Harpers Ferry NHP Entry No. 5: Conclusion

The summer has ended, along with my second internship at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. It has been a while since my last blog entry so I have much to catch everyone up on. But first I want to congratulate all of the ProRangers who have successfully graduated from SLETP at the Ambler campus of Temple University. Job well done!

My supervisor at Harpers Ferry was very diligent with trying to get me as much training as possible before the summer was over. Luckily enough, he was able to sign me up for the ASI ATV Rider Course. My supervisor and I attended the day long training at Ferry Hill, a part of the C&O Canal. The training was ran by one of the Canal's LE rangers who is a licensed ATV instructor.  We first went over the safety procedures before riding the ATVs, like the pre-ride inspection and the correct way to operate the different types of ATVs. Then my supervisor and I participated in the driving course that was set up for us. After getting used to switching gears smoothly, I had a lot of fun and felt comfortable maneuvering the ATV around the course at different speeds. We both successfully completed the course and became certified to drive ATVs at work for the NPS.

Before the summer came to an end, I also completed a maintenance project up on the Maryland Heights Trail of HAFE. Many of the waysides needed replacement signs due to weathering or vandalism. We hiked up the mountain carrying seven large signs and replaced each one while reinstalling the rivets that secured them. It was pretty hard work, especially since I picked one of the hottest days of the summer to complete the task. But it was a very important job. Many people hike up this trail each day and without visible educational waysides, the historical significance of the mountain would be overlooked.


Salmon River Complex Wildland Fire

Over the summer I had completed all of my online wildland fire training, including NWCG's S-190 Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior and S-130 Firefighter Training. I also successfully passed the field training and the pack test which is a 3 mile walk in under 45 minutes carrying a 45 lb pack. I became a certified wildland firefighter and quickly put myself in the system as available to go out on the next fire crew for the NCR. The whole summer went by with no call, until the last day before my availability would be cut off due to the school semester. I got the call from my supervisor, telling me we were going to Northern California and had one day to pack before we began our travel at 0600 the next morning. That Monday morning we met with the rest of our Type-II IA crew and travelled down to Knoxville, TN where we would fly out the next day. We flew into the Redding Air Attack Base located at the CAL FIRE Northern Operations Center in Redding, CA. After flying into Redding, we found out which fire, out of many, that our crew was going to be stationed at. It was the Salmon River Complex located in Klamath National Forest, about 40 miles from the Oregon border. After about another 3 hour drive or so, we finally arrived at base camp. At arrival, fire was very large, comprised of over 1000 people. Also at arrival, the fire was at about 7800 acres in size and only 16% contained. There were 40 engines, 7 helicopters, 6 dozers, and 14 tenders being utilized. Around 50 structures were threatened. A Red Flag Warning was established for most of the week due to changing winds and thunderstorms. The terrain was noted to be very steep and difficult.

The first few days we started work, we were stationed at Division Bravo. The dozer line had already been started, but we needed to continue and clear out a hand line across the mountain ridge, which was about 6000 feet in elevation. I took turns switching tools with my squad members so I could get comfortable using each one. I enjoyed using the McLeod most of all in this specific type of rocky terrain. I also helped out as a swamper on Bravo when we began to manually widen the dozer line. I assisted my squad's Class B sawyer by moving out the heavy debris he had just recently cut down with his chainsaw and moving it over to the green.












After working up in Bravo, we had to create a cup trench along a part of one of the main roads that travels throughout KNF. The purpose of the trench was to keep hot debris from crossing the road when rolling down the mountain which was located in the black. We had to cover a 5 mile long area. During this time, I became familiar with poison oak. I also had become familiar with how dehydration feels, a consequence from the days before and not drinking the appropriate amount of water. I learned to never do that again.

The next days were spent in Division Sierra. First we traversed through a decent sized creek, removing snags and foliage that crossed over to the other side. Then we hiked a few miles up the fire line to where the Lassen NF crew was about to perform a back burn. My crew held the line by watching the green, making sure nothing crossed over. During the middle of the back burn, the LNF crew allowed my squad boss (who was also my HAFE supervisor) and I use the drip torches for a while. We walked about 3 chains in from the fire line and lit up the brush along the way, in lines that were spaced about 10 feet apart. We continued this pattern all the way down the fire line until we had finished the back burn area. This was an amazing opportunity and experience for me to practice with the dip torch on my first fire. It was also a ton of fun and I will never forget the adrenaline rush I got that day. I want to thank the Lassen crew again for allowing me to assist them with the burn. After the back burn, the following days were spent mopping up. To me, mop-up is one of the most fun for jobs out on a fire because you can get extremely dirty. A complete mop-up of this area took a few days. There were many large hot spots. We had a few engines going, so the hose lay that ran along the fire line was utilized for these spots.


We were sent to Division Echo for one day to finish with mop up. Again, we worked with an engine crew that fed us water up and down the mountain. There were not as many hot areas in this division. It cooled over pretty well. But it is where I saw my first rattle snake which was very exciting! It ran away from me when I tried to get close enough, so I could not get a better picture than this one on the side.

Division Tango was the last division we were stationed at during the fire. We spent about half of the last week there. We saved the best for last as the walk up the fire line went straight uphill, about 3000 feet in elevation in about 2 hours. The nickname for the fire line was the "Trail of Tears" throughout the different crews. Footing was a major safety issue here. The mission for Tango was again mop-up. But the terrain here was too steep for any engines to get near. Therefore the hose lay along the fire line was fed by air drops from the helicopter. Hiking up to the midway point of the fire line was a treat because here we were able to watch the helicopter drop its water loads into the tank. A Mark-3 pump fed the water up and down the hose lay for us to use. During our mop-up operation, our sawyers had their work cut out for them with snags that had to be fallen. I occasionally spotted for the sawyers when they needed my help.

 The snag of all snags.

The last two days at Tango were hard work. The fire had spread to the the edge of Jack-ass Creek rather quickly and without warning. My crew and the other Virginia crew were the only ones left to create a direct attack against the fire before it crossed the other side of Jack-ass and into the green.  We ran through the fire carrying the hose lay and quickly connected them together before it opened up to the engine. We extinguished all the flames and the hot spots, including one extremely massive snag. After a very successful direct attack, the next day we picked up almost 6000 feet of installed hose lay and brought them back to the road to get taken back to camp. 

It was a very sad day when we left the Klamath. I grew attached to the woods and attached to my crew. When we left, the fire was around 14,000 acres in size and about 85% contained. There were around 550 people, 32 engines, 1 dozer, 18 tenders, and 6 helicopters left.  For a first fire, a firefighter could not ask for more. Our crew did it all. Hose lay, hand line, mop-up, falling, swamping, direct attack, back burn, and assisted with helicopter drops. It was the best two weeks of my life and I cannot wait to do it again. I have become addicted to wildland firefighting.





The fire ended my summer internship. This summer was extremely educational and motivational. Over the course of my time at HAFE, I think I built a great foundation to a career in law enforcement. I owe it all to my supervisor who really got me involved with LE experiences. Before this summer, I had very little. Now I am more than comfortable with saying that I want and will be US Park Ranger one day very soon. Thank you to everyone at Harpers Ferry NHP that worked with me this summer.

Currently I am back at school. I am going to the Ambler campus for a Bachelors in Horticulture. I have just begun an EMT course at the local community college near my house in South Jersey. This 9 month course. My goal is to successfully complete the course and the NREMT to be nationally registered as an Emergency Medical Technician.
I have also just recently assisted Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine with their Defender's Day celebration this past weekend. I had a blast working with my fellow ProRangers directing traffic and checking bags at the access point. I want to thank FOMC for allowing us to be a part of such prestigious event and giving us even more invaluable experiences.

Harpers Ferry NHP Entry No. 4

Lately I have been busy gaining a lot of law enforcement experience. I was authorized to go on a ride along with Harpers Ferry Police Department. I joined the town's K-9 unit on patrol between 1800 and 0330. It was very interesting to see the town during the midnight hours, as I am not usually out driving around during that time. I was able to see the town in a different perspective that I would not of normally known without driving along with local PD. Within the first two hours of working we wrote four citations and dealt with a disturbance call. The officer easily identified expired registration and inspection on vehicles as they drove by us in the middle of the night. We patrolled a portion of U.S. Route 340 that the municipality of Harpers Ferry owns.  He taught me what to quickly look for to find expired vehicles on the highway. He also went over the difference between local, state, and federal offense codes with me when he wrote his citations. During the disturbance call with a juvenile, the Harpers Ferry officer taught me the proper way to communicate with the involved parties and what to be aware of during the contact. Throughout the night, officer showed me the actions he takes on a "routine" traffic stop and how he approaches a vehicle. He explained that every stop is different and to not be complacent. One should always have awareness of the situation and be on guard. We went over some clues that he looks for in a vehicle or on the driver to let him know they might have been drinking or doing drugs. The officer also went into detail about the field sobriety test and also what to do when you suspect the driver is under the influence of drugs. We talked about the different situations the officer would need to use his K-9 partner, Diesel.  I also learned some good defense tactics and maneuvers from the officer before the end of my shift. Overall I had a great time riding along with the local PD and hope I will get to again before the end of the summer.

Here at HAFE, hunting is illegal on park grounds. The Natural Resource Specialist found an illegally placed deer stand on our property while doing some survey work in a remote part of the park. He mapped out the location for us and I went with one of the LE rangers to go inspect the area.  After a long drive and a short hike through the woods, we found the trail that led to the stand. We also found evidence of horseback riding, in the form of large horse droppings.  Horseback riding is also prohibited on this property. There was nothing on or near the deer stand that we could use to identify who owned it. The LE ranger brought along new surveillance equipment which was perfect for this situation. We installed a high resolution game camera on a nearby tree that gave the camera the perfect view to the trail and stand. We camouflaged the camera to the best of our ability and attached an antennae to the camera. With that antennae, the ranger does not have to check the video directly from the camera every time. The antennae can feed the video footage to his laptop while he sits at the head of the trail in his patrol vehicle. I intend to go back to this location as much as possible with the ranger to see if we catch any illegal activity on the camera.

             Illegal Deer Stand                                        Camouflaged Camera 

A lot of people seem to enjoy drinking alcohol within the boundaries of HAFE. Alcoholic beverages are actually prohibited on park property here. Some of the visitors say they were unaware of this regulation, but it is posted throughout park grounds. My supervisor and I found many people having a few drinks during the past couple of weeks. Most of these cases have been taking place on our River Access Shoreline, which is the shoreline of the Shenandoah River. Only but a small portion of the shoreline is actually visible from the road so it is the perfect place for people to sneak in a few drinks undetected. In order to catch the illegal consumption of alcohol, my supervisor and I hiked along the shoreline, observing and contacting groups as we walked by. Every contact we made was extremely different from the others, so it was very helpful to see my supervisor interact with the groups. Some of them were very truthful and compliant. But a few of them tried to lie about it and hide the alcohol. We could only act when the alcohol was in plain sight, so we were not allowed to look through people's coolers or bags unless they gave us permission. Luckily the one time, the wind blew off the lid to one of those styrofoam coolers while I was standing right in front of it. When I looked down I saw multiple beer cans sitting in the cooler, some empty and crushed with others still not opened yet. Depending on how the conversation went after we found alcohol, we either wrote them warnings or citations. But each time we made the parties dispose of the beverages in the trash receptacles in our parking lot. While we walked with the parties to the parking lot, we would point out each sign along the way that stated alcohol was prohibited. To get to there shoreline of the Shenandoah, one would pass five of these signs. So the regulations are clearly posted to warn visitors before they get all the way out there.

We also had an incident of a man drinking in public at our train station and making inappropriate comments to people as they walked by. We quickly arrived on scene after we heard the call over the radio. After talking to the witnesses to learn more about the situation, we learned that an older man was drinking straight out of a whiskey bottle and was causing a disturbance by making rude gestures and comments. We walked behind the train station to find a gentleman who said he was waiting on a delayed train. No alcohol was visible initially, but he did have a large bag to his side. His breath gave off an odor of alcohol from quite a distance away. At first the man was compliant and spoke to us about the train he was waiting for. When asked about the alcohol, the man became very defensive and denied it. He allowed us to administer a PBT and it came out with a .225. The man finally admitted to drinking and having alcohol on him. We confiscated his beverages and educated him on the park regulations. We also warned him about his rude comments to park visitors. My supervisor gave him a second chance and let him go, but explained to him that if we were called back there that we would have to arrest him for public intoxication and disorderly conduct. The man apologized and thanked us. We cleared the scene after speaking again with the witnesses. 

After confiscating the alcoholic beverages, my supervisor went over how to process these into evidence. I learned how to fill out the correct forms and how to properly store them into the evidence locker. We also discussed the actions that the evidence custodian will take after I processed them. 

Confiscated Alcohol

I practiced more with IMARS on the open container violations we just got earlier. Helping my supervisor enter in case numbers is excellent practice for me. By the end of the summer I will become comfortable with the system and be ready to use it when I am commissioned. I also was able to use the "Big Easy" lockout kit for the first time on a visitor's car. A group of women locked their keys in the car at our Cavalier Heights Visitor Center parking lot. We ran the 28 on the plate before proceeding, than I pried open the door and unlocked the vehicle for them to retrieve their keys and the driver's license to verify the correct owner. The ladies were very grateful and thanked us a few times. It was a good feeling to help these women out and I enjoyed the conversation we had afterwards. My supervisor had to go to court for some of his illegal parking citations that were never paid off. We went to the Northern District of West Virginia United States District Court in Martinsburg. I was glad I was able to go with him to court for now I know what to expect when I am called to go to federal court as an LE ranger. Later in the week, my supervisor set up a ASL class for the LE rangers. He knows sign language extremely well and wanted to go over some signs as well as other knowledge to be aware of when dealing with the legally deaf. He explained that people who are legally deaf commonly communicate with touch and to not be on high alarm, if they grab your arm or touch you, as you would on any other contact. He also went over that many deaf people read lips and to always make sure the lighting is bright enough  for them to clearly see your face and to never talk to them with your face or back turned. Afterwards, we went over some important signs that law enforcement and/or EMS should know when communicating to the deaf. I thought this class was extremely valuable as many people do not know ASL or have the proper awareness. 

Harpers Ferry NHP Entry No. 3

GETTYSBURG
I was lucky enough to work Gettysburg National Military Park's 150th commemoration from June 30th to July 3rd. On Sunday I worked at the information desk in the visitor center to gain knowledge on the park and its operations. I have not been to GETT since I was a child, so I had a lot to learn in one day. We answered questions about the park and of special events that were taking place during the week. Later on in the evening a ceremony was held near Meade's Headquarters where the Director of the National Park Service, the superintendent of GETT, the Gettysburg Foundation President, journalist Charlie Gibson, and historian Doris Kearns Goodwin all spoke in front of a large audience about the park, stewardship, and civil rights. My supervisor and myself worked security behind the stage for the entire ceremony along with fellow LE rangers, state and local police, and Park Police. This was a great opportunity for me as I was able to meet many people from different occupational backgrounds and listen to their experiences and advice. I was also able to guard the stairs for Trace Adkins, a country singer, who sung the National Anthem.

Director John Jarvis and myself

Trace Adkins ready to go on stage

For the rest of my time spent at GETT, I was assigned to the family reunification unit. The unit was located within the family and youth tent that was set up in front of the visitor center. My incident supervisor and I went over the SOP for missing persons that was included in our IAP. The procedures explained the proper way to inform the IC and field staff about the missing persons. The SOP also explained what to do before and after the search, including the verification process once someone had been found.  We also looked over the forms that had to be filled out during one of these situations. They went into detail about the identifying factors of the missing persons, contact information,  where they were last seen before they were separated, any medical or behavioral conditions the missing persons might have that could cause a danger to themselves or others, and if the the situation was considered critical or non critical. While waiting for the reports of missing persons, my incident supervisor and I helped man the family and youth tent. This was a great place for children to get a hands on experience with civil war history. There were replicas and props set up for the children to play with and learn about. There was also a dress up area where the children could try on remakes of civil war era clothes and uniforms. I had a great time teaching the kids how to play old fashioned games and sparking their interest in history with facts about the war. 

Family and Youth Tent Activites

On July 1st the Gettysburg Foundation was holding a special event called Salute to the States. The event consisted of a formal dinner and Civil War era ballroom dancing. Playwright and actor Stephen Lang made an appearance to perform a piece from his movie The Wheatfield. GETT also put reunion badges from each state that fought in the battle of Gettysburg on display for guests to see. My actual supervisor from HAFE, another LE ranger from CUGA, and I manned the doors of the visitor center for security purposes and to welcome guests. While performing this duty, I was fortunate to meet the Northeast Regional Director for the NPS, Dennis R. Reidenbach. I am very thankful that Director Reidenbach went out of his way to meet me and showed great interest in the ProRanger Program. 

Only July 3rd, park rangers led visitors to participate in a march in honor of Pickett's Charge. Pickett's Charge was a failed attack led by Major General George Pickett of the Confederates on July 3rd, 1863. This was the last day of the battle at Gettysburg. I worked traffic control with my supervisor on one of the streets that went right through the charge. We prohibited motor vehicles from entering on this road and interrupting the charge that was underway. It was a lot of fun to observe the enthusiasm of the visitors as they walked the same footsteps of Maj. Gen. Pickett and his troops. The operation went smoothly and all visitors and motor vehicle drivers remained safe.

Pickett's Charge

I am very grateful that GETT allowed me to participate in the 150th. I want to thank everyone for all of their help and advice that they gave me. Their experiences  that they shared with me were great learning tools for me to look back on as I strive to get my commission as an LE ranger. I truly enjoyed meeting everyone involved in the commemoration and hope I will see them again soon, either at another event as a ProRanger or out in the field when I become an LE ranger myself. 

ANTIETAM

On July 6th, I traveled to Sharpsburg, Maryland with my supervisor to work the 28th annual Salute to Independence event at Antietam National Battlefield. This was such a nice experience as I worked along with Jessica Cooper, ProRanger from ANTI, and Vinny Lemba, ProRanger from PRWI. We worked in the reserved parking lots, safely parking cars and directing traffic. The event consisted of vendors, musical entertainment including the Maryland Symphony Orchestra, and fireworks to finish it off. After the show concluded, the mass exodus of visitors caused a delay in traffic. I was stationed at the end of the visitor center's road and Dunker Church Road to direct traffic and keep visitors calm as everyone exited the park. 

I want to thank everyone at ANTI and the IC for allowing me to participate in such a renowned event. I thoroughly appreciated the experience and enjoyed meeting more park service professionals, as well as visitors. 

Jessica, Vinny, and myself

Harpers Ferry NHP Entry No. 2

Recently I have been able to work with the other divisions in HAFE for training and educational purposes. I spent three days at a seasonal orientation with most of the new interns who have come to park this summer. This training was centered around Interpretation and the skills a ranger would need for delivering information to park visitors. We discussed the proper way to interpret historical events of the park, while involving relevant and intangible meanings to the facts in order to connect the visitor to the park and promote stewardship.  We went over universal concepts, interpretative opportunities,  the three different parts of communication, the process model for a well thought out interpretative talk, informal visitor contacts, the "Visitors' Bill of Rights," and of course the many layers of history behind HAFE. This training was very helpful for me because, although I will not be giving my own interpretative talks, I will constantly have contacts with visitors throughout the duration of the day. Knowing the proper way to give educational information to them while trying to promote stewardship is a skill that any US Park Ranger should have. Each day of the orientation, we took a tour of our park, learning about the history of different areas available to visitors. During one of our lunch breaks, we made pizza the old-fashioned way in a brick oven with the Living History division.

Making pizza with fellow interns

In front of Jefferson Rock

The view from Jefferson Rock

John Brown's Fort

Another division I was able to work with was Administration. I worked with the Contracting Officer and learned the process behind buying things for the park through the General Services Administration, or GSA. She had to buy a few items for Visitor Services, so she took me through all of the different steps to obtain the items through GSA Advantage. We discussed the difference between the daily operations funding and project funding. I also worked with the Administration Officer. She explained her duties and responsibilities to me, as well as went over how to write a position description. Each employee of the NPS has a position description and knowing how to write your own is a good asset to have. 

I also worked with workers from HPTC, the Historic Preservation Training Center. HPTC is a part of the NPS that has trained professionals who expert in maintenance and construction of historic sites in order to keep everything historically accurate. They are currently working on the investigation stage before stabilizing an alcove on HAFE property that lies adjacent to one of our parking lots. They had to dig underneath the stone walls to figure out if the foundation was live rock, which is bed rock, or if it was just built on top of the soil. Every time soil was dug out of the ground, it had to be carefully sifted through in order to find any possible artifacts. Every thing is important in telling the history of the land, so once something was found that was not rock or plant material, it was carefully put into a bag to be given to the park archaeologists.

I have been fortunate to participate in many different training exercises. I went to a First Aid, CPR, AED training hosted by Jefferson Medical Center and became certified for two years. I also went to a fire extinguisher training course ran by Citizens Fire Co. out of Charles Town, West Virginia. This was very informative for me because although fire extinguishers may seem simple to some people, I have actually never had to use one before or even practiced with one.  I also had field training for wildland fires at Catoctin Mountain Park. We went over the different tools used and created practice fire lines. We also went over the different hose set ups on the fire engine they have at the park. At HAFE, I continued my fire training with my supervisor who is the Fire Management Officer, FMO, here in the park. He taught me how to properly use a fire shelter and administered my pack test. The pack test was set up on the part of the C&O Canal that runs adjacent to HAFE. I was educated on and given all of the fire gear that I will need if we are able to go out on a fire at the end of July.

While with Law Enforcement, I learned many valuable lessons that I will need in my future career as a US Park Ranger. During slow times, the LE rangers here helped me practice traffic stops. They role-played as the driver who has already been pulled over for a speeding violation. I practiced inspecting the surrounding area and the car on my approach, making initial contact with the driver, speaking to the driver about the violation, educating why it is a violation, obtaining the license and registration, filling out the citation (pretend citation),  and finally re-approaching the driver with information on the actual citation and how to pay it. The LE rangers critiqued my performance and gave me advice on how to make it a safer contact for myself and the people in the car. I am very grateful they took the time to practice this with me, as I feel I will become a lot more comfortable with it by the end of summer. I also practiced calling in to Central over the radio about illegally parked vehicles. I practiced the alpha-codes for calling in tag numbers and license numbers. I also practiced asking for driver's license information (10-27), vehicle registration (10-28), and wants or warrants (10-29) on my own vehicle and license for practice since I am not commissioned and cannot ask for this information on an individual or car legally. 

My supervisor introduced me to a very useful tool called the "Big Easy." This tool is used to open up cars that people have locked themselves out of. The tool set consists of a small wedge to pry open the door, an inflatable pouch with a hand pump to create spacing between the door and the body of the vehicle, and a long metal rod to slip through the space and hit the unlock button on the car door. He showed me the proper way to use it on one of our own government cars, and then he allowed me to practice using it. He instructed me to ask the driver to show their proper identification and registration to ensure that it is the correct owner and that the car has not been stolen.  Also, one of the LE Rangers who is also the taser coordinator, trained me on the taser. I learned how it works, how it affects the body's nervous system, and how to properly fire one. The rangers here use the X26 model. I practiced discharging the X26 on a cardboard dummy at the ideal target zones on the suspect's body. 

X26

Big Easy Kit

Harpers Ferry NHP Entry No. 1

I have been stationed here at Harpers Ferry National Historic Park (HAFE) for my second internship. I was only here once last year for Operational Leadership Training.  I was very excited to learn that I was coming back to HAFE as a summer intern. The town is surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains, and is also the meeting place where two large rivers, the Potomac and Shenandoah, combine into one. The views are remarkable and make the start of every day that much better just by walking out the door in the mornings. HAFE is a National Park Service site due to how much historical significance it holds. In 1799, the town became home to the United States Armory and Arsenal. Because of this, Harpers Ferry was also a checkpoint for the Lewis and Clark Expedition to stock up on tools and weaponry that were needed in order for their survival out West. The town also encompassed important means for transportation through the mountainous region such as the Robert Harper's ferry service, the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, and the Winchester & Potomac railroad. Harpers Ferry is the site of abolitionist John Brown's raid in 1859 in his attempt to fight against slavery. The town has also played a dramatic role in the Civil War, switching sides 8 times and being the site of numerous battles between the Confederates and the Union.
I have already learned a lot during my first weeks here. Due to this being my second internship, I will be spending more time with law enforcement. My first few days were spent to orient me with the park. I learned that Harpers Ferry is home to the Stephen T. Mather Training Center, where trainings and meetings are held for park service employees nationwide. The building used to be the Storer College until 1955. The Interpretive Design Center, which is also located in Harpers Ferry, creates all of the interpretive tools and media for the entire agency. Every wayside sign, brochure, video, map, and other related items have all been designed in the facility. I visited the buildings for each division, and met park staff , as well as the other interns and volunteers who will be working here this summer. I also learned that two other NPS sites actually go right through our park, the C&O Canal and the Appalachian Trail. My supervisor gave me a tour of the other areas of the park that are not as frequently visited by tourists or that are closed off to the public. I was surprised with how big HAFE really is. Before this summer, I thought the park only consisted of Lower Town which is in West Virginia. But the park owns large parcels of land throughout Maryland and Virginia as well. We took a hike down Short Hill in Virginia until we reached the shores of the Shenandoah River. My supervisor explained to me this is a prime area for catching illegal drinking and relic hunting. We drove to an area know as Dam 3 that used to be the water intake for an old power plant. Illegal drinking and dumping has been frequent to this area. Also the old power plant building has been looted for copper in the past years. Another LE ranger here took me to Murphy's Farm to show me an overlook that could be potentially dangerous for individuals, as they had someone fall here in the past.

View from Murphy's Farm Trail

My Tahoe for the summer

A section of the Appalachian Trail through HAFE

Myself at the entrance of John Brown's cave (CLOSED TO PUBLIC DUE TO SAFETY HAZARDS)

 

My supervisor allowed me to borrow a government vehicle to use to drive to work and to open/close the park. I was taught the procedure behind opening and closing the park, and I will be responsible for doing so when working the appropriate shifts.  I joined my supervisor during patrol each day as we looked for visitor assists and violations. He showed how he approaches a car and makes contact with the driver. He went through the different safety precautions you should take, such as printing the back of the vehicle, looking into the back seats as you approach, watching the hand movements of the driver, and  always looking up to observe the driver's motion once back in the patrol car and writing the citation/warning.  Then we went over the citation itself and all of the information needed to complete one. We discussed mandatory court appearance, the different payment options, and how all of this information needs to be relayed to the driver. I also learned how to write a probable cause statement.  Later on in the week, my supervisor had to participate in a conference call over a on-going natural resource case. It was interesting to see the different divisions working together to pursue the case with the help of the solicitor.

The next week I was able to participate in a NEVO course, which stands for Non-Emergency Vehicle Operations. My supervisor and I set up the course in our own Cavalier Heights parking lot. The course consisted of a 3 point turn,  right side parallel parking, left side parallel parking, a j-hook, and backing up into a parking spot. I have not had the need to parallel park since my driver's test back when I was 17, so it was a very good feeling to know I can still do it. I even parallel parked a double cab Ford truck! My supervisor showed a power point on driving safety and what to do if you get into an accident. His presentation made me realize I should be more cautious of other drivers, no matter how good of I driver I am. He also taught me some good safety skills that I have never practiced before.

The patrol truck I parallel parked.
 





 I was also involved with an employee training on a new safety device the Stephen T. Mather Training Center had received. This device carries disabled or injured people down flights of stairs during an incident where the building needs to be evacuated quickly. The stair chair makes it accessible for one person to carry a load up to 350lbs down the stairs all by him or herself. The device had never been used before, so it had to be tested out by the employees in order to know how to use it correctly. I volunteered to be the test dummy for the training. Although I was having a lot of fun riding in the chair, I knew that this training was very important and it would be unfortunate for it to ever have to be used in a real situation.

I was introduced to IMARS, the Incident Management, Analysis, and Reporting System that the Department of the Interior uses. It is a nationally based program for reporting citations, warnings, incidents, and EMS calls.  This system is fairly still new to the NPS, so we went over all the different information needed to be filled out for an incident. I learned how to take apart a handgun, shotgun, and a semi-automatic rifle. I helped one of the LE rangers clean their weapons in order to learn the right techniques that should be applied. I was given a tour of Grandview, the LE office that was formerly a school. The evidence custodian showed me around the evidence room and taught me the proper procedures behind filing new evidence. I explored the fire and EMS caches to check out all the tools and supplies that are available for use in these situations. We went through the EMS kits in the back of the patrol vehicles and went over the tools that I would be able to use to help during an emergency. I cannot wait to do EMS training when I get back to school in the fall, for I think that is something I really want to learn.

My Last Weeks at Colonial and Leadership Camp

Hello everyone! Sorry I have not updated the blog in quite a while. My last few weeks at Colonial NHP were very busy and exciting! I completed my two weeks working with the Maintenance division based out of Yorktown. For one week I worked in the Carpenter and Paint Shops constructing park signs. Colonial NHP has a large amount of signs especially along the tour roads and the Colonial Parkway. I drove by these signs all summer not realizing how much time and material is spent on each of them.  Now I have grown an appreciation for all the the meticulous work involved in creating park signs.
Along with making new signs, we also had to inspect the old signs. Colonial NHP owns and maintains Cape Henry National Memorial which is located near Virginia Beach. We took one morning to travel to the memorial and inspect the monuments and signs to see if any repairs or replacements were needed. Cape Henry NM represents the first landing site of the English in 1607 before they continued their voyage to Jamestown. Cape Henry NM also played a monumental role in the Battle of the Capes, which was a naval battle between Britain and France during the American Revolutionary War. This battle kept the British Navy out of the Chesapeake Bay and therefore prevented reinforcements to arrive at Yorktown and aid General Cornwallis in the siege one month later.

The Cape Henry Lighthouses

The Cape Henry Memorial Cross

I worked my next week with Maintenance in Roads and Trails. I helped maintain the yards of park-owned buildings and parking lots in Historic Yorktown. This was the first time I ever used a  weed-eater. I think I was pretty good at it too. I also worked in the Cannon shop, where Maintenance builds the carriages for the cannons from scratch. All carriages are historically accurate and they are  all completely functional. A lot of hard work and precision are put into these carriages. All of the metal pieces used in the carriages are forged in the Blacksmith Shop. We were able to work in the Blacksmith Shop and create our own pieces from scrap metal to test out the equipment.

My last week in Colonial was spent with Law Enforcement. My supervisor and Chief Ranger took Erik and I to Camp Peary, a CIA training base for Control Tactics Training. We learned the proper ways to use the baton and OC spray. We also practiced using the Glock 17 simulator. Later in the week the Firearms Instructor at my park was able to take me to the range to teach me how to shoot a handgun. This was the first time I ever shot a real firearm before. I learned the 4 basic safety rules for handling a gun. We also went over the proper techniques for my stance and grip. He was a very good instructor as I did pretty well for a first timer. The gun I used was the Sig Sauer P228.

I was very sad to leave Colonial National Historic Park. I truly enjoyed going to work everyday and getting to know the park inside and out. I am thankful to have been placed at Colonial NHP. It is the ideal park for any intern due to its historical significance as well as the great team of employees who keep it running so smoothly. I am grateful for everyone who took the time to show me the ropes and mentor me. I learned a good deal of valuable information that will help me achieve my goal of becoming the best law enforcement ranger I can possibly be. I am also sad to have left Virginia. It is a completely different atmosphere than here in New Jersey and I think I fell in love with it. Hopefully I will make my way down south again sometime soon!

I ended my summer internship with Leadership Camp up in Boswell, Pennsylvania. It was great to reunite with my fellow ProRangers. We all discussed our summer internships and swapped stories. We performed different obstacle courses as teams all week, while learning the importance of trust, teamwork, and leadership. We partnered up as performed the high ropes course for our first main event of the week. I think this was the only event that got me a little scared. But it was all mental, as I knew the equipment would keep me safe. After the first few sections, I was able to get past that uneasy feeling and completed the course. We also rappelled off a 90 foot cliff face at Laurel Summit State Park. It was such a rush to jump down the side of a cliff while observing the beautiful scenery that surrounded me. I had a ton of fun rappelling, as well as cheering on my ProRangers as they successfully made it down the rocks.

We were also able to go white water rafting down the Youghiogheny River in Ohiopyle, PA. I never went rafting before so I was unsure of the proper ways to maneuver down the rapids. But with the help of great instructors and an amazing team on my boat, I made it all the way down the 7 miles without falling in. THANKS TEAM! On our last full day of camp, the ProRangers traveled together to the Flight 93 National Memorial to pay our respects to the brave souls aboard that plane. It was a very somber time but I am glad I was able to visit the park. The setting was beautiful and the park is doing a wonderful job of building new structures and landscapes to honor the men and women who were on Flight 93. I definitely plan on visiting the park again when they are finished with their visitor center and construction.

Leadership Camp was a great experience. It went by so quick and I already miss my fellow ProRangers. I am so proud of everyone for making through the week and performing to the best of their ability. We worked well as a team and by the end of the week we became one cohesive unit. I know we will all go far in our careers and I am proud to say that I am a part of the Temple University ProRanger Program!