Operation Dry Water

Operation Dry Water 

Greetings! My name is Connor Caruso from cohort 7. This summer I have the opportunity to go on an internship in the US Virgin Islands. For the next five weeks, I will be spending time with various divisions at Christiansted National Historic Site (CHRI) in St. Croix.

This past week, Ranger Clarke and I met with representatives from the United States Coast Guard (USCG) and Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR) to discuss boating enforcement for the upcoming holiday weekend.Operation Dry Water (ODW) is a year-round boating under the influence awareness and enforcement campaign. The mission of ODW is to reduce the number of alcohol- and drug-related accidents and fatalities through increased recreational boater awareness and by fostering a stronger and more visible deterrent to alcohol use on the water.

Operation Dry Water's heightened awareness and enforcement three-day weekend takes place annually around July fourth, a holiday unfortunately known for drinking and boating, and deadly accidents. The meeting primarily focused on creating a joint enforcement plan with the participating agencies. As a participant in ODW, law enforcement officers at Christiansted will enforce boating safety and conduct BUI stops around Buck Island Reef National Monument. To prepare for the upcoming operation, NPS law enforcement officers will be teaming up with the USCG next week to conduct training exercises. I look forward to working with the USCG and furthering my boating knowledge!

Over the course of the week, Ranger Clarke and Laurencin walked me through the process of conducting a safe traffic stop. After completing a few scenarios with Ranger Clarke, I had the opportunity to assist Ranger Laurencin with a traffic stop on a vehicle that was driving the wrong way on a one way street. I was able to take away a lot of valuable information this week and look forward to assisting with traffic stops in the future. 

In addition to conducting traffic stops, I was able to assist in towing multiple vehicles. CHRI has a parking lot that is available for visitor use each day from 8:30 AM- 4:30 PM. After the park closes, all vehicles have to exit the parking lot. Unfortunately, some drivers choose not to follow the rules and leave their vehicles in the parking lot past closure. I was able to observe the procedure for towing vehicles, which includes filling out a towing form The form details the type, make, year, and license plate number of the vehicle as well as any interior or exterior damage. After filling out the necessary information, four vehicles were towed from the parking lot. 

I look forward to the upcoming week where I will have the opportunity to work with the USCG and enforce boating safety. Check back next week to see what I have been up to!

ProRanger Caruso  

Going Back to Back

    

#Week 5

          This week finished up very quick. I was back with cultural resources for the first two days, which was eventful. Previously in my second blog post I talked about the Bishop  White House an how I did start to finish inventory on the items inside of the house. As for this week I went back with Mrs. Gloria and did inventory inside of the "Todd House." This house was not as wealthy but well kept and had a lot of levels to it. We then proceeded to go back to head quarters to sort and numerically put historical documentation in the right spots. The next day I was assigned to help turn the page of the constitution; I was able to witness and help move the declaration and constitution to a safe room to see if they had any damage or leakage. Instead of oxygen there is a chemical infusion that is put into the containers with the documents to help preserve its form. Oxygen may be good for us human beings to inhale but it also can cause paper material that was made back in the 18th century with bamboo trees; overtime the paper would be in crumbles if the cases were not sealed correctly. This process is very time consuming and you would really gave to have the patience.
There was one leakage in the constitution frame and to drain it out; the export would tilt the frame case and wait for the oxygen to get most of the oxygen out. This procedure for about an hour to an hour and 30 minutes. After this I met back up with Gloria to help sort out historical items and make sure they were all in right spot. Culture Resources is a incredible important department anad you can learn a lot while being there.

Liberty Bell At Night

                      As you can see in the picture The Liberty Bell at night is such a beautiful sight.

Interdependence Hall In the Background 

At night for Law Enforcement we also go around and check and secure each building on this particular night I found that one door was unsecured. With this I told my supervisor and he called for backup to do a full building check; no one was inside, someone just forgot to close the door behind them. Safety is very important and in this line of work you rather than be safe than sorry. 

First Full Week With Law Enforcement

Hello everyone!

This week was my first full week working primarily with my supervisor doing law enforcement! It was fun and interesting to see the day to day work of a law enforcement ranger at the Santa Monica Mountains.  Everyday we did patrols of the areas that Brandon (my supervisor) was scheduled to do and other miscellaneous jobs.

The first day of law enforcement we actually did not do much law enforcement.  The VRP division (visitor and resource protection which law enforcement falls under) had recently bought two new cars because they were getting rid of two old cars.  So we started off the day taking care of this business of switching out the cars.  It was a hassle because the places that we had to go were quite far away.  After this there was a sending off event for the fire fighting team that we attended.  People on the fire team were heading up to Canada for a little while so VRP wanted to give them a good send off.  This ended up taking the rest of the day.

The next day before we even started our patrol we got a call from one of the people in maintenance (Larry) that there was a smashed and abandoned car on the road.  Brandon and I went to check it out and it turns out Larry was right.  We ran the plates and with the help of a sheriff from another agency we found out that the dad and the son were into some sketchy activities.  We contacted California Highway Police and then they took care of the rest.  After this we did our patrol.  This particular day was quite cloudy so it ended up being a slow day.  We patrolled places such as Solstice Canyon, Cheeseboro, parts of the Zuma trail  (sometimes when there was a particularly slow part of the day Brandon would say "welcome to law enforcement" in a funny voice).  Since the day was slow we helped facilitate a radio update that the whole Santa Monica staff was doing.  SAMO was updating the channels and code that they were using for the radios and we helped by finding radios and getting them to the people coding them.

At Solstice Canyon there are ruins of a mansion that burned down in a wildfire in the 1980s

The third day of law enforcement we did the same patrol.  It ended up being another slower day ("welcome to law enforcement").  The one thing Brandon caught was a woman texting and driving.  He ended up writing her a warning.  The rest of our contacts were casual hikers asking for directions, however since it was not the nicest day there were very few contacts.  So we ended up doing some miscellaneous jobs such as helping out with the radios again.

Around the Solstice Canyon trails there is a quiet area tucked away that people can go and have a religious experience

The last day was more action packed because it was nice and sunny.  We had a large amount of contacts with people.  The majority of them were really good.  They were either casual conversations, giving directions, or informing people on the history of the site we were at.  There were only a few times that Brandon had to whip out his law enforcement voice.  One was when people were all jumping in the waterfall.  The NPS banned this about three years ago to protect an endangered species of frog.  However, even with the 3 or 4 signs saying not to do this, about 15 people jumped the fence and were in the water.  Everyone was very cooperative when Brandon ordered them out so he did not write any tickets.  He also told me afterwards that if someone is extremely cooperative and their kid is there he tries not to write a ticket if possible (I thought that was a cool thought process which I will keep in mind for my future career).  After this, Brandon noticed a car that "gave off the vibe of an expired plate".  Sure enough when we got a look at the license plate and ran it in the system it ended up being expired (it's almost as if Brandon has been doing this for over 20 years).  The driver ended up being an old lady so he wrote her a warning.

This is the view from an area at Solstice Canyon when it isn't foggy!

Part of the infamous waterfall that everyone wants to jump in but cannot 

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS:

I really like my supervisor and his way of approaching law enforcement.  Brandon has a really good balance of not being too easy going but also not being unreasonably strict to the point where it is hostile when he does his job.  I really admire the way that he is able to do this successfully because at the end of the day that seems like a quality that sets you up for success.  It was also good to see first hand how the life of a law enforcement ranger is day to day.  You truly do wear many hats and do a plethora of tasks (such as helping out with the radios).  It's also important to know that, like almost all jobs, there are fast paced days and very slow days.  It's not always full of excitement which is good to realize.

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.

Boat Patrol

Boat Patrol

Boat Patrol around Buck Island Reef National Monument

Greetings! My name is Connor Caruso from cohort 7. This summer I have the opportunity to go on an internship in the US Virgin Islands. For the next six weeks, I will be spending time with various divisions at Christiansted National Historic Site (CHRI) in St. Croix.

This past week, I had the opportunity to work with Ranger Clarke. Over the course of the week, Ranger Clarke and I conducted multiple boat patrols around Buck Island Reef National Monument. The protected reef is a popular destination for both visitors and locals. Snorkeling, swimming, and picnics are popular activities at Buck Island. Patrolling the island and the surrounding waters provided a great opportunity to understand a different method of ensuring visitor and resource protection.

During Ranger Clarke's first boat patrol, we intercepted a vessel fishing within the protected boundary. As we approached the vessel, I scanned for illegal fishing equipment. Noticing two fishing rods, I switched on the emergency lights and activated the siren. Once we positioned our vessel close to the suspected poachers, Ranger Clarke and I made contact. We informed the two fishermen that all types of extractive activities are banned within the protected reef surrounding the island and told them to reel in their fishing lines. After tactically questioning the two men, we determined that they were not local to the area and were unaware that they were illegally fishing. We used this as an opportunity to educate them and used discretion not to issue citations.

After the fishing lines were reeled in, Ranger Clarke and I conducted a Coast Guard safety check on the vessel. To ensure boating safety, all vessels are required to have the following: fire extinguisher, personal flotation devices, sound-producing device, emergency supplies, and flares. We concluded that the two men did not have all the required supplies on board their vessel. After informing them of the requirements and necessity for each item, we instructed that they take the vessel back to shore. Conducting boating safety checks serves as a preventative search and rescue technique used to ensure boaters are well equipped prior to setting sail.

While a majority of my time this summer has been spent patrolling the protected boundary around Buck Island in search of poachers, Ranger Clarke and I spent time patrolling the island by foot. Patrolling by foot provided a great opportunity to meet visitors and educate them on the fragile ecosystem. Over the course of the week, we made contact with a number of visitors who had beach umbrellas in the sand. Since the island is a breeding ground for both green and hawks bill sea turtles, no items are allowed to penetrate the sand. Again, we used these contacts as an opportunity to educate rather than enforce.

Beach Patrol

Visitors enjoying BUIS

Foot patrol on BUIS

While on the island, Ranger Clarke and I noticed a number of empty conch shells. Poachers often hunt for conch and lobster in the protected reef and there was plenty of evidence to indicate that large scale poaching is taking place. We discussed ways to better enforce the "no take zone" around the island and formulated a plan to target poachers over the coming weeks.

Pile of poached conch shells 

In addition to patrolling Buck Island, I spent some time working on the park's EMS program this week. As an EMT, I know how important it is to be prepared for any type of medical emergency. For this reason, I outfitted an EMS bag for the patrol vessel with all the essential medical supplies. In addition to having the necessary medical supplies on board, we plan to practice a wide array of water rescues and different scenarios in the coming weeks.

Outfitted EMS bag for the patrol vessel 

After a week out on the water, it is crucial to ensure all equipment is well cared for. This includes the items on a law enforcement officer's duty belt. Salt water is extremely corrosive, and proper firearm maintenance is important. I have had a lot of practice cleaning and maintaining firearms this summer.

Gun cleaning at the end of the week

I look forward to another week with the division of visitor and resource protection. Check back next week to see what I have been up to!

ProRanger Caruso

More Than a Place To Get a New Sticker

“More Than a Place To Get a New Sticker”

Hello ProRangers and Park People!

  

            This week started out with an early morning drive into Marquette for a continuing education conference about pediatrics in emergency medicine. As an emergency medical technician, I am required to complete a certain number of classes, trainings, and education to renew my license. The purpose of attending conferences like these is to ensure that first responders are well rounded and up-to-date on new medical practices. 

Law enforcement are often first on scene to accidents, making it important to be trained in emergency medicine

            Pediatric care in emergency medicine can be especially difficult both emotionally and medically. The goal of the conference was to bridge some of the common gaps experienced by first responders and doctors. One issue that was addressed was the process of family reunification after a mass causality incident or disaster. A critical piece in this process is to rapidly identify and protect displaced children and to appropriately identify family members. Unfortunately, the process of retrieving your child can be met with challenges, because the hospital can’t release children without the child’s birth certificate or social security card. Especially after a traumatic event, family members won’t be thinking about getting ID – they’ll be rushing to care for their children. Hospitals are working on developing plans to address this issue and minimize stress in tough situations such as this.

"Pediatric Patients - Bridging the Readiness Gaps" Conference
It's never a bad time to take a picture for the blog!

            The following days, I spent with the division of interpretation at both of the visitor’s centers and at Au Sable Light Station (one of my favorite places in the park)! National park visitor centers are much more than a place to get a new sticker for your water bottle. They are operated by some of the most informed park employees and the staff at PIRO are nothing short of exemplary. 

When weather permits, the rangers make the 1.5 mile commute to Au Sable Light Station.

            Any questions you might have about the park, recreation, natural resources, wildlife, history, the town, you name it – the staff will go out of their way to answer your question to the absolute best of their ability. The time I spent with the division of interpretation will help me throughout the summer during law enforcement contacts as well. For example, when making a contact with a park visitor backcountry camping without a permit, it is important to explain the appropriate process to obtain a permit. After spending time in the visitor center, I can confidently explain the process and hopefully prevent a violation in the future.

A small group getting ready to tour Au Sable

            In addition to the visitor centers, I was able to spend a day at Au Sable Light Station! The tours of the lighthouse keepers home and the tower are given six times a day, which means these park rangers can climb up to 24 flights of stairs in one day. I loved spending time learning about what it took to keep the flame lit in the lighthouse and the mysteries of the Lake Superior shipwrecks.

Au Sable Light Station - keeping Lake Superior lit since 1873 

            To end my week, I helped law enforcement with their first nighttime boat operation of the summer season! Last week, Ranger Tuuri and I noticed that many of our backcountry camp sites had illegal fire pits. To prevent further damage to the resources, the LE team set out on the Arrowhead around dusk to monitor some of the backcountry campsites.

Ranger Davis, Ranger Tuuri, and Chief Hughes discussing the nights boat operations and goals

We cleaned up multiple illegal fire pits and were able to contact a group with an active fire. Their group had multiple violation including the illegal fire, out of bounds camping, camping without a permit, and damaging natural resources. 

Chief Hughes working hard to keep the backcountry campsites clear of illegal fire pits

NPS Arrowhead feat. Ranger Tuuri

Ranger Tuuri and I completing a ticket

After a fun and productive day, we started our journey back to the marina. On the way back, Chief Hughes and Ranger Tuuri explained different techniques utilized when boating at night or in low visibility conditions. Looking back to my first day on the Arrowhead, I wasn’t sure how I would feel about working on a boat, but now I look forward to being on the water! It’s one of my favorite things about interning at PIRO!

Some serious high fives! Get pumped for next weeks activities!

            I’m super excited for next week’s agenda and the guests we are hosting at the park. Be sure to check in next week to find out!

Until next time,

ProRanger Dover

Quotes from the South: “If it ain’t p*ssin’, it ain’t coolin'!”

The National Park Service believes it prepared a future law enforcement officer for work on the water, but what it really did was bring me even closer to my dream of becoming a pirate. 

I spent the past week by Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge completing MOCC (Motorboat Operator Certification Course). If you need a new favorite hobby, I highly suggest this. 

The first day of the course covered navigation, basic boat maintenance, and safety requirements. By day 2 we were on the water putting what we learned into practice. 

The first thing you learn is that each boat's operation is extremely different, so it's vital that you spend time with your park's specific machine. We got a lovely crash course in both super-smooth new boats, and those that have had a little more wear and tear, preparing us for whatever condition our boats may end up in.  

MOCC offered more than just boating instruction. It was a chance to learn with our neighbors in Fish and Wildlife, with employees outside of law enforcement, alongside those who were refreshing their advanced boating skills and those who had never set foot on a boat, and with people of all ages. Sharing this experience, and each of their stories, was enlightening, motivating, and exemplified how these trainings are not just boring department classes, but a true representation of the culture of the Park Service and every organization dedicated to preserving our nation's history and resources for all. 

It's also just FUN. 

Night Shifts Vs Day Shifts

Week 4,

       

 In day shift I would observe people coming to the park to engage in the festivities surrounding the park. From giving directions and watching people go on tours to night shift where people are caught urinating, smoking and drinking on federal property at all hours of the night.

         I started off the beginning of my week securing, checking doors, locking gates and making sure people weren't engaging in any foul play around the park. Seeing the park at night is a different atmosphere then during the day. Night time you're more aware of your surroundings and able to see things in a different light. I was able to witness my first public urination in a closed area contact with three individuals who each denied that they had done it and resulted in each collecting a citation. Ranger Keiffer helped assist while I observed them interact with the individuals. Later on that night a woman appeared to be walking across the park intoxicated and not able to walk straight. Ranger Keiffer with a few other rangers made contact while I observed. Thee lady wanted to drive her car but that could not happen due to her intake on alcohol; her uber was called and she went home instead of getting behind the wheel. We even encountered a vehicle being driven down the wrong side of a one way street. The person took the wrong turn and ended up having to turn right back around to get on the right side. Imagine headlights coming towards you on a one way. Day shift you encounter children taking tours or people visiting from all over the world to enjoy the park .

         The following day I was able to shadow Ranger Dunlap. In our first hour we were able to give out two citations. Citations are tickets you give a person to pay within 30 days and if not paid then a court date is sent to their home and they have the choice to fight the case and go before a judge. The first citation was given to two individuals out of a group of four. One was laying in the grass with an open beer cans wrapped in a brown paper bag. Ranger Dunlap then proceeded to ask one guy if the container that was in arms reach of him belonged to him, but he denied it. The second guy who had the container in his hand, but did not deny it. This was very intriguing because they both were issued a citation. However they had two different reactions; the first guy who denied the can exercised his first amendment and continued to the whole time of the interaction. He voiced that he did not own the beer can and that it could be anyone's. The next guy was calm and understanding of his actions, even was having a chat with Ranger Dunlap. Towards the end the citations were handed to the guys and left.

         The next citation was a man caught smoking a brown burnt cigarette. He was very cooperative and handed over all evidence in which case was 3 rolled brown cigarettes. Ranger Dunlap seized the evidence and gave him his citation and sent him on his way. I experienced how to fluently detain and collect evidence. I was able to test and weight the suspected evidence which came back positive for marijuana. We then noted it in the records book, filled out the information describing the evidence and secured it in a sealed bag before dropping it inside the evidence box. That was a very eye opening experience to seize, test and detain evidence. The amount of work you have to put in is all worth it in the end to keep the park safe. 

        Night shift is eventful and I actually prefer it over day shift. It is definitely eventful and shows you what really happens when you leave the park during the day.   

 

 

Week Four & ProRanger Site Visit

Week Four & ProRanger Site Visit

Welcoming Ranger Fernandez back to St. Croix 

Greetings! My name is Connor Caruso from cohort 7. This summer I have the opportunity to go on an internship in the US Virgin Islands. For the next seven weeks, I will be spending time with various divisions at Christiansted National Historic Site (CHRI) in St. Croix.

Week Four

Last Monday, Ranger Laurencin and I prepared to launch the new law enforcement vessel. Prior to launching the vessel, we added fenders, tied mooring lines to the cleats, and made sure we had all the necessary safety equipment (first aid kit, fire extinguisher, PFD's, flares, sound making device). After securing the vessel to the trailer and ensuring the trailer was secure, we made our way down to the marina. Learning how to properly launch a vessel served to provide great practice as I prepare to undertake MOCC training later this summer.

Securing the vessel to the trailer

During the remainder of the week, I spent some time with the division of administration. I primarily worked with Janelle, who is the concessionaire and permit specialist in the park. Janelle oversees the six concessionaires who take visitors out to Buck Island on snorkeling trips. Part of her job includes reviewing the concessionaire applications and ensuring all safety precautions are taken.In addition to her role overseeing the concessionaire program, Janelle also manages the park's permitting process. For any type of large scale event, parade, or first amendment demonstration within the park, a permit is required. The process initiates with a permit application. During this initial step, a permittee fills out an application detailing the type, size, and proposed location for the event. After reviewing the application, Janelle discusses the proposed permit with the superintendent, law enforcement, and maintenance divisions to determine if the application should be approved. If each division approves the application, Janelle drafts the official permit.

I was able to assist Janelle with creating the special use considerations and associated fees included within each permit. For each event, some special considerations are present. For example, no kite flying or drone use is permitted in the park, all trash must be removed by the permittee, and no balloons are permitted. However, these considerations are amended for each type of event. After special considerations are added to the permit, the permittee is sent a copy to sign. Understanding the types of events held in the park gave me a better understanding of some of the activities law enforcement officers engage in to ensure the resources are protected while the park remains accessible for visitor use.

On Saturday, Ranger Laurencin and I welcomed Ranger Clarke to Christiansted. Ranger Clarke recently moved to St. Croix from Philadelphia, where he worked at Independence National Historic Park. We are excited to have a new ranger on board and I look forward to having the opportunity to learn from him. During the course of the day, Ranger Laurencin and I showed Ranger Clarke around the park and pointed out the park's jurisdictional boundaries and areas where common contacts occur.

Taking Ranger Clarke on a tour of Fort Christiansvaern

ProRanger Site Visit

This weekend, Ranger Fernandez and Dr. McGarvey arrived in St. Croix for a site visit. We started the visit Sunday morning with breakfast on the boardwalk. Following a nice crucian breakfast, I led a tour of the park and showcased key features. During our tour, I noticed some graffiti on the David Hamilton Jackson Statue. After documenting the vandalism, I called Ranger Clarke and provided him with his first investigation. Ranger Clarke showed me how to document the scene and begin an investigation.

Showing Ranger Fernandez around Fort Christiansvaern

Graffiti on the David Hamilton Jackson Statue

Ranger Clarke investigating the vandalism

Following our tour of Christiansted, I took Ranger Fernandez and Dr. McGarvey to Salt River Bay National Historic Site & Ecological Preserve. The first stop on our tour was an old Danish well tower built in the 1760's. After touring the well tower, I took Ranger Fernandez and Dr. McGarvey on the trail where Ranger Laurencin and I discovered illegal land crab traps the week prior. To my surprise, we found that the traps had been reset and crabs were inside!

Touring the Danish well tower

Land crab trap set to catch crabs

Land Crab

The following day, Ranger Fernandez and Dr. Mcgarvey met with my supervisor, Ranger Laurencin, and Superintendent Camacho to discuss the program. After the meetings, I was able to present Superintendent Camacho with a plaque in recognition of the park's efforts and commitment towards the ProRanger program. Superintendent Camacho was thrilled to receive the plaque and is looking forward to hosting ProRangers in the future.

Presenting Superintendent Camacho with a ProRanger plaque

On the final day of the site visit, Ranger Laurencin and I took Ranger Fernandez and Dr. McGarvey on a tour of Buck Island. After docking at Diedrichs Pier, we set off to hike the island. I was able to show Ranger Fernandez and Dr. McGarvey some of the local vegetation and wildlife during the hike. Following our hike, we cooled off by snorkeling the underwater trail system. We had a great time viewing the underwater ecosystem.

Touring Buck Island Reef National Monument

Hiking Buck Island

Hiking to the observation platform

View from the observation platform

I was happy to share my summer experience thus far with Ranger Fernandez and Dr. McGarvey. I look forward to the weeks ahead and the opportunity to learn as much as possible!


Until next time,


ProRamger Caruso