Incident Command Planning & Honoring Our Fallen in Blue

View from my post for fireworks patrol 

Hello All. I hope everyone had a great July 4^th last week, and even a better workweek as hard as it is coming back from a three-day weekend. My week started off with a day with the LE Rangers to help set up and patrol for the fireworks display that the local college puts on every year. They were originally scheduled for Monday July 4^th, but due to a massive rain storm got postponed till Tuesday 5^th which means I got a day off! Following my day off, Tuesday consisted mostly of setting up no parking signs along the areas in which the park owns so that people trying to spots to watch the fireworks would know where they were not allowed. We also dropped off barricades at certain areas that we would be closing down due to the safety and traffic issues we got briefed on. Not only that, but my supervisor and I were able to help facility management take off a capstone of a stone wall that would soon be totally taken out to make room visitors that would be getting redirected due to a construction project that is starting. By the time all of that was done, it was time to go to our assigned area to patrol and help park cars, then help direct traffic out along the assigned route when the show was over. Everything went smoothly, and the show was fantastic with great weather making it all the better. Overall, it was a successful night and an event that I am very happy I got the chance to help out with.

Capstone getting taken off stone wall

The next two days would be spent with our Division Leader of Resource Management, Zack Bolitho. Come to find out, it would be a very gratifying two days where I would meet the best people around, and learn more from them then I could ever imagine. While with Zack, I took part in planning the 15^th anniversary memorial events for the Flight 93 National Memorial. This planning took place with the Eastern Region Incident Management Team, which is comprised of some of the best NPS employees from the region. I was able to meet Mark Musitano, who is the Northeast Regions Fire and Aviation management leader, as well as the IMTs top leader. The other people on the team that I got the chance to meet were all extraordinary and all welcomed me to the group with open arms and taught me more about planning an event this big then I would ever think I would get to experience. Being able to be a part of this definitely showed me that I would love to dig deeper into this side of the NPS when I finally become a full time Ranger, and hopefully one day be a part of this team like Mark is, as well as my Chief Ranger is. I can only hope to be as knowledgeable and well-oiled as all of the members of this team are, and I hope I get the chance to work with them again in the future, whether it be my next internship, or when I am in the NPS full time. I am beyond grateful to Zack for letting in on the meeting and having one of the best experience’s I’ve had so far yet this summer.

Ladder Crossing for a fellow firefighter who unfortunately passed away

Sadly, I had to cut my workweek short as I had to attend a funeral of a fellow firefighter/EMT from my county that had committed suicide the week before. This hit home because it is the second one for our county this year, both of which we never saw coming. Not only was it sad to hear the news, but it also ignited in a few of us the feeling that we need to start being taught about how to look for signs, and possibly give people the right number they need to get help. So currently we are in the process of trying to see how this can be accomplished so that there isn’t another unfortunate event such as this.  This applies to everyone, including park service employees, that we need to start making this a bigger priority with the increasing rates of suicide across the US in all kinds of professions.

Another heartbreaking event happened the night that I got home to prepare for the funeral, which was the Dallas Police Shootings. This affected me in three ways. The first being that my heart goes out to every family and person that was affected by the tragedy. Next was my concern for my friends that are in the police force around the state, and in the city of Philadelphia, that they aren’t as safe as they all think anymore. Myself and fellow firefighters were at our firehouse the night we heard this, and we all hoped for the same, that all of our friends that we knew would stay safe and be extra vigilant. I think the biggest way it affected me was that it happened to people I look up to, and to the career field I want to get into. But the bright side to it, if there is one, is that no matter how many more of these types events happen, I will still continue to want to put my life on the line to save others and protect others. Let us remember the police officers that got wounded or died that night, the Dallas Police Department, and the friends and families of those that lost their lives. Let us all remain strong, push forward, and watch each other’s 6.