22]

98-431 - Lake Mead NRA (AZ/NV) - Drug Arrests

Ranger Michael Sabatini, working in plain clothes, observed drug use in a
group of people on the South Swim Beach around noon on July 19th.  Ranger Art
Gunzel arrived to assist.  All five, ranging in age from 18 to 52, were
arrested.  One had seven baggies of marijuana and five strips of blotter LSD;
two others had marijuana.  One member of the group had been contacting
visitors on the beach, offering to sell the marijuana.  The group had a 1962
Chevy bus with a 20-foot sailboat integrated into its roof.  Sixty marijuana
pipes and other drug paraphernalia were found inside.  [Bud Inman, LAME,
7/20]

                       [Additional reports pending...]

FIRE ACTIVITY

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level III

LARGE FIRE/INCIDENT SUMMARY 

                                                     Wed      Thu    %   Est
State      Unit             Fire/Incident     IMT    7/22     7/23  Con  Con

NC   Pisgah NF              Grandfather Cx    T2      200      200   60  7/24

AR   Ouachita NF          * Rereg Complex II  --        -      265   92  7/24

TX   State                  Lone Willow       --      300      300  100  CND 
                          * Barrel Creek      --        -      600  UNK  UNK
                          * John Bell         --        -      400  UNK  UNK

MI   State                  Ogemaw            --      700    1,250  100  CND 
     Huron NF             * Airport           --        -      100   70  7/23

ID   S. C. Idaho District * Walcott 3         --        -      700   60  7/24

UT   Salt Lake District     Salt Lake Cx      --   16,320   14,879  100  CND 

WY   Worland District       Devils Canyon     --      360      360   75  NEC

OR   Burns District       * Raz Lewis         --        -    1,800  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

Monday, 7/20         2     10        60       0       92     74       238
Tuesday, 7/21       11     24        32       2      143     87       299
Wednesday, 7/22      2     10        39       1       72     47       171
Thursday, 7/23       2      8        12       0      135     64       221

TOTAL COMMITTED RESOURCES (FOUR DAY TREND) 

                  Crews     Engines    Helicopters    Airtankers   Overhead

Monday, 7/20       101        348          60            19         1,005
Tuesday, 7/21       91        282          78            13           657
Wednesday, 7/22     72        252          63             6           185
Thursday, 7/23      61        239          57            15           205

CURRENT SITUATION

Fire activity increased yesterday in west Texas, Arkansas, Oregon, and
Michigan.  Hot and dry conditions with heat advisories continue in Arkansas,
Oklahoma and Texas.

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

NICC has not posted any fire weather watches or warnings today.

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 7/24]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION

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

No entries.

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.

Extreme Temperatures Revisited: On Wednesday, the Morning Report carried an
item reporting a temperature of 129 degrees at Death Valley NP, "the highest
temperature recorded in Death Valley and possibly the U.S. in the past 85
years."  Reader Jim Burnett, chief ranger at Colonial NHP, has sent a note
reporting a similar temperature at Lake Mead a while back:  "Back in the mid-
70s, I was assigned at Lake Mead to Willow Beach, which is located in the
Colorado River canyon a few miles below Hoover Dam.  Like a lot of outlying
ranger stations, we had an 'official' National Weather Service instrument
shelter and rain gauge.  We dutifully recorded the daily statistics on a
form, which was then mailed monthly to the weather service office in
Phoenix...During the summer of either '73, '74 or '75, however, I received a
call from the weather service, expressing interest in our temperatures, which
were often in the mid-120 range.  Convinced that our thermometer was 'off,'
an employee drove all the way from Phoenix to deliver a new set of
instruments, which we were told they had carefully calibrated.  We were
instructed on how to read the instrument correctly, and told to call them
daily for the next week.  To their amazement, the new thermometer showed even
higher readings than the old one.  We had several days in the range of 125 or
more, and I recall one day of 129 degrees. The weather service was
fascinated, and had us start calling them daily, so they could 'put us out on
the weather wire.'  For about two weeks, Willow Beach, Arizona often had the
high in the nation..."  Alas, local businesses were unhappy with the high
temperature recordings, which led to loss of business, so the recordings were
suspended.  Concludes Burnett: "This isn't intended to diminish the
impressive numbers from the current heat wave at Death Valley - just thought
the folks there and at Lake Mead might enjoy the story."

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.

No entries.

                                *  *  *  *  *

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
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coordinator.

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

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