Rangers to The Rescue
ASHEBORO, N.C. -- Sometimes, Eric Martin's days at work are simple: A mother and young daughter have become separated from the others in their party. Martin stops his cart and gets a description of the "lost" adults.
"109 to all rangers," Martin says into his hand-held radio. "I need your help in locating lost visitors. Descriptions to follow." He gives the descriptions, and in minutes the rangers' systematic search reunites the group members.
Later, a weary-looking father with two young sons in tow asks Martin for directions to the closest exit to the parking lot. Martin obliges with the directions and a smile that always seems to tell visitors that he is there to help them.
But some days aren't that simple. On those days, he must be an emergency medical technician treating a broken finger, a public-relations specialist giving background information to visitors, a traffic cop directing cars to appropriate parking, a security officer helping a visitor with an accidentally locked car, or a sometime-surrogate mother tending lost children -- all in one. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, he or his fellow rangers may come in contact with bad weather, stinging insects, poisonous snakes and plants, escaped animals and lost children.
They are park rangers at the North Carolina Zoological Park.
Although their primary job is to provide security and protection for the zoo's nearly 800,000 yearly visitors, their job goes far beyond that. It can be as simple as giving directions or as serious as administering CPR to a cardiac-arrest victim.
"We're here to help park visitors and to keep them safe," says ranger Martin, "whether it's finding lost children, guiding visitors through the park, or generally keeping an eye out for trouble."
The zoo's complement of 20 permanent rangers is supplemented by 13 temporary, assistant rangers during the summer. Each permanent park ranger is a fully qualified emergency medical technician capable of handling all emergencies from scraped knees and insect bites to heat exhaustion and broken bones.
"Serious trauma happens seldom," Martin says, "but we have to always be ready for it."
Every day brings a different group of visitors and a different job for the rangers. Bad weather -- hot and cold -- is tough on both the rangers and the visitor, according to Martin, and often determines how people act.
"Warm weather brings out more people, and more people usually means more problems," he says. "We're the department that takes care of problems which are outside the scope of the other departments, whether it's pointing out the restrooms to visitors or getting an ambulance on scene in case of an emergency - getting them the help they need."
The park's 500 developed acres and some of the 950 undeveloped acres must be continually patrolled either on foot or by cart, motor vehicle or bicycle. With the daily summer crowds at the park, situations could quickly become confusing without the rangers.
"(Without the rangers here) it would probably be much more chaotic," says ranger Elton Dailey. "We nip situations in the bud, before they can become problems. We see it all, every imaginable kind of problem. But that's why we're here."
Things can sometimes get serious, according to rangers Martin and Dailey. Park rangers have to always be aware of possible hazards to visitors due to the close proximity of dangerous animals, encounters with stray or indigenous animals, and irritating or poisonous plants. Rangers often must respond to accidents, alarms, suspicious circumstances and other incidents to determine if assistance is needed from outside agencies. If assistance is needed, a ranger must assume command at the scene of the incident or emergency and coordinate the response of law-enforcement, fire or rescue agencies.
And the rangers' job doesn't stop when visitors leave at 5 o'clock.
Three shifts of rangers provide security around the clock. After one group of rangers has ensured the safe and orderly departure of visitors, a new shift of rangers takes over. After normal visiting hours, rangers perform perimeter access control, assist in the night shipment of animals and plants, monitor for ill or injured animals, and generally ensure the safety of the plant and animal collections and facilities.
It can be a demanding job, even for experienced rangers like Martin and Dailey, but it's worth it, they say.
"It gives me a good feeling to know that I've helped someone," Martin says. "If I can make someone's visit enjoyable, great, I've made somebody's day."
The rangers' professionalism and dedication have not gone unnoticed. Ranger Jerry Lucas was chosen as the 1996 Ranger of the Year by the North Carolina Park Ranger Institute in Salemburg, N.C., and Ranger Pat Way received the 1995 Employee Excellence Award from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Also, former Ranger Jenny Hicks (still a zoo employee) was selected as the 1994 Ranger of the Year by the N.C. Park Ranger Institute.
According to Dailey, a former steelworker, it's the greatest job he's ever had.
"Where else could your office be 1,500 acres of beautiful terrain?"
he says. "I'm a people person, and this job gives me the opportunity to be around people. A big part of my job is to make people feel welcome. I like that."
Sometimes the ranger's job goes far beyond just helping people feel comfortable and welcome.
"Occasionally, we help save a life," Dailey adds. "It's a wonderful feeling."
Just like finding lost parents.
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Date Posted: June 16
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