NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                               MORNING REPORT

To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Tuesday, September 15, 1998

INCIDENTS

98-243 - Glen Canyon NRA (AZ/UT) - Follow-up: Search for Felons

On August 31st, visitors reported seeing two men in the park who matched the
descriptions of M.P. and J.M., wanted for the murder of a
police officer and assaults on other officers and the superintendent of
Hovenweep NM.  The visitors had beached their personal watercraft at the
shoreline in a rugged, remote area in Desha Canyon where the shore borders
Navajo lands.  The FBI and Navajo police were notified, and Navajo police
tactical teams began land-based operations in the area.  Rangers set up
perimeters with patrol vessels to protect visitors who might be entering the
area.  A special event team with all-risk management overhead was also
brought in to assure visitor safety over the Labor Day weekend and to help
handle the possible involvement of many law enforcement agencies and media
representatives.  Tactical teams found no sign of the two men and
discontinued their search on the evening of Saturday, September 5th.  They
conducted tracking operations for over 60 hours and believe that the two men
are no longer in the immediate area.  The ICS team demobilized the following
day, and the closure of Desha Canyon was lifted.  Mona Divine was IC for the
incident; the SET team was led by Rick Guerrieri.  Recommendations by the
team have been submitted regarding possible future incidents involving the
two fugitives and impacts on NPS areas.  Superintendent Joe Alston expressed
his appreciation for the professionalism and expertise shown by all members
of the combined team assigned to the incident.  [David Sandbakken, Acting CR,
9/6 and 9/14]

98-561 - Grand Canyon NP (AZ) - Follow-up: Search, Drowning

On August 12th, R.T., III, 17, disappeared from a Wilderness River
Adventures search while the group was stopped at Havasu Creek.  Indications
are that he drowned in the creek or river.  Efforts to find his body
continue.  Additional searches of the surrounding cliffs were conducted by
the park's technical rescue team on August 26th and 27th, but the primary
focus continues to be the Colorado River.  Air searches are being made based
on prior experiences in locating drowning victims in the river.  Several
flights were made between September 2nd and 4th; more were scheduled for this
past weekend.  All commercial and private boaters are being asked to watch
the river eddies below Havasu Creek.  Three to five river trips pass through
this area daily.  Media interest was very high, but has diminished
significantly.  [Patrick Hattaway, DR, River District, GRCA, 9/10]

98-575 - Suitland Parkway (MD) - Follow-up: Assault on Officer

The suspect fatally shot in the exchange of fire with Park Police officers
has been identified as K.B., 19, of Kenansville, North Carolina. 
K.B. was wanted at the time on a North Carolina warrant for flight to
avoid prosecution.  He had fled from a courtroom there during sentencing for
attempted murder.  The officers involved in the shooting remain on
administrative leave with pay.  Their names have not yet been released to the
public.  [Henry Berberich, RLES, NCSO, 9/14]

98-585 - Zion NP (UT) - Follow-up: Flooding, Road Closure

Zion Lodge and Zion Scenic Canyon Drive were reopened yesterday morning
following a closure mandated by collapse of a portion of the drive due to
high river waters.  Federal Highway engineers worked with park and contract
crews to complete temporary emergency repairs over the weekend.  Once they
were completed and engineers determined that the road's integrity had not
been compromised, the road was reopened, making it again possible to reach
the lodge.  An estimate of the cost of the emergency repairs is still being
formulated.  [Denny Davies, PIO, ZION, 9/14]

98-586 - Lake Clark NP&P (AK) - Aircraft Crash with Five Fatalities

On September 9th, a single-engine plane owned and operated by Rust's Flying
Service of Anchorage crashed at the 3,600-foot level of a ridge near
Telaquana Pass, about 50 miles north of Port Alsworth.  All five occupants
were killed.  An emergency locator transmitter (ELT) signal from that
location was received at the Rescue Coordination Center (RCC) around 1 p.m.
that afternoon.  RCC dispatched rangers to investigate, and they confirmed a
strong audible signal emanating from a small side canyon.  Snow squalls and
high winds prevented visual confirmation.  An Air National Guard Pavehawk
helicopter with para-rescuers was summoned.  They arrived at 6:45 p.m.,
landed, and determined that there were no survivors.  A recovery operations
was conducted the next day by the NPS and state police, and an accident
investigation was begun by representatives from the FAA and the National
Transportation Safety Board.  The victims were pilot C.L., 33, of
Anchorage; guide M.M., 41, of Kearny, Arizona; R.D., 63,
of Roseburg, Oregon; and R.D.'s sons, M.D., 36, of Meridian, Idaho, and
W.D., 33, of Bend, Oregon.  [Lee Fink, CR, LACL, 9/13]

98-587 - C&O Canal NHP (MD/DC) - Boat Fire

A park-owned and operated canal barge, which serves as a tour boat, caught
fire at its dock at 30th Street in Northwest Washington around 2:45 a.m. on
September 12th.  City firefighters responded and extinguished the blaze.  The
barge sustained extensive damage, and is believed to be a total loss.  The
boat's value has been placed at $200,000.  Investigators from the city fire
department, Park Police, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF)
are investigating the fire.  [Henry Berberich, RLES, NCSO, 9/14] 

98-588 - Ozark NSR (MO) - Arrest for Attempted Homicide

On August 20th, a federal grand jury indicted R.S. on four felony
counts of attempted murder and assault and one count of felony possession of
a firearm.  R.S. was arrested by rangers, ATF agents and state police on the
morning of September 3rd.  The indictments followed an extensive
investigation by the NPS, ATF and FBI, and stemmed from an incident which
occurred at Blue Spring campground on July 3rd in which R.S. assaulted or
threatened several individuals with a firearm and crowbar.  The investigation
is continuing; additional indictments may be forthcoming.  [Tim Blank, OZAR,
9/11]

98-589 - Valley Forge NHP (PA) - Assist; Homicide

On the evening of Friday, August 21st, rangers Deborah Girard Clark and Lew
Rogers contacted R.K., 19, after his car struck a deer and sustained
front end damage.  R.K. did not have a driver's license.  Two days later,
R.K. murdered his aunt in Lower Providence township.  Clark, unaware of the
murder, contacted R.K. the same day and arranged a meeting at the ranger
station that evening to issue him a citation for operating a vehicle without
a license.  Later that day, Rogers told Clark that a BOLO ("be on the
lookout") had been issued for the vehicle they'd stopped and that it was
thought to be associated with the murder.  Clark immediately contacted the
case detective to report details of R.K.'s accident and of her phone
conversation with him.  The information helped officers find the vehicle and
R.K., who was at a girlfriend's home.  Within 24 hours of his arrest, R.K.
confessed to murdering his aunt; he also said that he'd intended to kill his
entire family, who were fortunately vacationing out of town that weekend. 
[CRO, VAFO, 9/14]

98-590 - Yellowstone NP (WY) - MVA with Fatality and Multiple Injuries

A head-on collision near Grant Village on September 9th killed one visitor
and injured five others.  Three were treated and released; the remaining two
are in a hospital in Idaho Falls, one in guarded condition, the other in
satisfactory condition.  The driver of one of the two vehicles was arrested
for driving under the influence.  Additional details to follow.  [Rick
Obernesser, CR, YELL, 9/10]

98-591 - Glen Canyon NRA (AZ/UT) - Search; Drowning

V.C., 51, of Newton, Connecticut, was riding in a ski boat
being towed by a houseboat near Stateline marina on the afternoon of
September 9th.  V.C. attempted to swim from the ski boat to the
houseboat, a distance of less than 50 feet, but began calling for help while
en route and soon disappeared.  A distress call was sent out via marine band
radio within four minutes and members of the park dive team were on scene
within another 12 minutes.  The visitors reporting the incident could not
specify where they'd last seen him, however, so the search area covers 20 to
30 acres, with depths ranging from 200 to 300 feet.  Search operations are
underway using the park's ROV (remote operated vessel), which has a camera on
board; a sonar side scanner may also be employed.  The IC is Chris Pergiel;
ops chief is Pat Horning.  [David Sandbakken, Acting CR, GLCA, 9/10]

98-592 - Mount Rainier NP (WA) - Park Vehicle Fire

The park's search and rescue response truck was destroyed by fire on
September 12th.  The vehicle was being driven between Paradise and Longmire
when a fire developed behind the dashboard and in the engine compartment. 
Fire extinguishers were used, but with little effect.  Search and rescue
equipment was removed when it became apparent that the fire could not be
controlled.  Although the park's fire engine was on scene within minutes, the
SAR truck could not be saved and was a total loss.  There were no injuries. 
The cause of the fire is being investigated.  [Steve Winslow, IC, MORA,.
9/14]

98-593 - Southeast Regional Office (GA) - Bomb Threat

The Atlanta Federal Center, which houses Southeast Regional Office staff, was
evacuated on September 10th when an EPA employee discovered a bomb threat on
one of the agency's telephone answering machines.  A thorough search of the
building was conducted; nothing was found, so employees were permitted to
return to their work areas.  Continued playing of the tape by EPA employees,
however, caused more apprehension and a second evacuation of the building. 
Precautions are being taken, but federal offices in the building remain open. 
[Ken Garvin, SERO, 9/11]

                       [Additional reports pending...]

FIRE ACTIVITY

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level II

LARGE FIRE/INCIDENT SUMMARY 

                                                     Sun      Mon    %  Est
State      Unit             Fire/Incident     IMT    9/13     9/14  Con Con

MT   Flathead NF            Challenge         T1    8,800    8,800   95 9/15
     Beaverhead/
       Deerlodge NF       * Bear Trap         --        -      400  UNK NEC

CA   Six Rivers NF        * Buck              T2        -      300    0 9/20

TN   Cherokee NF            Buzzard Roost     --      285      285  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; FUT = Interagency
            Fire Use Management 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

Friday, 9/11         0     14         7       0      803     30       854
Saturday, 9/12       1      3         2       0       18     17        41
Sunday, 9/13         0      3         0       0       38      9        50 
Monday, 9/14         0      0         0       0       61     31        92

TOTAL COMMITTED RESOURCES (FOUR DAY TREND) 

                  Crews     Engines    Helicopters    Airtankers   Overhead

Friday, 9/11        88        324          64             6           959
Saturday, 9/12      61        202          45             2           588
Sunday, 9/13        37        165          28             0           372
Monday, 9/14        60        179          36             5           230

CURRENT SITUATION

Activity remains minimal.

Very high and extreme fire indices were reported yesterday in Nebraska, South
Dakota, Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Washington and Oregon.

No fire watches or warnings have been posted for today.

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 9/15]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION

No entries.

PARK DISPATCHES

No entries.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Correction - The memorandum on incident reporting which was issued on August
26th and appeared in the September 5th Morning Report carried a pager number
which is incorrect.  The pager number for Bob Marriott is 1-888-687-5613. 
Please make the change on your copy of the memorandum.  [RAD/WASO]

MEMORANDA

No entries.

INTERCHANGE

No entries.

UPCOMING IN CONGRESS

The following activities will be taking place in Congress during coming weeks
on matters pertaining to the National Park Service or kindred agencies.  For
inquiries regarding legislation pertaining to the NPS, please contact the
main office at 202-208-5883/5656 and ask to be forwarded to the appropriate
legislative specialist.

HEARINGS/MARK-UPS

Thursday, September 17

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Historic
Preservation and Recreation (Thomas): Hears on the following bills, among
others:

o     S. 1175 (Lautenberg), to reauthorize the Delaware Water Gap NRA Citizen
      Advisory Commission for ten additional years;
o     S. 1641 (Moynihan), to direct the Secretary of Interior to study
      alternatives for establishing a national historic trail to commemorate
      and interpret the history of women's rights in the United States;
o     S. 1960 (Warner), to allow the NPS to acquire certain land for addition
      to the Wilderness battlefield, as previously authorized by law, by
      purchase or exchange as well as by donation;
o     S. 2086 (Warner), to revise the boundaries of George Washington
      Birthplace NM;
o     S. 2133 (Domenici), to designate former United States Route 66 as
      "America's Main Street" and authorize the Secretary of the Interior to
      provide assistance;
o     S. 2239 (Murkowski), to revise the boundary of Fort Matanzas National
      Monument; 
o     S. 2240 (Murkowski), to establish Adams NHP in Massachusetts; 
o     S. 2241 (Murkowski), to provide for the acquisition of lands formerly
      occupied by the Franklin D. Roosevelt family at Hyde Park, New York; 
o     S. 2246 (Murkowski), to amend the act which established Frederick Law
      Olmsted NHS in Massachusetts by modifying the boundary; 
o     S. 2247 (Murkowski), to permit the payment of medical expenses incurred
      by the United States Park Police in the performance of duty to be made
      directly by the National Park Service; 
o     S. 2248 (Murkowski), to allow for waiver and indemnification in mutual
      law enforcement agreements between the National Park Service and a
      state or political subdivision, when required by state law; 
o     S. 2285 (Dodd), to establish a commission, in honor of the 150th
      Anniversary of the Seneca Falls Convention, to further protect sites of
      importance in the historic efforts to secure equal rights for women; 
o     S. 2297 (Gorton), to provide for the distribution of certain
      publications in units of the National Park System under a sales
      agreement between the Secretary of the Interior and a private
      contractor; 
o     S. 2309 (Specter), to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter
      into an agreement for the construction and operation of the Gateway
      Visitor Center at Independence NHP; 
o     S. (Specter), to authorize the addition of the Paoli Battlefield site
      in Malvern, Pennsylvania, to Valley Forge NHP; and 
o     H.R. 2411 (Delahunt), to provide for a land exchange involving Cape Cod
      NS and to extend the authority for the Cape Cod National Seashore
      Advisory Commission.

Monday, September 21

House Resources Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands: Oversight
field hearing on the future maintenance and repair of Going-to-the-Sun Road
in Glacier NP, Kalispell, Montana.

FLOOR ACTION

No action reported on NPS legislation.

                                *  *  *  *  *

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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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