NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                               MORNING REPORT

To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Wednesday, March 3, 1999

INCIDENTS

99-57 - Yosemite NP (CA) - Follow-up: Search in Progress

The search for C.S. and J.S. and family friend S.P.
continues.  The incident command post for the search has been moved to
Modesto, and the focus of the case has shifted from search to investigation. 
Yosemite NP investigators continue to work with the FBI and other agencies on
the case.  Rangers continue to search for the vehicle and the missing women
during their regular patrols.  Media interest remains high.  During the
search in the park, searchers checked out over 100 miles of road, logged 25
hours of helicopter flight time, and covered the entire area from the
Tuolumne River south to the Highway 41 corridor.  [Scott Gediman, PIO, and
John Roth, ACR, YOSE, 3/1]

99-62 - Lake Meredith NRA (TX) - Attempted Suicide: Life Saved

On February 28th, the park received a call from C.B., who that
his wife, Merilyn, might be in the park, attempting to commit suicide. 
Ranger Curtis Oman found her in her vehicle near Chimney Hollow.  There was a
garden hose running from the vehicle's exhaust to its rear passenger window,
and C.B. appeared to be in the middle stages of carbon monoxide
poisoning.  Oman and ranger Mike Davin provided initial medical care. 
C.B. was flown by helicopter to Northwest Texas Hospital, but suffered
no major medical problems from the carbon monoxide.  Investigation revealed
that she was despondent over marital problems and that she was also a wanted
felon in south Texas.  [CRO, LAMR, 3/2]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION

No entries.

PARK DISPATCHES

No entries.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Clarification of Solicitor's Ruling on Enforcement Outside Parks - The
Solicitor's Office has clarified and supplemented the information in the
February 19th Morning Report regarding their memorandum of February 17th
entitled "National Park Service Authority To Make Off-Park Arrests For
Violations of State Law. Dodd v. Schneider No. 96-3633 (N.D.Cal. July 17,
1997)."  Specifically, the Solicitor's Office states that 

      the NPS may legally provide emergency law enforcement assistance to
      localities under 16 USC 1b(1) only when authorized under State law and
      when there is a General Agreement (MOU) with the locality.  While 16
      USC 1b(1) authorizes the NPS to provide emergency law enforcement
      assistance outside of park boundaries, the statute itself does not by
      its own terms grant NPS officers arrest authority outside park
      boundaries.  Accordingly, such arrest authority must be derived from
      State law, which will usually be in the form of deputization.  Even
      when State law grants such arrest authority, however, NPS officers may
      provide such law enforcement assistance in the event of an emergency as
      detailed in an agreement with the locality.  This structure will ensure
      that NPS officers properly act within the scope of their Federal
      employment and to reduce the possibility of liability.

Directors Order #57 - The new DO-57, Occupational Medicine, Health and
Fitness, was approved by the director on March 1st.  It is being sent to all
regions.  The cover memo notes that "this order has serious implications for
law enforcement commissioned employees, including those hired seasonally, and
should be reviewed very carefully."  Copies should be available in parks
shortly.

Correction - The snowmobiling fatality reported at Pictured Rocks NL in the
March 1st Morning Report (99-58) occurred on a county-owned road that runs
through the park.  The incident was accordingly an assist, not a fatality
occurring in the park's jurisdiction.

MEMORANDA

No entries.

INTERCHANGE

No entries.

                                *  *  *  *  *

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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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