Harpers Ferry Week 3

Another has gone week down for us Pro Rangers here in Harpers Ferry. Our action –packed week started with a two day orientation with the rest of the interns and new employees at our Park. On the second day we visited sites where pivotal battles were fought during the civil war like the historic surrender of about 12,500 Union soldiers to the Confederates on top of Bolivar Heights. We also were feet away from the site of abolitionist John Brown’s hanging and walked the path of members of the Niagara Movement when they arrived to Harpers Ferry to pay their respects to John Brown.

On Thursday, Copper and I traveled to Prince Williams Forest National Park for our wildfire training. Here we met up with the rest of the Pro Rangers that were also stationed in the Capital Region. On this day all of the Pro Rangers completed the PAC –test in less than 45 minutes. After the rigorous test, everyone learned how to properly use a fire shelter and the tools used on a fire line.

On Friday, all of the Pro Rangers in the Capital Region met up once again, this time in Harpers Ferry on Cavalier Heights. Here we participated in a protective driving session, where we were put through a driving course set up with cones that tested our awareness and decision- making while driving. The vehicles of choice were out of a Crown Victoria, Ford F-150, Ford Expedition, and a Pontiac. It was another fun and very informative day for us Pro Rangers.

On Saturday, it was back to Jay and I working with LE for the day. Our day consisted of providing assistance to ailing fawn, arriving first on the scene to an attempted suicide, and closing up the park gates. It was a pretty wild day from beginning to end, but we observed all of the events of the day and learned that with this job, you must always expect the unexpected.