Monday, December 5, 2016

Richard T. (Rick) Gale: some of my memories of a Park Ranger’s Ranger


He was born into a National Park Service family (Carlsbad, NM – 1937), and he loved playing basketball (in his youth) and rooting on his OU Sooners. He was a voracious reader, and loved history, which helped form his world view.

Thinking about Rick, there are actually so many significant benchmark accomplishments. Here are a few that come to mind (you probably can add some others):
·       First recipient of the Harry Yount Award for Lifetime Achievement (presented by President Bill Clinton in 1994)
·       NPS Chief of Fire Operations        Area Commander Yellowstone fires 1988
·       Deputy Chief Ranger NPS                                
·       Incident Commander (IC), 50th Anniversary – Pearl Harbor
·       IC, NPS- Hurricane Andrew
·       S-520/620 Advanced Incident Management/Area Command Executive Committee
·       North Rim Unit Manager (Grand Canyon), and host of legendary parties
·       President, Association of National Park Rangers, 1988-1994
·       Mentor to a multitude of Park Rangers (throughout his career, and on)
·       Father to three incredible daughters (Sarah, Beth & Cindy))


I joined a group of Rick’s colleagues on the evening of Oct. 29th (2016). It was the last full day of Ranger Rendezvous (RR), and for some of us the meeting spot was familiar: the La Fonda in downtown Santa Fe hosted a previous RR, the last place I saw Rick before his passing.  I couldn’t do justice to try to remember everyone that was there, but it was a noteworthy group (that I was humbled to be a part of).

I first remember seeing Rick at RR #6, Fontana Village/Great Smoky Mountains (1982- BTW- much belated thanks to Ginny Rousseau and Dennis Burnett for their efforts): http://npshistory.com/newsletters/ranger/newsletter-v4n2.pdf
Rick was hawking rolls of ranger raffle tickets, and I recall thinking: “I’d like to work with him someday…”

A few years later, I was privileged to have worked for Rick at Santa Monica Mountains (SAMO). He was my Chief Ranger, and the years working with him changed my life. He had the uncanny ability to speak “truth-to-power.” Many didn’t want to hear his testimony because it didn’t fit their view of NPS-gospel. Believe it, or not, sometimes NPS managers can go into “denial.” After all, we’re the “good guys” and doing what we do for the good of humankind (and yadda, Yadda, YADDA…). I remember Rick once saying to me: “I know sometimes we (NPS) we shoot ourselves in the foot, but we don’t need to use a canon.”

Rick & were both baseball fans: he rooted for the Boston Red Sox, while I cheered on my Los Dodgers. I remember once while we had an on-going fire at the park he granted me leave the following day to attend a playoff game I had tickets to. Unfortunately, for the boys-in-blue Jack Clark (of the Cardinals) ended their season that day.

As I prepared to meet others at La Fonda that evening I quickly wrote some Rick-isms onto 3x5 cards (his preferred form of notes). I started with one he had posted on his office wall (and I subsequently did the same, as did Meme, for years):
“What is the LEGAL AUTHORITY for my proposed action?”

On the subject of the budget to the management team: “If you’re going to cut the Ranger’s vehicle & mileage budget, we’d better order many decks of playing cards… they’ll be playing lots of pinochle.”


As a motivational speaker, he was sometimes direct: “… if these duties don’t suit you, you might want to think about selling shoes” (it seems to have worked… at least for me). Regarding a semi-recent management decision he once quipped: “They certainly won’t be in competition for the Mather Award.” (Presented to someone that puts their career on-the-line in furthering conservation of National Parks).

Rick was an active supporter of a diverse workforce, and when the Forest Service was under Consent Decree in Region 5 (Calif.) he said: “We need to do whatever it takes, and whatever we need to do, to avoid” being under court order & scrutiny.


When Kevin Gilmartin, a renowned public safety psychologist, asked us at a law enforcement refresher class what we do to relieve stress, Rick looked at him and said: “I fight fire.” Dr. Gilmartin did not accept that as an adequate stress relief mechanism. Rick then mentioned that he enjoys a nice bike ride along the beach boardwalk in Ventura County. This was much better to our instructor.


There were some personal accolades he laid on me: at SAMO I was a District Ranger and held portfolios for law enforcement specialist & fire management officer (FMO) as collateral duties, when he asked if I was interested in filling the new position of FMO, which would’ve been a promotion for me at the time. In an annual evaluation session he told me: “No matter what else you achieve in your career, you can be proud of your efforts with L.A. County Fire (Dept.).” In about 1990 he tasked me to join with Chris Andress and John Lissoway in the review of fire shelter deployments (many fire orders and “watch-out situations” disregarded).
 
Rick's son-in-law Cliff Spencer
(Superintendent at Mesa Verde NP)
Also the time he was reading the FBI Bulletin (seems he was always scanning something) and noted the fugitive of the month (sought for 20-years). Across the hallway, from my office, I heard him call the FBI and tell them: this might be nothing, but he certainly resembles so-n-so. It turns out it was the person he thought, who had been living under a false identity.

Then there was the time Meme & SAMO personnel participated in a fire departments relay, and I ran the anchor-leg. Rick got on his bike and was encouraging me, and my elephant-shuffle pace, along the route. I finished “well out of the money” (to put it kindly… well, “last” to be accurate). I sometimes take things too literally, and in this case “anchor-leg” was one of those times. But, I finished and Rick (as always) was there encouraging my as I plodded along.

That is how I’ll always remember Rick: encouraging you along, helping you to be a little bit better one step at a time. THANKS Rick, I’ll always be indebted to you.


So, how about you (that knew him): what are some of your favorite recollections?



Note: I intended to post this shortly after our Oct. 29th get together, but was distracted by a fire assignment (Safety Officer) on the Daniel Boone NF in southeastern Kentucky shortly thereafter. I prefer to think that Rick would’ve been proud of that, for without him I’d have never been “Safety Dude.”


Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Remembering Wrigley… a TCP




25 Oct 2016- countdown to this year’s World Series is 2.5 hours to “Play Ball.” Seventy-two hours later game 3 is scheduled to be the first World Series matchup at Wrigley Field since 1945; yep, 71-years. I know Cubs fans are ecstatic that their “Cubbies” are “in it” for the first time in generations. I’m excited, and I’m a Dodgers fan (but have also rooted for the boys in red-white & blue from the northside of Chicago for a long time: my initial game a Dodger Stadium was Cubs vs. Dodgers).
                 
Wrigley Field- under construction
Yeah gotta love fans that are so eternally optimistic (“wait until next year”) and universally positive (“Let’s go Cub-bies”) – unlike some other franchise’s fans that seem to dwell on negativity and aggression (“beat LA”). Wrigley Field is a special place: allow me share memories of my sojourn there.
                  When I was working for the State Historic Preservation Officer in New Mexico, I had the NM Dept. of Transportation as a primary client. Their lead archaeologist (Blake Roxlau) was born in Iowa and raised in the Midwest: he was a life-long Cubs fan. On one of our inspection trips to Lincoln County I learned he’d never been to a game a Wrigley Field. I knew in a heartbeat that we needed to wind-our-way via Southwest Airlines and see some games.
          
Turns out an ol’ NPS Ranger bro (JD Swed) was living/stationed nearby as the Chief Ranger at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.  JD was also a Cubs fan (longtime…). Meme & Justin weren’t available to make the trip from the “land of Enchantment,” but JD made the commute into the Second City. We caught two afternoon games: The Cubs were victorious over the Houston Astros (NL Central foes at the time) on day one, followed by Los Dodgers coming to town and turning-the-tables on the hometown crew. After the games we visited some local abrs and eateries: one was Ditka’s, where part way through dinner we noticed “Coach Ditka” had taken up residence at the next table. JD gave him our regards and had a quick chat.
                 
1935
I came to see the games, but as much I also went to see Wrigley Field. It was about 90+ years old and had legend going for it: Babe Ruth & the Red Sox playing the Cubs in the Series, then years later Babe with the Yankees in-the-Series “calling his shot” homerun. I wanted to see if Wrigley Field had the elements to be considered a TCP (“Traditional Cultural Property”). I had posed the question at a training session of the President’s Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, but was quickly shushed by the moderator (at a break he explained that due to the number of Native American tribal representatives present, he didn’t-want-to-go-there). Well, I did and so I did physically. True that TCPs are most often associated with Native Americans and certain other cultural groups, but I was thinking of the elements like
an urban neighborhood that is the traditional home of a particular cultural group, and that reflects its beliefs and practices; a location where a community has traditionally carried out economic, artistic, or other cultural practices important in maintaining its historic identity.”

                  
Let’s face it: Wrigley Field is historic (by U.S. standards & definition), people make periodic pilgramiges to be there, I noticed lots of ritualistic behavior (& imbibing) going on, and lots of what might have been praying. I think it fits. Go CUBS!

Friday, October 14, 2016

Soberanes Fire: my time there...


Our home arroyo (by Meme)
11 Oct. 2016, 11 A.M.- just received a telephone call from Area Code 831 (Monterey County). Since I’d been there just last month I answered (yes, I pay attention to caller-ID) and found that a young lady originally from Santa Fe had been called from a number associated with my LLC @ 4 A.M. It was probably a robo-call, but it spring-boarded me into these reflections:
The phone rang about 8:30 the day after Labor Day; it was Santa Fe Zone inquiring if I was available for an assignment as a Safety Officer to the Soberanes (so-bron-es) incident in California. I soon was scurrying about to get my retiree’s “Casual Hire” approved and bags packed (I’d winterized and cached them the day before).
              

Coastline range
Early flights the next day: the leg into the Monterey Regional Airport I sat across the isle from organizers of a special event that would pose safety concerns & considerations for me in the coming days. More about that momentito.
Picked up at the airport by a driver from the Ground Support Unit; she stayed with me through the check-in process, until I got my own GSU ride (Ford F-150). The Soberanes fire was originally managed by a Cal Fire Type I Incident Management Team (IMT1), and had been going since late July. When I arrived an IMT1 from Alaska was managing the under Unified Command (State & Federal – Los Padres NF). I received my in-briefing from “Team Safety” and learned I was going to be the Safety Officer coordinating safety efforts at the camp established at Andrew Molera State Park near Big Sur. I’d transition with an Alaskan IMT Safety Officer that had been there for several weeks.
A near miss
The incident experienced a fatality (dozer operator from a roll-over) early on: several accidents, mishaps and near misses since were foremost in our risk analysis (due to many narrow, steep, one-way roads) and mitigations (road guards enforcing our one-way travel requirements).



This might be a spot to mention that while I was there this became the most expensive wildland fire in U.S. history (costs now over $250 million). Some may ask, why? From my perspective, there are several factors: the fire being in the vicinity of Carmel & Big Sur (Cal Fire ordered over 300 engines to protect structures); State resources in California are expensive (their contracts call for 24-hour per day pay from portal-to-portal, or from when they leave to when they return home from the incident. Also, when feasible their contract calls for hotel/motel rooms vice camping out at camps & bases. Pretty reasonable when you consider some of the 100+ degree conditions they are asked to perform their suppression efforts); managing a wilderness fire using a confinement strategy means a “Big Box” to geographically hem in the fire, lots of aircraft work ($$$) and plenty-of-patience. All this drives up costs. Has it worked? It remains at 97% contained (10/15 is estimated), with over 1,000 tactical and support personnel assigned  (at one-time I believe it was over 3,000).   
Poison Oak
What were our primary safety concerns? Aircraft usage was very high (as already noted): it is high risk – high gain + drone intrusions at a retardant dip base along Hwy 1 that could have been disastrous; driving and roads were major concerns too. On a day-to-day basis the medical unit was treating a lot of poison oak irritations and the infamous “camp crude” (upper respiratory infection) that seems to love foggy damp conditions, like where our base was located (about ½ mile off the Pacific).


The Best Buddies Ride was the special event referenced above. It featured 1700 participants riding from Carmel south on Highway 1 to Hearst Castle at San Simeon: right past our camp and major ingress/egress points on the busy Saturday following Labor Day weekend. There was a great potential for undesirable conflicts (pods of bicyclists & heavy equipment do not often mix well on narrow curve riddled roads). We were informed that the event sometimes has a medevac necessitating the closure of Hwy. 1 (our escape route), but the event would go on as planned. It did, and without incident.  Yea! https://www.bestbuddieschallenge.org/hc/

We’d had several “near miss” accidents along the narrow Coastal Ridge Road (CRR), but the following day (Sunday, 9-11) was a miss and near fatality: a water tender (WT) working along the CRR rolled off the road and over & over-n-down an 80% slope for 250-300 yards. The tender was stripped of its water tank and the driver was ejected (landing suspended on some brush), with the seat belt remaining buckled. The incident fortunately had a medevac helicopter dedicated for such emergencies (staged at Fort Hunter Liggett), and within well less than a hour the driver was airlifted out and delivered to an ER at a Regional Medical Center in Salinas. As it turns out this wouldn’t be the only time Kern County’s copter would save-our-bacon (next would be a night extraction for a medical condition: presenting like stroke). Night capable helicopters (long-line short-haul), with paramedics, are certainly the way to go amigos. BTW- the WT driver survived with many broken ribs and other painful injuries, but THANKFULLY he is OK (Humdullah!)
The Alaska IMT1 timed-out (3-weeks) while I was there, and were replaced by CA’s Interagency IMT1 Team 4 that I’d worked with last season on the River Complex. They left me “in place” and ordered replacement safety officers for our future transitioning efforts. With fire activity slowing down nationwide, those resource orders got filled sooner instead of later: I had a nice lengthy passing-of-the-baton to my replacement (a retired Forest Supervisor from the Pacific Northwest) and got to come home 2-days early to-boot. Always enjoy getting home safe-n-sound. My thoughts a good wishes to ALL that worked the Soberanes and other incidents this year: GRACIAS!



Over the years I’ve been fortunate to have worked from camps and/or bases at some fairly nice locations (and some less-than-stellar). I must say being at Big Sur was definitely a nicer locale.