2019 Commemorative Presidential Visit

On July 30th, 2019, I had the opportunity to assist in protecting the President of the United States and Virginia legislative dignitaries. President Trump visited Jamestown, Virginia to give a speech regarding the 400th anniversary of the representative government in the United States of America. Legislative dignitaries of Virginia came to Jamestown Island to hold a general assembly meeting inside of Colonial Historical National Park’s “Jamestown Church” which is historically known for one of the oldest remnants of Colonial America. Many historical events took place in Jamestown Church including the marriage of Pocahontas and John Rolfe.

Ranger Bussell, Colonial National Historical Park 

Protecting legislative dignitaries did not only require National Park Service law enforcement, but many other law enforcement departments such as the United States Secret Service, Department of Homeland Security, United States Park Police, Virginia Capitol Police, Virginia State Police, Virginia Marine Police, Norfolk City Police, and James City County Police. Despite the many idiosyncrasies that each department holds, it was amazing to witness and participate in all of the departments involved working together for one goal. I was able to network and seek career advice with various employees in the National Park Service from all different parts of the United States. 

I gained familiarization on Incident Action Plan (IAP), Emergency Response Team (ERT), and physical security operations. As I close out my week with Colonial Historical National Park, I am fortunate to shadow under Park Rangers who gave me as much experience and knowledge as possible so that I can be best prepared for SLETP. I will forever be thankful for this experience. 

Holy Waspamoli

For the last four weeks of my internship, I will be alongside law enforcement which is beneficial for me because of the fact that this is my aspiring career path. 

Around this time of the season, the wasp population is growing expeditiously due to the amount of larvae hatching from their nests. This becomes a problem because of nests that are located around where park visitors frequent which result in visitors getting stung or possibly hospitalized. Our solution to this? WASP SPRAY.

Paper Wasp Nest 

I was sent on a mission to locate and perform preventative maintenance on cannon carriages which potentially houses wasp nests. Preventative maintenance consists of cleaning, patching, repainting, and preventing the possibility of wasp nests hatching on our property.  

Preventative Maintenance, French Encampment

Although I did get chased a way a plethora of times, I was fortunate enough to avoid wasp stings! I am thankful for wasp spray and it’s creators. 

The Opposite of ARACHNOPHOBIA!

My week started as a beautiful Monday morning. I was able to shadow the administration division for my eighth week at Colonial Historical National Park. During the start of the week, I attended a safety assessment meeting which was relevant to me because I am the public safety writer for Lincoln University’s Department of Public Safety. I was educated on development plans such as the hazard communications plan, the thermal extreme plan, and proper personal protective equipment. These plans are things that I will be bringing to awareness for Lincoln University's police department. The superintendent of Colonial Historical National Park deserves an honorable mention; She made such a presence in the meeting, it was quite admirable. Her words taught me that it is okay to be unsatisfied with statistics in a meeting, and it is okay to voice one's opinions and thought processes relevant to the issue or topic that is being discussed. 

Wearing Administration Gear Gifted by the VC, Jamestown Island

Another significant part of my week was learning about retirement plans that are offered with the National Park Service. I am now able to depict and articulate the three tier retirement program. I have never been more excited to start saving for retirement, and will do so using the TSP, and FERS. 

For the closing of my week, I met with the volunteer coordinator of COLO and began the process of helping to clean out historic horse stables. As one may know, I enjoy hands on work, so using a heavy duty vacuum and a fuel powered leaf blower acted as an amusement park for me! By cleaning out the sheds, I discovered a plethora of species of arachnids. In fact, when I used the leaf blower,  spiders blew everywhere including ON ME. I developed a new found desensitization for spiders (think the opposite of arachnophobia). 

Using a leaf blower, Wisteria Cottage 

A Fourth of July to Remember!

When July fourth hits, thousands of people come into the village of Historical Yorktown to watch the fireworks over Yorktown Beach. From that, several departments from local counties and a few Law Enforcement Rangers from close proximity parks come to assist in patrolling Historic Yorktown and parts of Colonial Parkway to ensure the safety of events and people in the area.

Before the events in Yorktown started, I was able to tour two command centers that consisted of chiefs and commanding officers from various departments in the area. After the tour, all of the rangers had a briefing that explained the IAP (Incident Action Plan) which consisted of an itinerary for the special events that took place that evening and the specific tasks and duties for every Law Enforcement Ranger.

After our meeting, all of the Law Enforcement Rangers headed to their posts. My supervisor and I collected traffic cones and barricades in order to control the flow of traffic coming out of Yorktown after the infamous fireworks. We directed traffic at four entrances and exits using our barricades, cones and patrol car strategically so that the flow of traffic would stay consistent.

I benefited from this experience because I received knowledge first hand of what to expect when a large event takes place in the park that I will be apart of. I also gained insight of what it is like to work with other police departments and how important good rapport is with local counties.

“326-Tango, Rolling Traffic.”

Due to the warm summer weather that Virginia is blessed with during June, Colonial National Historical Park receives an influx of visitors, which means that the traffic population on the Colonial Parkway expands by large amounts. This week consisted of traffic stop field days, which really got me comfortable with using the radio to call for dispatch.

Tour Road, Colonial National Historical Park

Commercial vehicles are prohibited on the Colonial Parkway, which is a 23 mile stretch of tour road filled with informational pull-outs that connects the history and locations of historic Jamestown Island and the Yorktown Battlefield. However due to its convenient location and frequent exit points, commercial vehicles and commuting vehicles take the Colonial Parkway as a means of a shortcut to get wherever their destination is. This large influx of traffic results in endless speeders and commercial vehicle violations.

Traffic Stop on Colonial Parkway, Colonial National Historical Park

From this, I am fortunate enough to memorize the phonetic alphabet, dispatch radio communications, and the basic functions of IMARS, which is a database for violation notices and written warnings for the National Park Service.

Tirzah “The Locksmith” Terry

   For the start of the week I met with a Resource Management Specialist named Top. My assignment this week was to shadow the facilities management

division and discuss how Park projects are created and managed, the process of filling out work order forms, and the process of compliance.

    One of my hobbies outside of work and school is tradework. I have helped many friends of mine renovate their houses, so I was delighted when I found out that we were going to inspect houses, perform condition assessments, and match blueprints with cannons and carriages. Another highlight of my week was building a key core. Acting as a metal receptor to a key, I received first hand insight on the roles of the different types of keys used for one lock. One can now call me: Tirzah “The Locksmith” Terry

Making a key core for a COLO door, Yorktown Maintenance 

Foundation assessment in a basement crawl space, Werowocomoco VA

Matching blueprints with cannons, Yorktown Maintenance 

    My week ended with all of the full time maintenance employees working together to place a rehabilitated cannon and carriage back in the historic Yorktown battlefield.

Beautiful Present, Problematic Past

This week I had the opportunity to work in the interpretation division. Interpretation is about building intellectual and emotional synapses between Colonial Historical National Park visitors and the parks significance. I was fortunate enough to work in both the Yorktown Battlefield where part of the Revolutionary War  took place, and Historic Jamestown where the very first permanent settlement built a fort.

My first task was to drive the tour roads in the park and learn about the 12 events that lead up to America’s triumphant win. There are 16 miles of tour roads that are separated into 3 driving loops. I was also fortunate enough to view the parks gallery which displayed artifacts such as buttons and guns that were excavated from the battlefield. There was also a verbal tour from one of our park rangers who told us a detailed manifesto of the strategies and thought processes of the British, the French, and the English. After those events, I was able to help out at the front desk and give park visitors the itinerary of events for the day, and provide directions to certain sites. I met a lot of amazing people from all parts of the country.

Original Earthwork, Yorktown Battlefield

After I learned about Yorktown Battlefield, I traveled to Jamestown Island in goals to gain information about the historic events that had taken place. In return, I was able to give information about the events going on inside the park. My first task at Historic Jamestown was to tour the island that featured landmarks that provided information about the natural landscape and plants in the area. Jamestown had the most beautiful landscape, however it had the most darkest past.

Jamestown was ridden of slavery and starvation, and the historic fort that was built by Capitan John Smith would only last a short amount of time due to the lack of food and fresh water. From 1609-1610, 75% of the population perished from malnourishment, in fact, Jamestown settlement was the earliest record of human cannibalism to this day. When the colonists finally found a consistent resource to make money off of, which was tobacco, the slave trade into Jamestown began. It is still not recorded how many slaves were brought into the fort, however the archeologists at Jamestown are actively finding slaves as I am telling this story. Additionally, many of the streets in Yorktown were named after members of the English Royal Africa Company, which was a slave trade company that played a significant role in the selling of Africans in Jamestown.

Salty Swamp, Jamestown Island

Despite its rough past, Historic Jamestown Island and Yorktown Battlefield remain a beautiful place of earthworks, greenery, and wildlife.

Discovery, Preservation, and Explosives!

Discovering

Tuesday I spent with an Managerial Archeologist named Dwayne. In the morning, he showed me photos of archeological sites in Historical Jamestown Island and introduced me to the challenge of erosion that Colonial Historical National Park is facing. Succeeding the lesson, I gained a deeper understand of global warming and it’s direct impact on Jamestown Island. Water tends to expand when it warms. Subsequently as the sun is warming the Earth, the water levels begin to rise because it takes up more space in volumes. During the afternoon, we took a ride westbound to Jamestown Island to see some of the behind the scene archeological excavation on the “Angela” Exhibit. “Angela” was one of the first documented African slaves to come to America from Angola in 1619. The reason why I put the name “Angela” in abbreviations is because Angela was not her real name, but was the name that her slave master assigned to her.

Sea Wall, Jamestown Island 

Preserving

On Thursday, I was fortunate enough to see the other side of archeological work: Preservation. After an artifact is discovered, time effort and money is poured into the object in goals to preserve the item for as long as possible. I helped an archivist begin inventory of the thousands of artifacts discovered in Jamestown, Yorktown and Williamsburg. Some of the artifacts were used in the Revolutionary War. Unfortunately I was unable to take pictures of these artifacts because they are protected from the public, unless on display.

French Cannon Used in the Revolutionary War, NPS Warehouse 

Washed-Up Phosphate Can

On my last day of Week 2, Ranger Bussell and I received a call about a phosphorus can that washed up on a shorelin. Turns out it was a hazardous can of red phosphorus (used as SOS flares in Naval vessels.) I was adventurous enough to get close for a picture. This investigation involved the Navy Bomb Squad, Fire Marshall, and the National Park Service.

Phosphate Naval Vessel, Naval Weapons Station

A Refreshing Start

A Refreshing Start

A day after leadership camp I headed to Philadelphia International Airport and soon after I arrived in Newport News, Virginia. I met my supervisor at the airport and he was so easygoing and friendly! We clicked right away as we began to drive down the beautiful historical tour roads of Colonial Historical National Park.

Bald Eagle, Wormley Pond, Yorktown Battlefield

My supervisor worked first shift that week, which started by opening all of the historical tour road gates at sunrise. While doing so, we were fortunate enough to spot box turtles sunbathing in Beaver Dam, colorful domesticated ducks roaming the fields of Surrender Road, and bald eagles perching by creeks looking for their next meal. After our refreshing peaceful morning, law enforcement took the lead while driving down the 23 mile Colonial Parkway. I had the opportunity to call on the radio, and respond to dispatch for the first time. I learned fairly quickly the phonetic alphabet and basic communications within the park. In between our traffic stops, I was fortunate enough to get introduced to various park divisions and discuss their meticulous inter workings. Everyone was so welcoming and friendly and I gained access to a lot of information.

Complimentary CPR Training

On my third day working, my supervisor offered a CPR class to me, and all of the Park Rangers at Colonial. in a span of three hours, I became certified in CPR in adults, children, and infants.  

CPR Training Materials, Ranger Office

Common Violations at COLO

By being at this park for a week, I learned common violations that were relevant to the locality of Colonial Historical National Park.

Tour roads in Yorktown: potential for archeological resource violations/ destruction or taking natural resources.

Colonial Parkway: there recently has been construction on the bridges in Colonial Parkway. As a result, various traffic violations occur such as 36 CFR 4.12 (failure to comply with traffic control device.)

Parkway Pull-outs: there are a plethora of pull-outs along Colonial Parkway which serve the purpose of fishing, U-Turns and a place to sit and eat lunch while watching a pretty view. These pull-outs are very resourceful when it comes to ones leisure time, however, there are many violations that occur in pull-outs. Fishing license checks happen often between visitors and Park Rangers. Additionally, launching or docking vessels such as boats or kayaks are prohibited.

To Conclude

In short, it is awesome to witness all of the fine details that require effort to make Colonial Historical National Park a beautiful, safe space. As an extra factor, I am eager to contribute, and be in service to Colonial Historical National Park.

Welcome New ProRangers

The ProRanger Program welcomes Cohort 7 to the program.

Francis Bednarczyk

Brunilda Bilalaj

Daniel Boyce

Connor Caruso

Sarah Dover

Trevor Gardner

Destiny A Greene

Anna Howard

Tom Kidd

Quinn Kirlew

Hannah Moore

Tim O'Hanlon

Carlos E. Orellana

Laura M. Patton

Dylan T. Stephens

Tirzah E. Terry

Johan J Urena

Check back soon to learn about our 2019 Partner Parks.