Sandy Hook Week 2!!

Hey everybody,

Our second week consisted of the Park Ranger’s Law Enforcement Refresher. The refresher contained a total of 40 hours of training. During the training, the Rangers were updated on policies and techniques to help them adequately perform their duties. It also helped the new Seasonal Rangers earn their qualifications for a commission.

On the first day, it was more of a classroom setting where we had the only Victims Assistance Coordinator in the National Park Service talking about how to deal with crime victims. She explained to everyone what the rules and responsibilities are for Law Enforcement when dealing with victims. In the next training session we watched the Rangers participate in Taser recertification and we learned the anatomy of the Taser. Afterwards, two New Jersey Conservation Officers gave a session on NJ Fish and Wildlife Policy. It was interesting to learn about the different species and how to differentiate between them. One of the Officers brought in actual specimens of fish to show us the different features. It is important to be able to identify the different species of fish because there are many regulations. For instance, some species need to be a certain length in order to keep and some species are illegal to fish. 

On the second day, there was a lot more interaction and hands-on material. The rangers learned all about control tactics both verbal and physical. What made the day even more exciting was the fact that we had fellow ProRanger Fallen Roby-Roberson, visit from Morristown, NJ. We all had the opportunity to be suspects and get handcuffed to help the rangers train. We observed ground fighting techniques, simulation OC spraying, ASP (expandable baton) training, Taser simulations, and fighting techniques. One of the things that was stressed the most was verbalizing what you want the suspect to do, give them commands... “stay back, get on the ground, etc”.

The third day was by far the most interesting and exciting day of them all. The rangers participated in role playing scenarios using simunitions, which are paintball rounds that are fired through police service weapons to help simulate realistic scenarios. Although we were not allowed to participate we helped load the rounds in the magazines and watched from a close but safe distance. There were four different scenarios that forced the rangers to initiate different tactics to control a scene. The most interesting part was watching how the Rangers all had used different methods and tactics to get the same end result...suspect in custody. It was also funny to observe the rangers in their suspect roles; they really got into it..some maybe Oscar worthy?

Day four, was once again another classroom setting. This time we had the detectives from Monmouth County Prosecutors Office talk about Juvenile victims and their investigations. The detectives were very reassuring that they would assist the Park Service if needed and allow them to utilize their resources. Later on a member of MOCERT, Monmouth County Emergency Response Team came and spoke about their tactical SWAT unit and all of their capabilities. In the afternoon, our Program Manager Kim Coast came to talk about NPS policy updates, and heavily stressed ethics.

On the last day, we had a visit from the FBI, where two agents came in and spoke about what they do and how they could help the Park Service in time of need. Next the Park Rangers spoke about court procedure, and court updates. The last session we had the Deputy Chief and Chief of the Sandy Hook Fire Department talk about the possibility of coming across unexploded ordinance and also discussed FEMAS’ unified command. Coming across unexploded ordinance is still a possibility since Sandy Hook was a proving Ground to test weapons from 1874-1919.

Overall the week was informative and intriguing! We look forward to work with law enforcement again.  

-Vinny Lemba and Christina Cintron

Sandy Hook Week One!

Hello everyone,

We are having fun and enjoying our stay at Gateway National Recreational Area, Sandy Hook Unit. For our first week, we worked with the interpretation division. Working with the interpretation division was a great start for us because it helped us learn the history of Sandy Hook, which was once considered a key coastal defense system for New York Harbor. On day one we shadowed interpreter rangers as they gave tours of the Sandy Hook Light House, the oldest operating lighthouse in the United States that has helped guide ships into New York Harbor since 1764. With 95 steps and a 9 step latter it can be a little bit of a work out to climb to the top, but the view is completely worth it. On a clear day you can see the Verrazano Bridge, Manhattan, Staten Island, the Empire State Building, Freedom Tower, and the Coney Island Parachute Drop, not to mention an amazing view of Fort Hancock. In addition, we learned about the Fresnel lens and how it was placed in 1857 when the iron lens house was added to the Tower. The lens still remains today and can be seen 19 miles away!

      

  

                                

   

                   

On the second day we worked with Clean Ocean Action, a program whose mission is to “improve the degraded water quality of the marine waters off the New Jersey/New York Coast.” We helped Clean Ocean Action prepare for Student Summit (an educational program that gives young students the opportunity to hands-on marine environmental education). The school kids were separated to many different groups and stationed at different activities. The group we helped supervised was learning how to test water quality and learned about Sandy Hook’s Holly Forrest. It was a rainy and cold day, but everybody made the best out of it and most of all the kids had a great time. In the afternoon we took a ride with the Park Historian where we were given an in depth tour of the park and learned a lot.

On our third day, we helped worked the light house and Battery Potter. There was a large group of kids on a field trip and we helped transition the groups in and out of the light house and at Battery Potter. In the afternoon, we helped prepare Battery Gunnison for the Junior Ranger Program. Battery Gunnison was part of Fort Hancock's arsenal of defenses on Sandy Hook and contained 6-inch caliber rapid-fire guns. The kids participating in the Junior Ranger Program learned how to load one of the remaining guns in 15 seconds. 

 

 

On our fourth day, we worked the visiting center and helped answered visitors questions, answered phone calls, and helped cleaned out the storage room. We met many vacationers from all over including England, Germany, Spain, and Switzerland just to name a few. One of the most rewarding parts was helping people in the visitor center and suggesting different things like visiting the light house and then seeing them there in the afternoon.

On our last day with the interpretation division, we participated in a beach cleanup with a group of high school students. We walked up and down the beach and picked trash. As we picked up the trash we separated the plastics from regular garbage. In the afternoon, we helped tear down and replace the cork bulletin boards that post fliers and information posters to inform visitors. 

In all, we had a great first week. Everybody we worked with was very nice and welcoming. We are looking forward to the rest of the summer because we are positive that Sandy hook has many wonderful opportunities and adventures in store for us.

-Vinny Lemba and Christina Cintron

Gateway Nation Recreational Area: My First Internship

Good evening, my name is Vinny Lemba and I am currently a freshman at Temple University, studying Criminal Justice. I am from a small town in northern New Jersey, where I lived my whole life, up until this year where I lived on campus in Philadelphia. Back in October, adapting to a new school I decided to go on a camping trip to find ways to get involved and meet new people, that is where I first heard about this program. After the trip I really didn’t do much thinking about it and was skeptical. It wasn’t until a month later where my Criminal Justice professor reminded me about Pro Ranger and recommended me to apply. I took her advice, although still skeptical and went out on a limb. The program grew on me throughout the process of filling out my application and talking to people, especially Mr. Sweet. By the time my interview came up I knew this was the right program for me. By the end of November I found out I was one of the few selected for the National Park Service’s Pro Ranger Program here at Temple.

Throughout high school I was always involved and maintained a busy schedule, I told myself I would be just involved here in college. I always took on many responsibilities and looked for my next challenge. Back in my home town I am a Police Reserve Officer where I went through an academy and graduated May of last year. For the past few years I knew law enforcement was the right fit for me. It would be a career where I would have the opportunity to serve and protect and most importantly help people. This program gives me the opportunity to do just that and much more. In fact it gives me an opportunity of a lifetime for which I am grateful. Not only will it allow me to see many sites of this country I would not normally get to see, but it also gives job security during a time of a poor economy.

In December I found out I will be stationed at Gateway Nation Recreational Area, in Sandy Hook, NJ, where I have many found memories. Back in my scouting days I visited the Park twice, where on my second trip I organized the entire campout; we took a tour of the historical sites and enjoyed the wilderness. Throughout my life I visited a few other National Park sites as well, such as Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Gettysburg, Valley Forge, and sites in Washington, D.C.   I look forward to the journey this program will bring me!