Yosemite Medical Clinic

Yosemite Medical Clinic

Yosemite Valley Ambulance 

Hello ProRangers and park people! This past week I spent time working in the Yosemite Medical Clinic triaging patients and assisting with medical procedures. In addition to my time in the clinic during the day, I have spent most of the last week on call covering the valley ambulance overnight. While the park is much quieter than usual due to the ongoing closure in response to concerns over the spread of COVID-19, a relatively large population of NPS and Aramark employees continue to reside in the park which necessitates staffing of the Medical Clinic and EMS services.

While working in the clinic, I primarily triage patients and assist with daily upkeep and operations. As a patient enters the clinic, they are brought back and assessed to determine their chief complaint or nature of illness. During this time, I assess vital signs and inform the receiving physician, nurse or doctor. For patients who are experiencing a cough, shortness of breath or fever, extra precautions are taken to ensure those healthcare providers working in the clinic, or on the ambulance, remain safe. Prior to entering the clinic, all patients are encouraged to wash their hands and wear a face mask if they are actively coughing. Patients who appear symptomatic are brought into a special triage room equipped with a negative pressure air purifying system. This system helps remove fine particles from the air which may harbor droplets infected with the COVID-19 virus. In addition to using a air purifying system, special personal protective equipment (PPE) is used while interacting with patients who may have the virus. For these patients, healthcare providers in the clinic wear a pair of gloves, a surgical gown, a n95 mask and a full face shield to protect the eyes and face. While this is not the most comfortable attire to wear, doing so ensures that suspected patients are not exposing anyone else to the virus. 

Example of the PPE utilized during an ambulance call

As of now, there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 here in Yosemite or in any of the neighboring communities. While this is great news, it is important to stay vigilant and ensure all precautions are in place in the event someone tests positive. On the ambulances, extra PPE has been stocked to ensure providers are well equipped to respond to calls where a patient with COVID-19 may be encountered. As a precaution, all the valley ambulances were checked this past week to ensure compliance. To ensure all employees are staying up to date with the latest information and taking all necessary precautions, a incident management team (IMT) was established to handle all day to day communication and planning. The IMT is comprised of law enforcement officers, emergency services personnel, finance personnel, telecommunications personnel and a myriad of representatives from other branches.  Through the efforts of the IMT, park employees and residents are regularly informed of park operations and ways to reduce the risk of exposure. Witnessing the coordination among different park services and the implementation of an IMT is really interesting.

Inspecting one of the valley ambulances to ensure all necessary equipment is stocked

Although the park will be closed for the foreseeable future, I look forward to continuing my work in the Yosemite Medical Clinic and responding to calls on the valley ambulance. Check back next week to see what I have been up to!

Until next time,

ProRanger Caruso 

From County to National

Hi! My name is Trevor Gardner. I was born in to a military family in a very rural area of Maine. I spent much of my time outdoors as a young child, which helped create my love for nature now. When I was young, my family and I had to move a lot, going from military base to military base until finally we ended up in Annapolis, Maryland. Here, I got involved with Boy Scouts and worked my way up to the rank of Eagle Scout.

  

Eagle Scout Ceremony

Before working on my Eagle Scout project, I didn’t know what I wanted to do after I graduated college. I was planning on getting a degree in business as a “safe” degree while I figured out what I wanted to do. However, when I began work on the Eagle Scout project, I had to talk to county park rangers to get permits for my build. After talking to them, I knew I wanted to be a park ranger. After a few years and a few interviews, I landed a job as an Anne Arundel County Park Ranger.

    First job as a park ranger

I really enjoyed working as a county park ranger. I was in constant contact with not only the people of my community, but also with nature. I had a firsthand account of what it took to take care of a park and provide the best experience for the people within. While I was happy working at the park, I knew I wanted to go farther.

Pepper spray training

I began to research college programs that trained people to be national law enforcement rangers, without much hope of success. Then, the Temple ProRanger program popped up. I attended a few meetings with the administration, got into Temple and then joined the 7^th cohort of the ProRanger program.




              Arrest and search training


The program has introduced me to many different parks, whether through visiting the site or doing a lot of research on them. I have come to really enjoy parks with water access, be it a river or the ocean, and parks that are rural that could bring me back to what I was used to when I was growing up. During my summer internship I hope to learn about the side of law enforcement that people don’t usually think about when they consider law enforcement – paperwork and administrative services. I also want to learn what it takes to maintain a park, both the nature and the people. 

The ProRangers

I am excited to start my internship and looking forward to a great summer!

Black Canyon Bound

Hello everyone! My name is Frank Bednarczyk, and I am a ProRanger in Cohort 7. I am a Senior at Temple University, studying Anthropology with a focus on American Archaeology. 

Growing up in Michigan, I always liked the outdoors and camping with my family. This blossomed in my high school years as I got more and more into the outdoors. It was around this time that I also joined the Hamburg Township Police Explorers. Soon I had two passions, a passion for camping/backpacking and a passion for law enforcement. As I was struggling with where law enforcement could take me as a career, and deciding between if I wanted to become a city or county officer, I stumbled upon the career of Law Enforcement Ranger for the Park Service on a trip to Mammoth Caves National Park for spring break one year. The idea intrigued me, but I wasn't completely convinced. After about three semesters at community college, I decided it was due time for a break, so I took a semester off and took a month-long backpacking trip in Patagonia, Southern Chile with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). My time in Patagonia only deepened my passion and love for the outdoors. It was one of the best months of  my life despite the severe lack of showers and only 4 pairs of underwear. 

The end our Kayaking section was at the foot of this mountain

Calm water on Estero Puelma

After I returned from my NOLS trip, I was more committed to becoming a Law Enforcement Ranger, and luckily for me, I had a friend and former fellow explorer in the ProRanger Program at Temple. So, I reached out to him and he told me all about it. I was sold (thanks Justen for your continued help). I applied to Temple, and later that year I moved to Philadelphia and applied to the ProRanger Program. Fortunately, I got in.

My time in Patagonia and subsequent trips to my brother in Colorado and to West Virginia for Leadership Camp has developed into a love for the mountains. This summer I hope to learn more about back-country patrols and maybe do some backpacking. In recent months, since joining the program I have gotten more into climbing and I hope to do some of that this summer as well.

Rappelling at New River Gorge National River last year during Leadership Camp

Stay tuned for my adventures in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park this summer!

Covid-19 Closure

COVID-19 CLOSURE 

A layer of fresh snow covers the granite cliffs of Yosemite Valley

Hello Prorangers and park people! Since my last post, there have been some interesting developments here in Yosemite. In response to widespread concerns over Covid-19 and in accordance with the State of California, Yosemite National Park is closed indefinitely in order to protect park employees, residents and visitors. Although National Parks were established for the benefit and enjoyment off all, ensuring public safety is paramount. While there is still a lot of uncertainty both in the world and here in Yosemite, I am confident that the decision to temporarily close the park is in the best interest of all park employees and visitors. 

Part of the response to the growing Covid-19 pandemic focuses on social distancing and isolation to reduce exposure. While a majority of park employees are able to perform their duties remotely, there are a number of mission critical employees who, regardless of these precautions, must arrive to work each day and perform their duties. For the law enforcement officers, healthcare professionals, and countless other emergency services personnel in the park, coming to work each day in the face of a global pandemic represents what it means to be a public servant. This week, just as last week, I will continue working on the Valley ambulance and in the Yosemite Medical Clinic responding to emergency calls and caring for those who are sick or injured. While there are currently no reported cases of Covid-19 in Yosemite or the surrounding communities, precautions are in place to protect healthcare professionals and the greater Yosemite community from potential exposure. To aid in this endeavor, I designed some signs promoting social distancing that were placed around the park last week to remind visitors and park employees to practice proper hand washing and adhere to social distancing guidelines.

Social distancing signs designed for placement around the park

In other news, It snowed last week! After a long period of drought and above average temperatures, Yosemite received some much needed snowfall. I was beginning to think I wouldn't have the opportunity to witness the grandeur of Yosemite in winter, but last weeks snowfall was a pleasant surprise. Seeing the granite cliffs and pine trees covered in a layer of snow was a beautiful experience. With forecasts of snow continuing through the week, Yosemite is a winter wonderland!

Until next time,

ProRanger Caruso 

Blog Post #1: Introduction/New Beginnings

Good morning/afternoon/evening (whenever/wherever you are reading this) to all NPS employees, associates, current/future ProRangers, or National Park lovers in general. My name is Dylan Stephens. I’m currently a Senior at Temple University and belong to Cohort 7 of the ProRanger Program. This is my first time writing a blog (I had to look up the meaning of a blog to convey the proper information) but I’m hoping to improve as time goes on. After driving across this great country two separate times and traveling across the world, I’ve come to realize a few things:

1.    The United States of America has some of the most unique and beautiful places in the entire world.

2.    No matter where you go in this country, there will be a National Park somewhere nearby to explore. This allows you to travel across the country with an experience and journey in mind by stopping at these parks instead of driving with no plan and only the end destination in mind.

3.    If you visit any of the National Parks in the U.S., they will be some of the most memorable moments of your life.

After five years of service in the military, I came to Temple University with an unclear path of my future and was unsure of what career path I intended to follow. Coming from a family that has a history in the law enforcement community, I knew I wanted something that had at least a hint of law enforcement capabilities but something in me required more, something unique. From the first time ever hearing about the ProRanger Program, and the fact that the National Park Service had Rangers that were federally recognized law enforcement officers, I realized this was an opportunity I could not pass up. This law enforcement aspect as well as the other paths you can take within the NPS is something I knew was special. What I have learned about the NPS and the experiences I have gained from the ProRanger Program have been nothing but amazing so far, and I’m excited to see what the next step of my journey has in store for me: the internship.

No matter where I end up for my internship, I will be excited to have the opportunity to experience new things, learn and grow as a person, and appreciate the ins and outs of the National Park Service that make everything run. When people go to a park, including myself, they don’t consider what makes the park operate the way it does. During my internship, it’s going to be an interesting opportunity to see the various jobs and what they do specifically to create the National Park experience.

Thank you for reading and I will keep you posted about where I’m at in my current journey!

-ProRanger Dylan Stephens

Grateful to be here

Hi, I’m Johan Urena and I will tell you a few things about myself. I am a first-generation

college student as both my parents are from the Dominican Republic.

I spent most of my adolescent years in Queens, New York City, and Brooklyn, New York City
until the age of 15. I then moved to Philadelphia in 2012 with my brother, father, and mother.

Therefore, I’ve been a Philadelphian ever since, but a New Yorker at heart.

Since living here in Philadelphia, my family and I have rescued four cats and one dog
from the ASPCA and given them a forever home.

The dog was my idea. I always wanted one. 

Leadership Camp at New River Gorge, WV

Starting my college career at Temple Univerity in 2016, I originally joined as a

Biology major and I discovered that Biology was not for me.

I then switched majors to Criminal Justice. After doing some research in the types of careers with
a Criminal Justice degree, I was overwhelmed with the possibilities.

That was when I first heard of the ProRanger Program by Professor Travis Meyers.

What drew my attention towards the ProRanger Program was the chance to go out and broaden my
knowledge of National Parks. Since I grew up in urban neighborhoods my entire life,

I never had the chance to go out and explore nature. This opportunity jumped out at me, and

I had to take the chance. I was attracted to the diversity that the ProRanger Program has and what
I can bring to the table. I was also attracted to the opportunity this program offers such as the
training in law enforcement that grew my passion for this Program even more. 

It gave me a sense of community and fitting in with these extraordinary people

Recruitment Table at Temple Ambler's Campus 

During my summer internship, I hope to learn better communication skills. I hope
to learn this by listening to other Law Enforcement Officers to communicate with the general public.
Communication is an important skill Law Enforcement Officers need to be proficient in.
This skill can help de-escalate situations between the officers and the general public. 

During my summer internship, I also hope to learn how to be a better ranger.

I want to be a sponge and absorb the information that my mentor and fellow U.S Park Rangers
will teach me. I know I will learn a lot on the summer internship and I want to take all that

information in and be the best ranger I can be. In general, I’m grateful for this opportunity to
even be here.

Recruitment Table with Ranger Fernandez 

I hope to spend my summer in a park that I will love. All parks are different in their own unique way.

I’m just grateful to have this opportunity to visit U.S National Parks. Having the opportunity to
work in any U.S National Park is a privilege to me. I can adapt to any environment and
will do the best I can to prove myself to the park. I love to challenge myself and help out as much as I can.

Any U.S National Park I get to summer intern at, I will do my best to represent myself. 
Hawaii Volcanoes, Thank you for having me, I look forward to being a helpful hand and doing my best.

Flat Hat Goals

Hello everyone,

My name is Daniel Boyce, and I welcome you to my first ProRanger Blog post. I am currently a senior and a Criminal Justice major at Temple University. I`m also a member of ProRanger Cohort 7. You might find yourself asking, “How does someone interested in being a National Park Ranger end up going to school in the city?” Don’t worry, I was asking myself the same question. Allow me to elaborate. I credit my interest in emergency services to being surrounded by police, fire, and E.M.S. as a child thanks to my family`s business; like many young boys I wanted to be a fireman. My innocent love for the outdoors turned to outdoor stewardship as a Boy Scout who went on to earn the rank of Eagle Scout. My career goals fluctuated through high school, but I was settling between the state park police or county park ranger. I had yet to have a job working indoors at the time, and I wanted to keep it that way. Upon researching such opportunities, I stumbled upon the ProRanger program. I saw the Law Enforcement rangers for the National Park Service were responsible for carrying out law enforcement, firefighting, and emergency medical services roles. In that instant I suddenly had a new found interest in going to school in the city. Fast forward through earning my Associates Degree in Criminal Justice at my local community college, I finally transferred to Temple University in the fall of 2018. Patience and perseverance paid off, and I was accepted into Cohort 7 in November of 2018.

Rappelling at Leadership Camp in New River Gorge. Photo Credits to Dr. McGarvey

During the week you will likely find me spending early mornings at one of our P.T. sessions and late nights at the Tech Center completing homework. Adjusting to city life, especially as a transfer student, was hard so I really value the friendships I have developed with, and because of, my fellow ProRangers. We only meet about once a month for weekend activities, but we rarely go 24 hours without seeing each other. On campus I am also a member of Temple`s Adventure Bound club. We are a group of like-minded students who enjoy going on what are typically day long outdoor expeditions. I was shocked to find out the founders went to the same community college I did and had started the club there. I pick up work whenever I`m called upon for my family business, and I work seasonally on a few farms and a scout camp during the summer. Working outdoors has definitely inspired me to stay out of a cubicle. In the scout camp I primarily served as the Assistant Ranger which performs maintenance duties. I look forward to time spent with maintenance during my internship. During the most recent fall semester I earned my Emergency Medical Technician certification after wanting to do so for years. Knowing the need for such a certification to go out West was my inspiration. As of lately you will find me on a Friday night or weekend day serving as a volunteer E.M.T. in my neighboring township. Having a certification on paper is one thing but I seek to gain some patient care experience before carrying out such duties in a park for the first time. I am a few shifts in with zero patient contacts so far, but perhaps that’s a good thing? I am told that is anything but ordinary.

A view from the Neversink Loop trail during my most recent hike with the Adventure Bound club.

Performing preventative maintenance on a tractor at work.

My experiences and interactions thus far with the National Park Service have primarily been through weekend activities and the law enforcement division at Independence National Historical Park. I am happy to say that the N.P.S. employees who the cohort and I have been fortunate enough to interact with treat us very well. It is a small world, and we have already learned that the V.R.P. world is even smaller. I have spent many days at the site closest to my home, Gateway National Recreation Area. Years ago I visited a few parks in the western United States including the Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde, and Petrified Forest. At this time I hope to end up permanently somewhere that will afford me the opportunity to carry out fire and E.M.S. roles. I do look forward to details and field training that might take me elsewhere to learn the varying functions and duties on National Park rangers. The opportunity to be placed into a ProRanger internship is one that I value greatly. Some ranger I have encountered have expressed their desire to have taken this route. Each of my fellow ProRangers standing alongside me in the cohort have outstanding strengths. It cannot be taken for granted that we surpassed the many that stood amongst us as applicants at Preview day. This summer I hope to be a “sponge” as we have repeatedly been told to be; soak up all the information and develop professional connections. Every ranger has their own way of carrying out their duties so I expect to learn different techniques and perspectives. I personally think about the challenges rangers face in knowing their park when they can change parks so quickly. Knowing your response area and who you interact with is vital in law enforcement. This is another area I hope to understand more through my internship.

 

Until that time, I bid you farewell. Coming soon to a park near you,

Daniel Boyce

ProRanger-Cohort 7

From Diamond Gem to ProRanger

Hello fellow park lovers! My name is Hannah Moore, and I am a member of Cohort 7 in Temple University’s ProRanger Program. Over the summer I will be posting about the experiences I have during my internship at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area in California. For now, let me tell you a bit about myself. 

When I am not in class or learning cool new things through the ProRanger Program, I am either at the gym or at dance team practice. For all four of my years at Temple I have been a member of the Diamond Gems dance team. We perform at Temple football, volleyball, and basketball games, while also participating in many different events on and around campus. In addition, we compete in Orlando, Florida every January for college nationals. My time on dance team has taught me a lot about time management and responsibility. Being on dance team has also introduced me to my passion for fitness, health, and wellness. Ever since this discovery, I have obtained my personal training certification and have participated in two different strength and conditioning internships through Temple’s Athletics Department. Through these experiences, I have learned more about my own personal health and wellness, while also growing my interest in ways to help others with their health and wellness. I have even written personalized programs and trained some other members of Cohort 7.

I am currently a second semester senior biology major at Temple. My choice in major stemmed from my interest in conservation and the environment. During my time at Temple, I completed a two-semester long internship studying the effects of White Nose Syndrome on North American bat populations. Although these concepts were very interesting to me, I found the work to be very tedious and boring. Most of my time was spent sitting in front of a computer screen looking at data for 8 hours a day. This is when I figured out I needed to find a career that involved moving around, but I still wanted to work in a field that involved the environment. That is when I came across the ProRanger Program. Through different activities and trainings in the program, I have discovered a new interest in law enforcement, which is something I never would have thought I would have such a high interest. This program has helped me discover a career path that involves my interests in the environment, health, and wellness, while also having a career that allows me to be on my feet and moving around.

 

I feel very lucky that I found the ProRanger Program and am very excited to see what the future holds! Make sure to follow along in my adventure. :)

Until next time,

ProRanger Moore