ProRangers Assist at Special Events!

ProRanger friends and followers,

Recently, several ProRangers took part in multiple special events throughout the Northeast and National Capital Regions. On the weekend of September 8th, ProRangers Jenn Pflugfelder, Renee Benson, Mark Clarke, Meaghan Bauder, Jay Copper, and Wayne Lamb were detailed to Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine for their annual Star-Spangled Banner Weekend and Defenders Day event. Defenders Day commemorates the defense of Baltimore from the British on September 13-14, 1814. During the bombardment of Fort McHenry, Francis Scott Key wrote the Star-Spangled Banner from an American truce ship in the Patapsco River. Scott's song would later become the official National Anthem on March 3, 1931. This year marked the 198th Anniversary of the defense of Baltimore and the writing of the Star-Spangled Banner.

During the Defenders Day event, ProRangers conducted a variety of tasks ranging from parking vehicles, welcoming visitors, and securing the fireworks safety zone. These duties were all necessary to insure that the event was enjoyable for all, and that visitors remained safe during the event. Following an afternoon rain-shower hours before the event, visitors returned to Fort McHenry to witness several speakers and a spectacular fireworks display. The event also included a tactical demonstration by the Fort McHenry Guard and the Fort McHenry Fife and Drum Corps, as well as the firing of National Guard Howitzers.

ProRangers Clarke, Lamb and Benson with Ranger Steve Lowe

 The weekend following the Fort McHenry event, Prorangers once again travelled to work a weekend detail. This weekend, ProRangers Renee Benson, Jay Copper, Mark Clarke, and Wayne Lamb assembled in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. Our mission for this weekend was to assist the staff at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park with their Civil War 150th Anniversary Commemorative event.

 The Battle of Harpers Ferry took place September 13-15, 1862. Led by Major General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, Confederate troops seized the Union Garrison at Harpers Ferry. This Battle was part of General Robert E. Lee's Special Orders 191, which played a major role in his first invasion of the North. The surrender of 12,700 Union troops at Harpers Ferry is the largest surrender of Union troops during the Civil War, and the second largest surrender of Federal forces in United States history.



 

ProRangers with Harpers Ferry Staff

ProRanger Clarke directing traffic

ProRanger Benson directs a vehicle into the lot, as a shuttle bus takes visitors to Bolivar Heights

 While at Harpers Ferry, ProRangers were assigned to the Parking Crew at the Caviler Heights Visitor Center. ProRangers and Park Staff were responsible for directing traffic into the parking area, and then directing them into an open section of the parking lot. As the crowd began to grow, the Parking Team had to open and close parking areas and insure that all visitors were parked in a safe and orderly fashion. In addition to our parking duties, ProRangers assisted Law Enforcement Rangers at traffic barricades in Lower Town, and assembled/disassembled barricades and coned traffic patterns.

Antietam National Battlefield
 

Following our Saturday detail at Harpers Ferry, ProRangers Renee Benson and Jay Copper traveled to nearby Antietam National Battlefield for their Civil War 150th event. Located a mere 20 miles from Harpers Ferry, the Battle of Antietam was fought on September 17, 1862, days after the capture of Harpers Ferry. Considered to be a tactical draw, Antietam was the single bloodiest one-day battle of the Civil War. 23,000 causalities (dead, missing, wounded) were recorded at Antietam. Although both forces held their ground during the battle, Confederate forces were forced to retreat South following Antietam, allowing President Lincoln to issue the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation.

During the 150th Anniversary event, ProRangers Benson and Copper were stationed at various locations to assist with parking and visitor safety. Due to the large crowds at Antietam, shuttle bus services and additional parking areas were required in order to allow visitor access. In turn, several National Park Service employees and volunteers were needed at each bus stop and parking area to insure safety. ProRangers also provided answers to visitor questions and directed them to the event areas.

 The last few weekends of National Park Service special events have provided the ProRangers with priceless experience that will be extremely valuable in the future. Special events always pose a unique challenge to NPS personnel, and working them is always extremely rewarding. In addition to the practical skills learned "on the ground", the ProRangers were also exposed to the Incident Command System and the various functions of an Incident Management Team. These ICS skills are fundamental to the planning and implementation of NPS events, and will continue to be used by ProRangers throughout their careers.

We would like to thank all of the National Park Service personnel and volunteers that made our attendance at these special events possible. Without the cooperation of these excellent partner parks, the ProRanger program would not be successful. Opportunities such as these are a huge factor in the success of the program, and truly make it a "one of a kind" experience.

 Thank you all for continuing to follow the ProRanger blog. The next few weeks hold more exciting stories as ProRangers continue to recruit new candidates here at Temple University!

 
Until next time,

Jay Copper