NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                               MORNING REPORT

To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Wednesday, August 12, 1998

INCIDENTS

98-485 - Mount Rainier NP (WA) - Multiple Rescues

The park reports three significant rescues during recent weeks:

o     Off-duty climbing rangers Mike Gauthier and Dee Patterson were spending
      the night on the summit of Mount Rainier (14,410 feet) on the evening
      of July 22nd when they were contacted by the leader of a scientific
      research team who informed them that one of the team members was
      suffering from mountain sickness.  The rangers found 39-year-old P.H.
      of Tacoma in his tent; he was disoriented, suffering from slurred
      speech, and unable to support himself.  Team members indicated that his
      condition had deteriorated significantly in the previous 15 minutes and
      that his behavior was abnormal.  A helicopter was requested, but
      nightfall and altitude prevented a safe response.  Within 15 minutes of
      the initial assessment, P.H. became unconscious and unresponsive due
      to altitude-related edema or mountain sickness.  Assisted rescue
      breathing was provided throughout the night, while a climbing team from
      Camp Muir attempted to reach them with oxygen.  Newly formed crevasses
      and whiteout conditions prevented the team from reaching the summit. 
      P.H. was evacuated shortly after sunrise by an Army Chinook helicopter
      and flown to Madigan Hospital.  At the time of the report, he was in
      critical condition, suffering from cerebral and pulmonary edema.
o     Later in July, rangers received a cellular phone call from a climbing
      team whose members had all fallen 400 feet while climbing an ice chute
      on the Kautz Glacier route at 11,500 feet.  The Tacoma climbers fell
      after a piece of ice struck a team member, knocking him unconscious and
      pulling the entire rope team off the mountain.  They reported that they
      were suffering from multiple traumatic injuries, including broken ribs,
      lacerations and severe bruising, and that they needed assistance in
      getting down from base camp.  Four rangers climbed from Paradise to
      meet the party, provide medical aid, and assist them with their gear. 
      All team members were able to walk out with assistance from rangers.
o     On the afternoon of August 4th, a radio call was received from a
      climber who reported that a member of his team had fallen into a
      crevasse and broken a leg.  Rangers David Gottlieb, Doug Roth and Rich
      Lechleitner climbed to the 10,500-foot level on the Emmons Glacier and
      found and treated 39-year-old J.P. of Shelton, Washington. 
      Ground teams were assembled as J.P. was lowered to Camp Schurman for
      the night.  Ten ground team members ascended Inter Glacier the
      following day and assisted with the technical lowering.  J.P. was
      wheeled out and transported to a hospital by members of his party.  

[John Krambrink and Linda Birkett, MORA, 8/10]

98-486 - Isle Royale NP (MI) - Two Rescues

The 26-foot vessel "Prime Time" struck a Lake Superior reef while at cruising
speed near Schooner Island on the south shore of Isle Royale on the afternoon
of August 11th.  The captain radioed the Coast Guard and reported that the
vessel was aground on the reef and taking water.  Rangers Doug Murphy and
Patrick Valencia responded in the "Belle Isle" and pulled the disabled vessel
off the reef.  The captain and his wife were transferred to the "Belle Isle",
and a portable fire pump was used to keep the "Prime Time" from sinking
during the three-hour tow back to park headquarters on Mott Island.  Another
distress call was received the following morning.  The captain of the 38-foot
trawler "Ceilidh" notified the park that the boat was powerless and adrift
eight miles north of Blake Point on the northeast end of Isle Royale.  The
reported latitude and longitude placed the "Ceilidh" in Canadian waters about
a mile north of the park.  As with a previous incident (98-468, August 1st),
the Canadian Coast Guard in Thunder Bay asked that the park handle the
incident.  Rangers again responded in the "Belle Isle," assisted by
maintenance employees Buzz Brown and Ellen Mauer on the vessel "Beaver."  The
"Beaver" found the disabled "Ceilidh" and towed it back to Mott Island. 
[Peter Armington, CR, ISRO, 8/11]

98-487 - Glacier Bay NP&P (AK) - Assist; Homicide

On July 5th, rangers responded to a 911 call reporting shots being fired at a
home in the community of Gustavus, which is just outside the park.  They
determined that a homicide had occurred, detained two people, secured the
area, and provided assistance to state troopers when they arrived from
Juneau.  This is the first homicide that has ever occurred in Gustavus.  The
investigation is continuing with the assistance of park rangers, who operate
under a memorandum of understanding with state police.  [Mike Sharp,
Pilot/SA, GLBA, 8/10]

98-488 - Little River Canyon NP (AL) - Kidnapping and Rape

A local woman contacted rangers on August 7th and reported that she'd been
abducted at knife point from a local convenience store during the previous
night, then driven to the park, beaten, and repeatedly raped.  She was taken
back to the store after sun-up and pushed from the vehicle.  She identified
her attacker as an ex-boyfriend.  Ranger Matt Huelskamp assisted with the
interview of the victim.  Local investigators and FBI agents contacted the
man she identified and are participating in the investigation.  [Dwight
Dixon, CR, LIRI, 8/10]

98-489 - Mount Rainier NP (WA) - Disturbed Person

Campers reported a man acting oddly in the Sunrise walk-in campground on
August 5th.  He was talking to rocks, walking into trees, and not responding
in a normal fashion to queries about his condition.  Rangers were contacted
and confronted the 35-year-old man.  They determined that a safety alert had
been issued on him - that he had a record of over 72 prior law enforcement
incidents in local jurisdictions, that he'd been in the care of mental health
professionals for suicidal tendencies, and that at least two officers should
deal with him in any contacts.  They also learned that he'd been involved in
a climbing accident over ten years ago and had sustained a head injury with
permanent brain damage.  The rangers convinced him to hike out to the nearest
ranger station and placed him in protective custody.  He was later released
to paramedics and transported to a nearby emergency room for evaluation and
treatment.  [Uwe Nehring, MORA, 8/6]

98-490 - Martin Luther King, Jr. NHS (GA) - Assault; Theft

On Friday, August 7th, visitor M.B. of Barcelona, Spain, was knocked
to the ground and had her purse stolen.  Rangers Lloyd Morris and Clark Moore
and city police sought unsuccessfully to locate her assailant.  Witnesses
said that he ran from the visitor center plaza into an adjacent housing
complex.  The investigation is continuing with assistance from Atlanta
police.  [Clark Moore, Lead Park Ranger, MALU, 8/9]

98-491 - Coronado NM (AZ) - Illegal Aliens

Customs and Border Patrol officers spotted a group of between 60 and 70
illegal aliens crossing into the United States just east of the park around 2
a.m. on August 7th and asked for assistance from the park.  Two rangers
responded.  An exhaustive search by ground and air proved fruitless.  Several
members of the group were carrying packs which likely contained contraband or
narcotics.  Two days later, rangers came upon 45 illegal aliens traveling in
two groups through the park.  The groups, which included both adults and
children, had been abandoned by their leader two days previously.  They
flagged down a ranger and asked for a ride to Phoenix.  Rangers provided
water and contacted the Border Patrol.  They were taken to the Border Patrol
office in Naco.  Fortunately for them, the high temperatures during that
period were only in the upper 80s.  [Phil Young, CORO, 8/10]

98-492 - Lake Meredith NRA (TX) - Search; Possible Drowning

On Saturday, August 8th, two visitors independently reported seeing a man who
was swimming near the buoy line below Sanford Dam disappear under the water
and fail to surface.  They also said that they'd seen him on the beach, and
that he appeared to be despondent.  The park's interagency dive team searched
the lake for him on both Saturday evening and Sunday, but without luck. 
Investigation has not revealed any missing persons, so the search has been
suspended.  Ranger Mary Dyer was PIO and ranger Carl Dyer was IC.  [Dale
Thompson, CR, LAMR, 8/10]

                       [Additional reports pending...]

FIRE ACTIVITY

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level II

LARGE FIRE/INCIDENT SUMMARY 

                                                     Mon      Tue    %  Est
State      Unit             Fire/Incident     IMT    8/10     8/11  Con Con

WA   Wenatchee NF           North 25          T2    6,300    6,500   80 NEC

OR   Burns District         Skull Creek       T2   21,000   21,000  100 CND
     Prineville District    Butte             --    8,280    8,200  100 CND 
     Mount Hood NF          Rowena            --    2,440    2,274   95 NEC
     Umpqua NF              Clayton Cx        T2      130      206  UNK NEC

ID   Salmon-Challis NF      Main Salmon Cx    --      652    1,506    0 10/15
                          * Jackass           --        -      450    0 10/15
     Idaho Falls District   Lone Pine         --    1,000    1,750  100 CND 
     S. Idaho District    * Wood Tick         --        -    1,300  100 CND

UT   State                * Garn              --        -    1,500   65 8/12

TX   State                  Wolf Creek        --    2,400    2,400  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, 8/8        1     11        50       0      109     78       249
Sunday, 8/9          1      4        28       0       76     58       167
Monday, 8/10         2     27        16       0      163     63       271
Tuesday, 8/11        0     10        15       0       71     46       142

TOTAL COMMITTED RESOURCES (FOUR DAY TREND) 

                  Crews     Engines    Helicopters    Airtankers   Overhead

Saturday, 8/8      163        385         117            20           820
Sunday, 8/9        161        392         111            26           976
Monday, 8/10       168        370         104            24           891
Tuesday, 8/11       95        332          82            17           698

CURRENT SITUATION

Moderate initial attack was reported in most areas.

Very high and extreme fire indices were reported in Texas, Arkansas,
Oklahoma, Minnesota, Michigan, South Dakota, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Idaho,
Oregon, California, and Washington.

No fire watches or warnings have been posted today.

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 8/12]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION

No entries.

PARK DISPATCHES

No entries.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

National Safety Achievement Awards - The Risk Management Office has revised
the national safety achievement awards program to reflect the current
emphasis on employee and public (visitor) safety.  Two awards now provide
recognition of employee and public safety achievements, each with a plaque
and monetary award of $1,000.  A new award, entitled the Andrew Clark Hecht
Memorial Public Safety Achievement Award, has been underwritten by the Hecht
Foundation of Denver, Colorado.  Nominations are now being solicited for this
award and the Director's Employee Safety Achievement Award.  All NPS
employees or groups are eligible, regardless of assignment, grade level, or
time in service.  The Hecht award will be given in recognition of
contributions to the prevention of accidents that might cause serious injury
or fatalities; the director's award will be given in recognition of
significant achievements in the cultivation of a safe and healthful employee
work environment.  Nominations are to be submitted to WASO by regions by
January 10th.  Particulars on the awards will soon be available at the Risk
Management Office web site at www.nps.gov/riskmgmt.  Or you can contact
Claudia Finney at NP-WASO-MIB or 202-565-1116.

MEMORANDA

"Conversion of Vacancy Announcement Distribution System," signed by the
acting human resource program manager on August 7th and sent to all
employees.  The text follows:
     
"The National Park Service will no longer use the current automated vacancy
announcement system, AVADS, as of September 1, 1998.  Instead, like the rest
of the Department of the Interior and many other federal agencies, we will be
using USAJOBS.  USAJOBS is the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM's)
automated vacancy announcement system which is available on the Internet as
well as through modem bulletin boards and over the telephone.
     
"The USAJOBS system is already on-line and working.  The system is updated
nightly with new vacancy announcements.  It is easily accessible and user-
friendly. USAJOBS allows access to worldwide job information 24 hours a day,
7 days a week, by telephone or computer connection. 
     
"The easiest way to access USAJOBS is through the Internet. The USAJOBS
Internet web site provides a listing of vacancies and the full text of many
vacancy announcements.  Vacancy announcements may be sorted by federal agency
and by bureau within the agency; by series; by job type; or, alphabetically.
Within each of these categories, the vacancies may be further sorted
geographically and by area of consideration (all sources or status employees
only).  To search for all Department of Interior job vacancies, select
'Agency Job Search' as the type of job you would like to see.  Then, select
'DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR' from the listing of federal agencies; it can be
found by scrolling approximately halfway through the alphabetical list.  You
may also choose to view vacancies just for the National Park Service by
selecting 'INTERIOR, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE' from the same list. The site also
provides answers to frequently asked Federal employment questions via
delivery of Employment Info Line fact sheets as well as access to electronic
and hard copy application forms. The site may be found at www.usajobs.opm.
gov.
     
"Those employees without access to the Internet but who have a computer with
a modem may use the USAJOBS system through the FJOB Electronic Bulletin
Board.  The bulletin board provides a listing of vacancies, salaries and pay
rates, and general and specific employment information.  Many of the jobs
announced on the FJOB bulletin board have complete text announcements
attached which can be downloaded or viewed on-line, or you may leave your
name and address to have application packages and forms mailed to you.  It is
accessible by modem at 912-757-3100, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.  You
may also contact the bulletin board through the Internet via Telnet
fjob.opm.gov or File Transfer Protocol ftp.fjob.opm.gov.
     
"USAJOBS has a telephone-based information system that allows users to
request that a full-text vacancy announcement, applications forms, and other
employment-related literature be faxed or mailed to them.  It may be accessed
at 912-757-3000, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.  It is TTY accessible at
(912) 744-2299.  However, there is a delay in receiving the vacancies and
materials as they are either faxed or mailed to the requester.
     
"Currently, many servicing personnel offices have local procedures for
distributing vacancy announcements.  This conversion to USAJOBS may not
affect the local procedures.  If you have any questions concerning local
procedures and access, please contact your servicing personnel office.  For
technical assistance with using USAJOBS, contact the OPM help desk at 912-
757-3090.  OPM staff are aware that the National Park Service will begin
using the USAJOBS system on September 1, 1998; they are prepared to respond
to our employee questions.  Questions concerning the conversion process may
be addressed to Paula Ehrenfeld or Maureen Foster via e-mail or at 202-208-
5304."

INTERCHANGE

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
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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