NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                               MORNING REPORT

To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Wednesday, April 7, 1999

INCIDENTS

99-115 - Big Thicket NP (TX) - Assist: Rescue

A severe thunderstorm struck southeast Texas during the night of April 3rd,
dropping up to ten inches of rain in some areas.  On the following morning,
75-year-old H.G. attempted to drive her car through the rising
waters of Hickory Creek near the town of Warren and was swept off the road. 
Passersby witnessed the incident and called the county sheriff's office by
cellular phone.  The responding trooper asked for assistance from the park. 
Rangers Johnny Stafford and Pete Jordan arrived with ropes and flotation
devices.  A secure line was rigged and the trooper swam to H.G., who was
sitting on top of her completely submerged car.  As the trooper was bringing
her to shore, they both went underwater.  Stafford entered the creek and
pulled the woman to safety.  H.G. was cold but apparently unhurt.  She was
taken to the county hospital for observation.  [Regina Klein, PR, BITH, 4/6]

99-116 - Point Reyes NS (CA) - Attempted Suicide; Life Saved

Three visitors found J.C. of Reno, Nevada, unconscious and unresponsive
inside his car on April 1st.  A hose lead from the exhaust pipe to the
window.  The visitors pulled J.C. out and alerted park staff.  Rangers Jeff
McFarland and Mark Daniel responded and administered high flow oxygen.  When
J.C. regained consciousness, he pled with rangers to shoot him in the head. 
He also told them that he was armed and made furtive movements in his pockets
in an attempt to provoke a response.  J.C. was taken to a hospital in Oakland
for treatment in a hyperbaric chamber, then transferred to another facility
on a psychiatric hold.  Charges are pending.  [Cliff Spencer, Acting CR,
PORE, 4/5]

99-117 - Grand Canyon NP (AZ) - EMS Incident; Life Saved

On March 14th, park clinic personnel requested an NPS ambulance to transport
a 52-year-old man who'd had a heart attack to the park helibase for a
helicopter flight to Flagstaff.  Rangers Glen Martin and Ken Phillips were at
the clinic, preparing for the transport, when the patient became unresponsive
and stopped breathing.  Martin and Phillips began CPR and assisted clinic
staff with an immediate cardioversion.  The man was stabilized and flown to
Flagstaff.  At the time of the report, he was in the hospital, resting
comfortably.  [Dave Brennan, GRCA, 3/31]

99-118 - Glacier Bay NP&P (AK) - Commercial Use Conviction

Late last month, Canadian river rafter B.O. pled guilty in federal
magistrate's court to conducting business operations in a park and soliciting
without a permit.  During 1998, B.O. received a private river rafting
permit from the park for a party of eleven.  He subsequently posted flyers
soliciting for the trip and charged each person a fare.  The magistrate
awarded the $500 penalty to the park's resource protection fund.  B.O. has
been restricted from participating in any Alsek/Tatsheshini River trips for
five years.  [Mike Sharp, Pilot/SA, GLBA, 3/30]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION

Indiana Dunes NL (IN) - Piping Plover Nesting Area Established

Biologists are setting aside three protected areas to encourage a rare shore 
bird to nest in the park.  The piping plover was once a common sight on all
Great Lakes beaches. Their numbers at first dwindled because of unregulated
hunting, then because construction and recreation disturbed their historic
beachside nesting areas. The population decline led to the piping plover's
placement on the federal endangered species list in 1986.  There are only two
dozen known breeding pairs in the Great Lakes area - but this is twice the
number of breeding pairs that existed only a few years ago.  Buoyed by last
year's success in attracting a breeding pair to Wisconsin's Lake Superior
shoreline, the park has decided to establish three protected areas in hopes 
of attracting birds to historic nesting areas on Indiana's Lake Michigan 
beaches.  With the technical assistance of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, the park is setting up three protected nesting areas, or exclosures. 
Each exclosure will measure about 80 yards by 350 yards.  Two of them will be
located at Cowles Bog; the other will be west of Lake Street near the USX
breakwater. These areas will be posted and roped off to keep the nesting
areas undisturbed by beachgoers or their leashed pets.  These sites will be
regularly monitored for signs of piping plover nesting activity and of human
disturbance.  Experienced birders with an interest in participating in the
monitoring project are encouraged to contact Anita Arends at (219) 926-7561,
extension 335. [Al Nash, INDU, 4/6]

OPERATIONAL NOTES

No entries.

MEMORANDA

No entries.

INTERCHANGE

Little River Canyon NRA - The park has weapons and ammunition that are excess
to their needs - two S&W 686 revolvers, 4,000 rounds of Winchester 38 special
+P 158 grain HP, 3,500 rounds of Winchester 9mm 147 grain HP, and 375 rounds
of Remington .357 125 grain Golden Saber HP.  If you're interested, call
Dwight Dixon or Mike Clarke at 256-997-9239.

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Gettysburg NMP - The park closed the Cyclorama Center yesterday afternoon
after a roof leak caused asbestos-containing ceiling material to drop into
public lobby areas.  The center will be closed indefinitely.  Specialists
were brought in to test for asbestos immediately after the discovery was
made.  A reading of .017 cubic centimeters was found in the second floor
lobby.  Levels over .01 are considered unsafe.  [Brion FitzGerald, GETT]

Lake Mead NRA - Three members of the Flight-for-Life helicopter service that
frequently operates in the park were killed in an accident northwest of Las
Vegas in the early morning hours of April 4th - pilot James Bond, Jr., flight
nurse Kathy Batterman, and flight nurse trainee Leroy Shelton.  The park has
sent this note: "Flight-for-Life helicopters and crews have provided
invaluable emergency medical service, often under demanding and heroic
conditions, to Lake Mead, Death Valley, BLM's Redrock Recreation Area, rural
southern Nevada, and the bordering areas of California and Arizona since
1981.  Batterman, an 18-year veteran of Flight-for-Life, has completed
countless missions to Lake Mead NRA and provided EMS training to our staff at
the park and in Valley Hospital.  She has been a well-known, highly-
respected, and much-loved member of the health care and emergency services
family throughout the region.  Our deepest sympathies go to the families,
friends and loved ones of these three who gave their lives providing
emergency care."  [Bob Trodahl, LAME]

                                *  *  *  *  *

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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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