National park facilities that bring park staff and visitors in close proximity should be closed, the Coalition to Protect America's National Parks said Monday.
The organization, which represents Park Service retirees, made the call in response to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance calling for a nationwide halt to gatherings of 50 people or more. In addition, Americans are being asked to practice social distancing and refrain from unnecessary social interaction.
However, most units of the National Park System remain open and should not be operating under a “business as usual” mentality, said Phil Francis, chair of Coalition.
“National parks welcome visitors from around the world. Many National Park Service employees interact with members of the public daily. These employees should not be exempt from recommendations made by the CDC," Francis said. "Further, to suggest to the public that gathering at national park sites is acceptable when gathering at restaurants, theaters, libraries, and other public spaces is no longer safe is irresponsible to the visiting public and employees."
The National Park Service should close all facilities that require employees and/or members of the public to be in close proximity in confined spaces. In addition, park superintendents should be authorized to close any other facilities, such as restrooms, that they don’t have the ability to sanitize properly.
NPS employees that are not essential to ensuring the safety of resources or visitors should practice social distancing and stay home wherever possible.
We fully recognize that calling for a nationwide closure of national park sites is unusual. We also recognize the tremendous disruption such an action will cause to NPS partners, concessioners and the public. But these are unprecedented times that call for unprecedented measures. -- Coalition to Protect America's National Parks
"Decisions made about the health and safety of our federal workforce should not be political in nature," added Francis. "They should be made in the best interest of the health and well-being of our nation, particularly the most vulnerable. We must take care of our federal employees and their families.”
Comments
just keep the back country open, plenty of "social distance"
I agree!! I work at Waco Mammoth National Monument and we are still giving tours daily!! We are at risk of being exposed to the virus daily!
No matter what you do, close the parks, keep them open just so you can say you "kept them open" or sometthing like that, you will still need Law Enforcement Rangers on patrol, dispatchers, park medics, etc. . I'm at North Cascades - there are quite a few parks, and not just our fellow mountainous parks, who have to respond to SAR's when adult visitors in need of adult guidance do what they do every year. Sure enough at least one yahoo will have to be rescued because "it ain't my fault - they told us to maintain our social distance so I figured [Denali/Death Valley/Everglades insert your own foolishness here] would keep me at a safe distance."
If they close they will be vandalised, this issue is not for lack of funding as in the past. People are going to get crazy and desparate over time. Keep them open and protect the parks...
Been round quite a while, if you are working, be safe, work and earn as long as you can. this is not going to be over in 2 weeks or a month. Jobs will be lost, not everyone will be called back right away, recovery from this will take a while. Bills do not go away! Watch what you ask for...
Thank you to NP employees