NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                               MORNING REPORT

To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Monday, August 24, 1998

                               *** NOTICE ***

Due to the possibility of retaliation stemming from the U.S. military strikes
against terrorist operations made last Thursday, the FBI and Federal
Protective Service have recommended an increased level of security awareness
at all government facilities.  Anything suspicious should be reported
immediately to appropriate law enforcement agencies.  Agencies employing
security guards have been asked to increase exterior patrols.  Any threats
directed at the government should be relayed immediately to WASO Ranger
Activities.

INCIDENTS

98-509 - Minute Man NHP (MA) - Follow-up on Homicide

On the afternoon of August 16th, two people walking on the Battle Road trail
between Hanscom Drive and the Smith house found a man lying face down in the
woods about 50 feet off the trail.  Investigation revealed that he'd been
murdered.  Four days later, N.C., 20, and M.H., 21, of
Newton, Massachusetts were arraigned in state court and charged with first
degree murder.  While evidence linking the defendants to the crime is strong,
the exact location of the murder and the motive for the crime are still being
intensively investigated.  [Flo Smith, PR, MIMA, 8/21]

98-526 - Southeast Region - Hurricane Bonnie

Some parks in Southeast Region began preparations for the possible arrival of
Hurricane Bonnie on Friday afternoon.  Here's where things stood as of
yesterday evening:

o     Everglades NP (FL) - The park's hurricane plan was put into effect on
      Friday evening, and staff began the process of buttoning things up on
      Saturday.  The shifting track of the hurricane reduced the probability
      of a landfall in south Florida, though, so there was a stand down on
      Saturday evening.  Normal operations have resumed.

o     Biscayne NP (FL) - The park was closed to visitors and began shutting
      down on Saturday, but will be open again today. 

o     Castillo de San Marcos NM (FL) - The park has U-Haul trailers ready and
      standing by in case the hurricane comes ashore along the upper Florida
      coastline.  

Parks along the coast in Georgia and the Carolinas are awaiting further
developments before implementing their hurricane plans.  [Ken Garvin, SERO,
8/23]

98-527 - Glen Canyon NRA (AZ/UT) - Multiple Boat Accidents and Rescues

Downlake District rangers were dispatched simultaneously to several boat
accidents with serious injuries just after 2 p.m. on the afternoon of August
15th.  The first incident was at Padre Bay, where a stationary personal
watercraft (PWC) was struck by a second PWC operating at high speed.  An
eight-year-old girl suffered head and back injuries and a fractured pelvis; a
25-year old male also had a fractured pelvis, along with possible hip and leg
fractures.  One was flown by helicopter to the hospital in Page, the other
was taken to the same location by boat and ambulance.  The same alert tone
that sent Wahweap rangers responding to the first incident was also used to
dispatch Dangling Rope rangers to a report of a seven-year-old boy who was
being transported to their location via a private vessel.  The operator of
the boat he was in had taken a sharp turn; the boy had struck his head on the
boat, then been ejected into the lake.  The boy was taken to Page Hospital by
patrol vessel and park ambulance.  While en route to this call, the first
rangers to respond from Dangling Rope were diverted to an accident in the San
Juan Arm of the lake in which a single boat had run into a rock wall,
injuring four people.  An 18-month-old with a fractured clavicle and his
father were flown to Page Hospital, the remaining two victims were
transported to Page via patrol vessel and the park ambulance.  While rangers
were in the midst of receiving and triaging patients in Wahweap, a private
vessel arrived with a 28-year-old male who had complete paralysis on one side
of his body from a tubing accident in Face Canyon.  While he was being
treated, the boat's operator was evaluated and subsequently arrested for
boating under the influence of alcohol.  His blood alcohol level was over .20
at the time.  While these incidents were underway, rangers also responded to
a fire alarm at the Wahweap Lodge (later discovered to have been caused by
children pulling an alarm) and a report of an 18-year-old woman with chest
pain and difficulty in breathing.  All of these incidents were reported
within an hour.  Two medical flight services from outside the immediate area
were utilized because the normal provider, Classic Helicopters, was returning
from Flagstaff at the time, having transported a snake bite victim who
suffered serious side effects after being bitten in Navajo Canyon four hours
earlier.  During this earlier incident, rangers also responded to, treated,
and transported a boy with a second-degree rope burn to the palm of his hand
and investigated a boat accident in which a small speedboat fell off a
trailer on to a very congested launch ramp.  Shortly thereafter, Wahweap
rangers responded to an MVA with injuries. A vehicle on Lake Shore Drive was
run off the road, lost control on the shoulder, crossed the center line, and
struck the guardrail in the opposite lane.  The guardrail saved the vehicle's
occupants from going over a steep, 200-foot embankment into the lake.  Both
occupants of the vehicle were treated and transported to Page Hospital via
park and city ambulances.  A total of 13 patients were transported to the
hospital by three helicopters, two ambulances, and three park vessels; ten
rangers were involved, and were assisted by six different agencies and
private medical flight services.  The rangers extend their thanks to park
dispatchers for providing outstanding support.  [Chris Pergiel, SDR, Wahweap
Subdistrict, GLCA, 8/21]

98-528 - President's Park (DC) - Attempted Suicide

On August 12th, a citizen told two Park Police officers on patrol near the
White House that a man was standing nearby on the sidewalk, holding an
apparent weapon to his throat.  They found a 26-year-old man making slashing
motions to his throat with a screwdriver; blood was seen on his neck.  They
asked him to stop.  He stopped making the slashing moments and dropped the
screwdriver.  First aid was provided, and he was taken to a city hospital
with flesh wounds to his neck.  He was admitted for mental observation. 
[Henry Berberich, RLES, NCSO, 8/18]

98-529 - Badlands NP (SD) - Two Rescues; Employee Injury

Park employee Vincent Littlewhiteman was injured while attending a search and
rescue training session in the Sheep Mountain area on August 19th. 
Littlewhiteman had rappelled down a fixed rope and was climbing back up when
a rock dislodged by his rope struck him in the face, breaking a molar and
lacerating his cheek.  A ranger ascended to his location and helped him to
the summit.  He was treated at the scene, then taken to a local medical
facility, where he received 14 stitches and underwent molar reconstruction. 
While returning from this incident, rescue team members received a call
reporting that three people were stranded west of the Saddle Pass area.  They
found Allen, Austin and Tyler Droare, ages 34, 11 and 9, stuck on a high
butte visible from the road.  The three visitors from Michigan had hiked in
via a back route, crossed a precipitous ledge system, and jumped across a gap
in the buttes before finding that they could neither retrace their steps nor
continue down the formations below them.  Team members climbed in on a
different route, anchored to a butte above the stranded party, descended to
them, then lowered them about 100 feet to safety.  [Jane Gordon, BADL, 8/22]

98-530 - Haleakala NP (HI) - Bike Accident with Serious Injury

On August 17th, rangers responded to a commercial bicycle tour accident with
injuries.  Ranger/medics Buck, Zydanowicz and Mayo found 38-year-old park
visitor F.M. of Westchester, California, lying in a boulder field a
dozen feet off the road.  F.M. told them he'd lost control of the bicycle
while riding in a commercial "Bike Down a Volcano" tour.  Field examination
revealed a possible pneumothorax and other serious internal injuries and
extremity fractures.  Advanced life support procedures were begun before
F.M. was transferred to an ambulance and taken to a hospital.  He was
admitted to the ICU with eight fractured ribs, a flail chest, a hemothorax
and pneumothorax, a fractured clavicle and a fractured wrist.  This was the
84th reported commercial bicycling accident in the park since January 1st. 
About 60% of these were serious, requiring ALS care and ambulance transport. 
[Kerry Buck, HAL, 8/18]

98-531 - Denali NP&P (AK) - Rescue

Two German nationals were airlifted off Pioneer Ridge on August 17th after
activating their personal locator beacon (PLB).  C.B. and
H.E. had begun their "Crossing the Range" expedition on the Pika
Glacier on July 26th.  While traversing Pioneer Ridge on August 16th, C.B.
fell and suffered an injury to his knee.  They were unable to continue, so
turned on their PLB.  The first rescue effort was thwarted by bad weather,
but snow and low ceilings raised just enough to permit rescuers to reach them
on the 17th.  [Ken Kehrer, CR, DENA, 8/21]

98-532 - Klondike Gold Rush NHP (AK) - Assist; Drug Warrant Service

Rangers assisted Skagway police, state troopers and members of the state
narcotics task force in serving arrest and search warrants on the morning of
August 17th.  The assistance was provided by rangers from the park and the
regional NPS SET team in response to an urgent request from the city.  Five
people were arrested on various felony and misdemeanor drug trafficking
charges.  Two other people are still being sought.  ATF agents conducted
concurrent searches of two residences and seized two fully-automatic rifles,
rifle parts, and a stolen handgun.  Information on the weapons had surfaced
during the drug investigation.  [Reed McCluskey, CR, KLGO, 8/21]

                       [Additional reports pending...]

FIRE ACTIVITY

There is no fire report today due to the early release of the Morning Report. 
Fire reports will resume tomorrow.

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION

No entries.

PARK DISPATCHES

No entries.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

No entries.

MEMORANDA

No entries.

INTERCHANGE

Parks and Casinos - Lake Roosevelt NRA would like to hear from staff in arks
that have seen their visitation and case loads increase because of casinos
located near park boundaries.  They're particularly interested in strategies
employed to handle the extra work load.  Contact Marty Huseman at NP-CODA-
FOSP or call him at either 509-725-2715 or 509-633-3830.  

                                *  *  *  *  *

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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