Tensions are rising among Park Service staff over how the coronavirus situation is being managed by Washington/Rebecca Latson file
Editor's note: This updates with precautions against coronavirus being taken at Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Though a few more units of the National Park System were closing Sunday in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, and outwardly it was business as usual across the National Park System on Sunday, behind the scenes tensions were growing over the situation.
The official list of closures Sunday included Alcatraz Island, Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center, Lands End Lookout, the Nike Missile site, Point Bonita Lighthouse, and the Muir Woods National Monument bookstore and entrance station at Golden Gate National Recreation Area; Belmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument, Ford's Theatre National Historic Site, the Old Post Office Tower, and the Washington Monument. On Monday the list was to expand to include the Presidio Visitor Center, the Marin Headlands Visitor Center, and Fort Point National Historic Site, all at Golden Gate.
National Park Service officials in Washington, D.C., continued to point to the statement that their Office of Public Health was continuing to monitor the situation and was in contact with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as to how to move forward.
"Visitors can be assured that facilities and services in national parks, including lodges, restaurants, and shuttles, continue to monitor conditions and maintain high standards related to the health and wellness of staff and visitors," read a statement on the Park Service's Public Health website. "Park and concession staff are working to maintain clean and healthy facilities in parks in accordance with CDC guidance."
However, park superintendents were said to be growing frustrated by the situation and lack of control they have over their operations. David Vela, the Park Service's deputy director who is its de facto director, told the superintendents that they don't have discretion to close facilities if they deem them to be a health hazard to visitors or employees. Guidelines sent out to superintendents from Washington stated that "all operational changes in parks (cancellations and closures) must be made through the proper NPS leadership channels."
"Political leadership puts messaging before field people," one superintendent, who asked for anonymity in discussing the politically hot issue, told the Traveler .
If superintendents felt a closure was needed, "We must justify it with data, with science, with public health analysis, we must see if we can mitigate it, and then send it up the chain," they said. "And of course, we don't know how easy it would be to get data, we don't know how likely they're going to approve it, and we don't know how long it would take.
"So, what I'm interpretting that as, if I'm going to close the whole park, yeah, I'm going to have to do that (going through the chain of command). If I however decide that there are operational changes I can do to mitigate the risk, then I don't need approval for that, I'm going to do that. And so if that means closing the doors of a visitor center and at least trying to provide some of the visitor services that are provided in a visitor center some other way, that could be rangers standing outside, rangers walking the parking lot, it could be roving interpretation. I feel like I have the authority to do that."
While many northern tier parks have yet to fully exit winter and open for the summer season, those across the southern half of the nation are in full operational mode. With college spring breaks being extended and school systems shutting down, there could be a rising tide of visitation to those parks. While at least one NPS regional office was allowing its staff to work remotely, the same can't be said of rangers and staff who use elevators to bring visitors into caves, guide climbs up lighthouses, or lead tours into places such as Balcony House at Mesa Verde National Park.
Against those realities, messaging on how to deal with the public coming down from Park Service headquarters was embarrassing to some field staff.
"There is widespread anger and frustration," the Traveler was told. "I"m just speculating, but I think over the next several days there's going to be some revolts."
Lacking so far from the headquarters "is any systematic guidance. It's totally up to how far the superintendent wants to stick his or her neck out. It's just ridiculous. I have never been so appalled at the lack of leadership. And I'm blaming this on the politicos" in the Interior Department who are calling the shots.
In a comment left on the Traveler, a reader who identified himself as a shuttle bus driver on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park wrote that, "I can tell you that the buses are crowded, creating a breeding ground for viruses from all over the world. The Park Service has not approached us with any recommendations or assistance for keeping our drivers safe. Our company, under the guidance and supervision of our operations manager, has made the decision to limit the number of passengers to seated only. Honestly, not enough. I can just about guarantee we've already had infected individuals on board. The park needs to show the same concern and good judgment towards its employees and residents that has been shown by other entities with far less volume. If the park won't close, then shuttle bus operations need to be shut down! "
At Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee and North Carolina, park officials were taking a number of measures to reduce the threat of coronavirus in the park. Visitors centers were to be "fogged" Saturday and Sunday nights "with an approved chemical which will be capable of reaching cracks and crevices and thoroughly decontaminating the building of the virus;" the superintendent had OKed the closure of park museums and the movie in the visitors centers "to limit the amount of time the visitors are lingering in the building;" they were thinking of setting up a rope cordon to keep visitors from "leaning on the desk or over the area, or, just maintaining a polite 'stand back' approach when in direct contact;" directing concessionaires to ensure they had an adequate supply of cleaning and sanitation supplies available; and locking the visitor center bathrooms from 8 p.m.-7 a.m. to prevent the theft of toilet paper and had sanitizer.
What remains to be seen is whether the pandemic and the risks it poses for those who work closely with the public affects parks' ability to hire seasonals for the summer.
The same could be an issue for concessionaires. For now, those companies that operate lodges and restaurants in the parks are following CDC guidelines in dealing with customers, though some concessionaires were said to be "scared" about the situation.
Delaware North Parks and Resorts, which operates in or near Grand Canyon National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Yosemite National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks, Olympic National Park, and Shenandoah National Park, told the Traveler on Friday that they were "(E)xpanding sanitizing protocols and bolstering cleaning services throughout our operations; placing hand sanitizer stations at locations for use by guests and employees; posting notifications for our employees on the importance of handwashing; and advising associates who feel sick to remain at home."
Calls to the three other major park concessionaires -- Xanterra Parks & Resorts, Aramark, and Forever Resorts -- have not been returned.
Xanterra President and CEO Andrew Todd did post a message on his company's website in which he said, "(A)ll of our national park lodges, hotels and Grand Canyon Railway operated by Xanterra have instituted round-the-clock extra cleaning for all public areas and have made alcohol-based hand sanitizers available for all guests."
Todd did not specifically address the question of whether Xanterra, which operates lodges in Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Crater Lake, Death Valley, Glacier, and Zion, would revise its cancellation guidelines for visitors who decide at the last-minute to postpone their national park trip. Park Service officials in Washington said "(I)t is up to each concessioner to decide to waive cancellation fees based on whether they think it is a good business/socially responsible policy."
Former National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis, who retired at the end of the Obama administration in January 2017, said Sunday that if he was in Vela's position he would weigh heavily on the advice of the Park Service's health professionals on how to deal with the coronavirus crisis.
"Their advice on whether or not to keep parks open would be essential," Jarvis told the Traveler. "Second, I would stand up the SSG, the Strategic Sciences Group, the science in crisis team Dr. Gary Machlis and I established first with the Gulf Oil spill and used during Hurricane Katrina. The SSG would help us understand the cascading consequences of the spread of the virus in the NPS and surrounding communities. I would also stand up the NPS All Risk Team with some of our top people to start emergency preparations for a potential outbreak in a park.
"If the advice of these three entities were to close, along with the senior leadership team of career NPS (not politicals) then that's what I would do," he added. "If they recommended keep them open with some restrictions, my inclination would be to leave the parks open, but close all visitor centers and other places where the public congregate such as historic homes, caverns, bus tours, evening programs, walks and talks, etc. I would advise employees to take sick leave and stay home with the slightest sniffle, but otherwise come to work with all the precautions of hand washing, distance and support for each other. As for the concessioners, I would leave it up to them to make a decision of whether to stay open or close, unless the park itself was closed."
In the parks, staff was doing its best under the conditions, the Traveler was told.
"It's a lot like the (2019 government shutdown), but at least we weren't worried about our health then," a superintendent said. "The bottom line on all this, the people in the Service care deeply. We are trying within our powers that we have to protect our people. Obviously nobody knows exactly what to do, but the idea that the parks are more important to the public than they are to the employees and to health, that is just appalling. Just make sure you blame the politicos for that, not the staff. I haven't heard anyone who is a Park Service employee express anything like that, and they wouldn't."
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Comments
The last line is a lie. If superintendents cared more about their staff and the public than their careers, we'd have already seen closures and more activity to mitigate.
I have a sister that works for NPS. If one Ranger comes to work. And they were unknowingly in contact with someone with the virus. They work in tight spaces. That Ranger is in contact with 3 others. Now you have 4 who then go home. Some commute distance away to home. Those 4 inffect their family and who else in their city or town. They truly do understand the public views. But they are also are concerned about their family and community.
It's the Secretary of Interior who's mandating the parks stay open. Superintendents do care about their staff, and they're going through the bureaucracy of implementing as many closures as they can. There are many employees teleworking and being taken out of customer contact duties. Support parks by emailing the gateway town mayors, county commissioners, and governors to close them!
Exactly this. My state park in TX closed because we....the bottom rung parks staff revolted and refesued to come to work. Many superintendents in many park systems KNEW what a huge vector for transmissions parks are. And they do nothing but wring their hands and do nothing to protect the lives of us employees, the elderly hosts, and the public. Through their cowardice they are just as guilty of the deaths that are coming as the politicians who's will they continue to follow.
Yellowstone could use a break from another 4+-million visitors summer, not to mention that many popular features there are not conducive to social distancing. And I would not trust any Yellowstone concession company to prevent a sick employee from going to work or having the ability to isolate said employee in a dormitory situation.
As an employee of that same Yellowstone concession company you used to work for, Liz, I'll have to agree. We insist that any employee showing symptoms of communicable disease not come to work. Can an employee ignore such a directive? Of course: but we actually do send them away if anything noticible is evident. And our attempts to "isolate said employee in a dormoitory situation" are virtually doomed to failure unless we lock them in their room (and the fire marshal takes such a dim view of that!) or post a guard at the door. And we can run out of guards quickly then. But in my experience we're actually trying to do right by our employees and by the public we serve.
I work in Yellowstone and in 8 days I go back there. I'm sure all if this park stays open it's not going to be a good thing they are Going to hurt a lot of people for what? to keep a place open that like you said could use. Break anyways I love Yellowstone been going for 6 Years but Im pretty worried about this summer
Superintendents should have the authoroity to make the decision to close the park if they deem necessary When there is a threat to employee, visitor and the resource. Bottom line they are the first line of defense. If you have no confidence in them why put them in that position
NPS management promotes themselves and care nothing for its employees.
At Grand Canyon, the Park Service has cancelled interpretive talks (which are probably low-risk anyway since they're outside and attended by usually not more than 10 visitors) as well as the interior interpretive venues at the visitor center which are likely higher-risk. These cancellations, along with snowy, rainy weather of late seem to add to the already substantial numbers of visitors in the lodges' lobbies--people waiting out the weather or otherwise just killing time since the interpretive talks aren't happening. Will the PS (and concessioners) deal with the crowded lobbies? So far, they haven't and I fear it'll continue to be business as usual until a few virus cases happen here then the PS and concessioners will get, 'proactive'. I think if Interior Dept. leadership and concessioner top brass had to spend time on the front lines, sometime cheek to jowl with with visitors, lodgers, and food and beverage users, they'd close the parks sooner than quick.
Some of Grand Canyon South Rim's programs were reaching near 50 people just before programs were halted, and not all programs were held outdoors. Additionally, the volume of visitors regularly inside the Visitor Centers easily reaches 50+ people at any given time.
Flagstaff has closed all recreational and entertainment based companies. That is the responsible call to make. All of the State and National Parks should close. NOW
Thank you for this important reporting. You don't have to read too far between the lines to see the Trump Administration is potentially keeping parks open for political puroses to the detriment of public health. I honestly don't see how a busy park like the Grand Canyon can stay open and comply with CDC guidance to avoid 50 or more people coming together. Think about how crowded the lodges, restrooms, and restaurants get at Bright Angel Lodge on a cold day. And national parks are by definition "attractions" attracting people from all over the country. As wonderful as a trip to an NP is, people just need to stay closerro home for the time being. I am flabbergasted that private for profit ski resorts taking a bigger leadership role than a park system I promoting public health in a time of crisis.
We need to close everything, IF NOT JUST TEMPORARILY, THEN UNTIL THIS VIRUS PASSES for the safety of those workers. Keeping things open is putting so many lives in the way of this virus. I'd like to know who these people are that can go to sleep at night knowing they have no concerns for the safety of those who are employed under all of these circumstances. NO RISK is worth endagnering others health during a time like this or any other. I think it is time, that we as a nation of people who care for and about one another, begin to activate our concerns and shut things down using our own judgements. Superintendents and others are capable of making wise decisions. Those decisions should be made by the individuals who work at these parks and areas of public enjoyment, not by people who never visit them or care little about them. Not only have the politicians shown little concern for the beauty and preservation of our parks and vast wildlife areas, now they are showing less concern for the human beings who work and visit there.
I still have to go to work. Expose myself to the virus Working at the national parks so people can buy keychains and magnets. I work in an urban national park. Please close the park system so I can stay home and take care of my elderly family instead of bringing them coronavirus home.
Seems like you can go home if you want. I doubt that if they sent you home that you would be paid, so what difference does it make if you just quit? It does surprise me though that visitor centers and gift stores haven't been closed. Smart people will avoid these places for at least a month, or until this subsides. The big clue is that new cases in China have dropped dramatically, but the common sense advice of the scientists and doctors is being enforced over there, whereas it is only recommended here; and Americans have shown time and again that they don't take recommendations very well. I still know people walking around thinking it is all no big deal.
Sadly, there are many selfish idiots who are traveling from infected areas of California into our rural towns where many national parks reside. The smart people don't travel when there's a health crisis.
You and your colleagues need to take matters into your own hands, use whatever leave you have and refuse to come in. Force them to do the right thing, it worked at my park, one if the few in my state which is totally closed. Parks leadership has proven they care nothing for our safety or the public's, just upholding the bureaucratic bullshit.
Absurd to close Parks in a panic which has no statistical basis.
Prudent policies are in place for safety. Any flu season produces risks.
No statistical basis?! Are you living under a rock? Look how fast it is spreading every single day! No vaccine, no cure other than time. Look at China where quarantine, travel restrictions and social distancing are being strictly enforced, and compare how our volunteer efforts are paying off. New cases in China are dropping like a rock. Ours are climbing. Because people here don't want to be inconvenienced for a few weeks.
Please leave the parks open, if necessary send the Federal employes home, leave the pay gates closed and let the tour operators make their own decisions about their staff and visitors(With-in CDC guidelines). It is not the Visitor Centers or Hotels which make the Forest what it is, it is nature and beauty. With the exception of a few Parks and Forest, visitation is frankly minimal with minimal contact with people. What is the statistical likelihood of contracting the virus in such areas? How about airports? Follow CDC guidelines to minimize potential contamination whether you are at home, in a Forest or at the airport. But knee jerk reactions to close public lands seem more of a ruse than an actual scientifically based and therefore merited reason for closure.
spoken like someone who doesn’t work there. These places also have tons of retired elderly volunteers who are at extreme risk. Health of the employees must come first
Free public outside areas that are overcrowding should be addressed as unsafe. However, outdoor parks that require a fee are not usually overcrowded and should be left alone but monitore. If people can maintain 6ft apart, that's safe. Let's not throw out the baby with the bath water over this. It's already been proven that fresh air does more for the immune system than a stuffy house does
Yea you clearly do not work at a park. It's getting warm here and with our VC closed people are not signing into trails and getting lost, dehydrate, etc. Also, we get more people in our faces asking questions about everything going on or just wanting to talk. I personally don't care if I get sick but I have 2 small children at home and I'm pretty sure the elderly and young children are ones most affecte. Dont worry though, it sounds like an acceptable risk for us and our families so you can freaking walk on a trail. Keep your small minded opinions about what's acceot risk to us to yourself
This is crazy, close the National parks, these places gets more visitors from all over the world, I sure don't want my family and friends catching this stuff. People are coming from everywhere,who's to say it's not here yet. NPS needs to care more about the people working at these places and the safety of others then trying to make money. I'm so frustrated with the choices of NPS and the Company's not caring about the community.
CLOSE!!!!!!!The National Parks NOW!!!!!!!
before you regret this problem we are facing. Your Employees are at risk. Stop being selfishly and close the Dang National Parks. It is not a hard decision!!!!!! Try to put others before your money.
It's important to differentiate between parks and park visitor facilities. Walking a trail or taking a scenic drive is a wonderfull way to destress, have fun, and put things into perspective. Crowding people from around the country and around the world into a busy park visitor center is one of the last best opportunities to fuel a pandemic.
close the gift shops and visitor centers, yet let us get outside. What better way to social distancing, than taking a hike and enjoying the amazing park systems. We do not need rangers to be in harms way to still have a healthy alternative to sitting inside binge streaming shows.
Vast majority don't hike in parks, they crowd together at the same popular overlooks. The use the same (most vault) peatry dishes called restrooms. Restrooms that are lucky to be cleaned once a day, and less at this time of the year.
I find it comical but sad...everyone wants dierection from Admin but when they get it, they complain and cry b/c they have no control.
If you ask for direction, which the Park Service did, they should follow the direcetions you requested. At this time, it is their responsibility to implement...not invent.
Opponents can bring on alll the "experts" they want to rationalize their point of view but the fact remains...they have a boss whether they like it or not and unless the directions are illegal, they need to implement.
Amazing to me that Xanterra is keeping the Grand Canyon Railway running. Hundreds of people a day packed into old musty train cars for 2 and a half hours each way. It's a danger to the passengers but an arguably greater danger to the employees and contractors who work on the train.
I work in one of the few urban parks in America and I cannot believe I have to come to work everyday with every other business, public works, public buildings, etc. are closed. Absolutely insane! We need to shut down all parks and let people enjoy nature as nature was intended: without workers risking lives! #shutitdown
So, if people who work in the souvenir shops and restraunts inside the parks want to close, that might not be a bad idea. But for those who want to hike and do outdoor activities, they should be able to do so. Being outdoors and in the sunlight is one of the best places people can be to not spread the virus!!! We need to calm down just a little bit and take care of ourselves and do what's practical, like not breathe and cough on each other and be respectful of other people. Panicing makes all of this worse!!!
So you feel that the public should be able to do as they please even if it means potentially exposing countless others to potential danger? Since you seem to be a subject matter expert on this virus perhaps you could enlighten the rest of us on the source of this information.
I'm all for closing down what needs to be closed down to keep people safe. I also agree that the hands of people in the field are tied because of rules set down by the federal government, who know nothing of what goes on day to day. My only concern is what kind of destruction certain types of people are capable of when our national park folks aren't around; we've already seen the bad that can happen.
This info may be late to help in this situation, but I've read about UV light and how hospitals use it to kill bacteria in hospital/surgery rooms. They use the UV light that causes cancer, but there was a scientific report of using "far-UVC" light that doesn't have the dangerous side effects of regular UV light. The report said this far-UVC light could be installed in doctors' waiting rooms, hospital waiting areas, etc. I imagine it could also be installed in national parks' onsite accommodations, restaurants, buses, gathering places, etc. because it wouldn't be detrimental to people's well being. But I guess the process for this technology to get that far into daily domains would take too long and someone would need to make money from it. It would be a something to help fight COVID-19, among other things.
Please. Sanitation guidelines are not being followed. I work at one of the parks. I know the kind of people who work in food and beverage. They don't wash their hands, and they cough all over everything. My own roommate doesn't wash his hands or take a shower after pleasuring himself. Just gets dressed and goes to work in the kitchens. You think our CEO knows the people who work under him? They're warm bodies only interested in hiking, drinking and sex. For barely above minimum wage. Our CEO is interested in maximizing profits at the cost of public health and safety. And let's not forget that park concessioners don't shut down if/when the parks do. We stayed open during the last two government shutdowns, and they'll make us stay open during this. So it doesn't matter if they close the parks. It's lose-lose for the employees either way.
I really hope that they don't close the parks entirely. I can understand closing the facilities, visitor centers, and buildings, but we need sunlight and fresh air to combat this virus.
You don't need parks for that, just go walk outside in your city park, you visitors are so selfish.
Close the parks until further notice.
this virus will kill you. This is nothing to take lightly.
Closure v. Non-closure is the wrong discussion to be having. Operational changes should be the order of the day. Parks encompass millions of acres of open space and can provide the very outlet needed in this situation. I'm headed to the northern section of Death Valley NP for Spring Break travelling on hundreds of miles of remote gravel roads And day hikinf in areas where few of any people will be. I can't think of a better way to combine social distancing with the need to breathe the outdoor air while blowing off some steam.
I would not be visiting any of the parks at this point. I worked at two parks and both banned the use of bleach in cleaning the restrooms and visitor centers. The field personnel knew that the cleaners they issued us were not adequate. We used bleach when necessary and the public commented favorably claiming that we had the cleanest facilities in the region. Public safety should not be jeopardized over environmental concerns. Unfortunately, the NPS suffers from poor leadership so nothing will change.
Personally I would love to see the parks open. REMOTE camping and hiking is a good way to be safe from the virus. Closing visitors centers, restaurants and lodges there is fine
If anyone thinks National Parks should be closed, I think it would be more important to shut down supermarkets. The people running supermarkets are at a much high risk of catching and spreading corona virus than any park service employee.
Considering the 6-10 foot spac between people, there is no way to follow the CDC guidelines at park shuttles and visitor centers.
many of the National Parks are served by small isolated towns with severely limited medical resources. Keeping the parks open is inviting disaster to these communities. The only responsible action is to close the parks.
Thanks Page! People who don't live out here in our rural are don't get it. We don't have paramedics let alone enough hospital beds should it spread to our community.
Please close the parks.
To the commenters above. In more ways than one our small town(s) cannot handle a major health crisis. I'm live a a remote community surrounded by a half dozen or more national parks. We are a community of mostly retired folks, many who are volunteers and paid staff at our parks. To those that are high risk this virus is more than a flu.. You're mostly visiting a rurual community bringing your sick kids or yourself here to our towns, vistor centers, cafes, gas stations etc. Oh that's right, why would you care anyway. We don't have a hospital here, no paramedics. No hospital beds for fourty miles. The nearist hospital has a dozen beds. I'm not at risk and still closed my business out of the concern and safety for my community of elders. Ohhhh you don't care about elders who are staying home away from you. You want to contaminate us younger folks who care for our parents and community? How about reading what's happening in Itally?
NPS thinking in a bubble. Every visitor traveling to the park to get their outdoor experience is traveling on a plane, through public areas, in restaurants, keeping that transmission chain going. Half the workforce teleworking (upper management) leaving the lowest graded frontline rangers behind as guinea pigs. To flatten the curve, crowds in the park need to decrease by at least 75% and that’s not happening. My park was packed today. WTH are we doing?
We were already quarantined for norovirus when I worked in YNP last summer. Bad food and health safety, close conditions for staff, who can then spread it to guests (and we have a lot of elderly visitors)
And that is one pietri dish I don't want to be in.
Ok so its a lake lots of outside, no problem right?? Except on a 1/4 mile bridge I see 2 local plates, 3 from California, 2 Colorado, & 1 Texas in Arizona. Telling people to stay home isn't working!! It's all about their vacation. I work in a store where elderly need to buy food, is it REALLY ok to risk KILLING others for a vacation... I've heard the phrase dying for time off but this is chronic stupidity! Is our society really that far gone??? If so ConronaVirus isn't the only illness we're facing right now. If course just Google toilet paper fighting to get the idea people are not listening. Highways here are choking with out of state plates & RVs, minor BLM trailheads have 20+ cars.
Close the Parks = Stopping the Draw to the areas & traveling! Then my senior customers have a chance at survival!! In rural areas our medical facilities are small & often emergency responders are volunteers. We can't handle a pandemic & stupid people at the same time! Stupid people during the regular season strains things enough. Also hearing rumors that some people think they can head to the rural areas to escape the virus. Escape by staying home, staying clean & not doing stupid things. BTW people are still licking their fingers to count money handed to cashiers, don't expect people to be responsible or consider others health.
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