NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                               MORNING REPORT

To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Friday, November 12, 1999

INCIDENTS

99-666 - Great Smoky Mountains NP (NC/TN) - Death of Employee's Spouse

M.J.P., wife of ranger P.P., passed away on Tuesday, November
9th, after valiantly battling cancer for two-and-a-half years.  M.J.P. was
a wonderful lady who was loved by all who knew her.  Her fantastic smile and
warm personality will always be remembered.  She will be deeply missed.  A
memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, November 14th, at the
First Presbyterian Church in Sylva, North Carolina.  P.P. asks that all NPS
rangers and other law enforcement personnel attend in uniform wearing
defensive equipment.  He also asks that contributions be made in lieu of
flowers to the "First Presbyterian Church Youth Program."  Donations can be
sent to First Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 2152, Sylva, NC 28779. 
Condolences may be sent to Mr. P.P. 
If you have further questions, please contact rangers at the Deep Creek
Ranger Station at 828-488-3184. [Brad Headley, GRSM, 11/9]

99-667 - Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP (CO) - Rescue

On November 7th, 41-year-old W. "T." K. was leading a climb on the
"Journey Home" route on the North Rim of the canyon.  W.T. was attempting
to place protection when a flake of rock peeled off the wall, causing him to
fall approximately 25 feet.  Bones in both of his feet were fractured. 
W.T.'s climbing partners helped lower him to the base of the cliff,
approximately 1,000 feet from the base of the rim.  Ranger Ned Kelleher was
notified of the accident about three hours later and descended the technical
route down Cruise Gully to reach W.T..  Since a technical evacuation in the
steep terrain would take a long time, W.T. was evacuated via helicopter
shorthaul to the South Rim of the canyon, then transported by ambulance to
Montrose Memorial Hospital.  [Linda Alick, CR, BLCA, 11/10]

99-668 - Chickasaw NRA (OK) - Tractor Trailer MVA with Spill

R.B., 49, of Osage, Iowa, was driving his Peterbilt tractor
trailer above the posted speed limit through the park on State Highway 177
around 4:30 a.m. on November 4th when he failed to negotiate a curve in the
road.  The semi, which was carrying 21 tons of scrap copper, flipped on its
side and slid about 140 feet before it came to rest against trees just a few
feet from the fence of the pasture where the park's buffalo herd and mounted
patrol horses are kept.  Rangers and emergency units from the nearby town of
Sulphur responded and extricated R.B. from the crushed truck cab.  He was
wearing his seatbelt and therefore sustained only minor injuries.  An
environmental cleanup company contained and removed the spilled diesel and
oil.  Park maintenance personnel removed some damaged trees immediately
around the truck to improve access to the vehicle for the cleanup crew.  It
took three days to remove the truck and its contents.  The state highway and
a section of a park trail were closed periodically to facilitate movement of
heavy equipment involved in the cleanup.  The truck and trailer, valued at
$150,000, were a total loss.  [John Bandurski, DR, CHIC, 11/10]

99-669 - Ross Lake NRA (WA) - Tractor Trailer MVA with Spill

At about 11 a.m. on November 8th, a tractor trailer hauling gasoline-
contaminated soil left the North Cascades Highway at high speed and sank in
Diablo Lake in approximately 30 feet of water.  The driver escaped the
submerged cab through the rear window and clung to a floating log.  One of
the occupants of a second truck approaching the crash scene dove in to rescue
the driver, and both were plucked from the water by a Seattle City Light boat
crew (Seattle City Light is the public utility which operates dams within the
park). The driver was transported to a Seattle hospital with back injuries
and a fractured pelvis.  The contaminated soil was from a clean-up operation
underway further east on State Route 20 outside of Ross Lake, where a tank
truck overturned on October 29th and spilled 7,000 gallons of gasoline. 
Rangers and other park staff, Washington State Patrol officers, and
Washington State Department of Ecology personnel responded to the scene of
the November 8th accident.  A unified command was established and several
oil-absorbing booms were put in place to contain the oil sheen. A large crane
was brought to the scene, and the truck and trailer were retrieved from the
lake by early afternoon on November 9th.  The Department of Ecology's
preliminary estimate is that the 32,000 pounds of contaminated soil which the
truck was hauling may have contained as little as one to two gallons of fuel. 
[Tim Manns, PIO, NOCA, 11/10]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, PROTECTION AND EDUCATION 

No entries.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

No entries.

MEMORANDA

No entries.

INTERCHANGE

No entries.

PARKS AND PEOPLE

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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