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Subject: NPS Morning Report - Wednesday, August 25, 1999
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Date: Wed, 25 Aug 1999 17:08:53 -0400
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
To: All National Park Service Areas and Offices
From: Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office
Day/Date: Wednesday, August 25, 1999 [Early Release]
*** NOTICE ***
Today is Founder's Day, which commemorates the 1916 signing into law of the
National Park Service's organic act. Please see Director Stanton's
memorandum to all employees below.
INCIDENTS
99-499 - Padre Island NS (TX) - Follow-up: Hurricane Bret
The park weathered Hurricane Bret with only minimal damage. The storm turned
west at the last minute and crossed the park at its south end, creating a few
crossover channels. Although some of them are quite large, the channels are
beneficial to natural processes. Damage to facilities was limited to loss of
about 12,000 square feet of roofing, 2,500 square feet of siding, two patrol
cabins, 1,500 lineal feet of fence, seven informational signs, and an ice
machine. Other items may be added to the list. The park also acquired a
good deal of marine debris on its shores. San Antonio Missions NHP opened
its doors to Padre Island employees and offered shelter and support. The
park extends its thanks to "all the folks who showed care and concern for us
and wanted to help." All employees survived; none had any significant
problems. [Jock Whitworth, CR, PAIS, 8/24]
99-514 - Lassen Volcanic NP (CA) - Illegal Hunting Conviction
A former wildlife conservation club president recently pled no contest to
charges that he used bait to illegally lure bears out of the park in order to
hunt them. G.M., 48, of Bend, California, was fined $5,000 and
sentenced to three years' probation after entering his plea in state court.
Eleven bears have been taken over the past five years in the same general
area just outside the park, indicating that illegal baiting had occurred.
G.M.'s truck, used to haul a 200-pound pile of molasses-sweetened grains to
the hunting site, was confiscated by state officials. Ranger George Giddings
was the first officer to observe the bait pile and began the investigation,
working directly with state fish and game officers. Another person, Y.S.
of North Bend, Oregon, was charged and fined $2,500 for illegally
taking wildlife in conjunction with this case. [Mark McCutcheon, DR, North
District, LAVO, 8/23]
99-515 - Redwood N&SP (CA) - Sexual Abuse Arrest
As rangers were ending a CISD session stemming from a recent homicide in the
park (99-459), they received a call from campground hosts regarding a child
being molested at Freshwater Spit campground. Rangers interviewed the
children involved, determined that the molestation had taken place in the
campground, and arrested 31-year-old M.R. of Eureka, California. He
was booked into the county jail on charges of committing a lewd act on a
child. The state child welfare office placed the children with a family
member. Additional charges may be sought by the county DA. Rangers are
conducting the investigation and working with a child abuse services team and
sexual assault response teams from the county. M.R. is being held on
$50,000 bail. [Bob Martin, CR, REDW, 8/23]
99-516 - Lake Mead NRA (NV/AZ) - Drowning
The park received a report of a drowning at South Beach at Boulder Swim Beach
at 2:55 p.m. on the afternoon of August 22nd. Ranger Tom McDermott was on
scene within minutes; he took of his shirt, shoes, duty belt and body armor,
donned a mask, fins and snorkel, and swam out 50 feet to the victim. He
found F.R., 31, of Los Angeles, in eight feet of water at 2:59
p.m. and brought him to shore. McDermott and rangers Paul Crawford and Randy
Neal began CPR and advanced life support. F.R. was taken by park ambulance
to a medivac helicopter, then flown to a hospital in Henderson. He was
pronounced dead just before 4 p.m. Family members who were interviewed said
that F.R. had consumed a large meal and two beers before he went swimming,
and that he was swimming and talking with friends and family when he began
having trouble, went underwater, resurfaced, then disappeared. His death was
the 20th fatality in the park this year. [Paul Crawford, SPR, Boulder Basin
District, LAME, 8/23]
FIRE ACTIVITY
NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level II
LARGE FIRE/INCIDENT SUMMARY
Sun Mon % Est
State Unit Fire/Incident IMT 8/22 8/23 Con Con
CA Yosemite NP * South Park Cx FUM - 362 UNK UNK
* North Park Cx FUM - 2,700 UNK UNK
Stanislaus NF Carmoke FUM 443 443 0 UNK
* Pilot T1 - 650 UNK UNK
San Bernadino NF 330 -- 200 200 100 CND
Lassen-Modoc RU * Willow ST - 1,000 20 UNK
* L-M Lightning Cx -- - 400 50 UNK
Butte RU * Butte RU Cx ST - 3,500 UNK UNK
Tehama Glen RU * Tehama Glen Cx -- - 8,000 75 UNK
Shasta Trinity RU * Shasta-Trin. Cx ST - 1,000 10 UNK
Modoc NF * Chandler -- - 100 100 CND
* Pine T2 - 3,200 UNK UNK
* Yellow T2 - 3,000 UNK UNK
NV Winnemucca FO Dido Cx T2 15,000 16,250 85 8/25
* Tungsten -- - 1,200 0 UNK
Carson City District * Fish Cx -- - 2,000 0 8/26
Elko FO * Izzenhood Ranch -- - 1,000 UNK UNK
Battle Mountain FO * Davis -- - 500 70 8/24
OR Burns District Stonehouse -- 4,093 4,544 100 CND
* Rock Creek -- - 3,000 0 8/26
* Reichesn Corner -- - 300 0 UNK
* Windy Point -- - 200 UNK UNK
* Jack Mountain -- - 300 UNK UNK
TX State Reece Creek -- 1,000 1,000 60 8/23
* Applegate -- - 350 10 8/23
Triple R -- 3,000 4,000 100 CND
* Elmo -- - 110 100 CND
* Oatmeal -- - 180 100 CND
ID Lower Snake District * Middle Butte -- - 6,000 UNK UNK
* West Shoofly -- - 2,000 0 UNK
* Antelope -- - 300 100 NR
Heading Notes
Unit Agency or Area Office = BIA area; NF = national forest; RU = CA
state resource or ranger unit; RD = state ranger district; FO =
BLM field office; District = BLM district; NWR = USFWS wildlife
refuge
Fire * = newly reported fire (on this report); Cx = complex
IMT T1 = Type I Team; T2 = Type II Team; T3 = Type III Team; ST =
State Team; FUM = Fire Use Management Team
% Con Percent of fire contained: UNK = unknown; NR = no report
Est Con Estimated containment date: NEC = no estimated date of
containment; CND = fully contained; UNK = unknown; NR = no
report; LR = last report unless significant activity occurs
NUMBER OF NEW FIRES (FOUR DAY TREND)
NPS BIA BLM FWS States USFS Total
Friday, 8/20 2 9 43 0 257 47 358
Saturday, 8/21 1 8 19 0 101 59 188
Sunday, 8/22 2 6 23 0 65 52 148
Monday, 8/23 9 9 87 0 354 263 722
TOTAL COMMITTED RESOURCES (FOUR DAY TREND)
Crews Engines Helicopters Airtankers Overhead
Friday, 8/20 63 221 50 3 201
Saturday, 8/21 90 225 44 1 328
Sunday, 8/22 98 207 51 2 683
Monday, 8/23 222 479 78 16 791
CURRENT SITUATION
Major initial attack activity was reported in northern California on Monday;
moderate activity was reported in the Northwest, Great Basin, California and
the Southwest. There were also new large fires in the Northwest, northern
California and the Great Basin.
Very high to extreme fire indices were reported Oregon, Washington,
California, Montana, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, South Dakota, Wyoming, Alabama,
Georgia, Mississippi, and Texas.
[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 8/24]
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, PROTECTION AND EDUCATION
No entries.
OPERATIONAL NOTES
No entries.
MEMORANDA
"Founders' Day," signed by the director on August 20th and sent to all
employees:
"I am pleased to send this message to my fellow National Park Service
employees as we look forward to celebrating Founders' Day on August 25,
marking our 83rd birthday.
"As the 15th Director of the National Park Service, I have had the pleasure
of meeting with many of you while visiting national park sites and offices
across the country. On my travels, I am constantly reminded of how proud we
all are of these majestic and magnificent national parks that make up such a
significant part of this country's natural and cultural heritage.
"This past year has been a favorable one for the National Park Service. Last
fall, we embraced two new parks that tell compelling stories about our
history: Little Rock Central High School and Tuskegee Airmen. Recently, we
launched the Natural Resources Challenge, solidifying our responsibility of
using sound science to protect resources better. We have found that the face
of our workforce is more diverse, especially in our seasonal programs. I am
proud to say that we have revitalized our commitment to the safety of our
employees. And, we are passing all of this on to the youth of this nation
through youth programs, like the Youth Conservation and Public Land Corps,
and our educational outreach efforts. Also, all of the work with the First
Lady and the White House on the Save America's Treasures Program, along with
the many other partnerships we enjoy, has proven to be a remarkable effort.
"I am especially looking forward to the year ahead as we welcome the
millennium...finally! I am going to continue to pay particular attention to
the preservation of our resources, the well-being of our workforce, and press
ahead to engage our young in all aspects of the National Park Service.
"As employees of the National Park Service, we ARE the keepers of the
American heritage, and as such, have an awesome responsibility. I know we
are ALL up to the challenges facing us this coming year because the future
of our national parks depends on it.
"Happy Founders' Day to each and every one of you and THANK YOU for a job
well done!"
INTERCHANGE
No entries.
PARKS AND PEOPLE
Ocmulgee NM - Georgia Department of Natural Resources ranger Rocky
Wainwright, 36, was fatally injured while searching for a missing child in
nearby Twiggs County on August 19th. Wainwright is the first DNR ranger to
die in the line of duty in over 25 years. Wainwright was killed when his ATV
struck a tree and overturned. Ocmulgee's chief ranger represented the NPS at
the August 22nd funeral. Officers from as far away as Virginia attended. An
education fund has been set up for Wainwright's two small children.
Donations may be sent to: Rocky Wainwright Fund, Attn: Anisha Thompson, Bank
of Upson, PO Box 790, Thomaston, GA 30286. [Guy LaChine, CR, OCMU]
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
No hearings scheduled. Congress is in recess.
LEGISLATION INTRODUCED
No new bills introduced.
NEW LAWS
The following bills have passed Congress and been signed into law on the
dates indicated (the public law and statute numbers follow each in
parentheses):
o April 8th - H.R. 171, a bill to authorize appropriations for the
Coastal Heritage Trail Route in New Jersey (PL 106-18, 113 Stat. 18).
o April 9th - H.R. 193, a bill to designate a portion of the Sudbury,
Assabet, and Concord Rivers as a component of the National Wild and
Scenic Rivers System (PL 106-20, 113 Stat. 20).
o May 21st - H.R. 1141, supplemental emergency appropriations (PL 106-31,
113 Stat. 57).
o August 10th - H.R. 66, a bill to preserve the cultural resources of the
Route 66 corridor and to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to
provide assistance (PL 106-45, 113 Stat. 24).
CLOSING OBSERVATION
"There is nothing so American as our national parks. The scenery and
wildlife are native. The fundamental idea behind the parks is native. It
is, in brief, that the country belongs to the people, that it is in process
of making for the enrichment of the lives of all of us. The parks stand as
the outward symbol of this great human principle."
- President Franklin D. Roosevelt
* * * * *
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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