Department of Conservation and Recreation
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Department of Conservation and Recreation
Media inquiries: Please contact Dave Neudeck, dave.neudeck@dcr.virginia.gov, 804-786-5053.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: September 26, 2017
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Virginia State Parks help Florida State Parks with Hurricane Irma cleanup
RICHMOND, Va. – More than two dozen dedicated Virginia State Park and Natural Heritage employees are helping Florida State Parks with cleanup efforts in the wake of Hurricane Irma. The Park rangers were dispatched under the Emergency Mutual Assistance Compact, the nation’s interstate agreement allowing states to provide aid in times of crisis.
“We are honored to offer assistance to another state park system in this time of challenge and crisis,” said Virginia State Parks Director Craig Seaver. “These dedicated women and men represent the ‘Ranger First’ philosophy that makes our state park and natural heritage system outstanding. They have volunteered to give their skills and efforts to help others. They represent the best of the Commonwealth’s state parks and the communities that we serve.”
The team members came from parks across the Commonwealth, rallying at New River State Park near Max Meadows, VA, before heading south. The first team rolled out of Virginia on Sep. 15 and returned Sept. 22. The crew worked in Hugh Taylor Birch State Park in Fort Lauderdale and Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park in Key Biscayne, home of the Cape Florida Light, Miami’s oldest standing structure. That team cleared and chipped downed trees and used their equipment to remove large loads of debris. In a single day, they filled the dump truck 10 times and removed more than 120 trees.
Virginia State Parks are managed by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. The first team included:
The second crew left Virginia Sept. 22 and will continue work at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park before returning home on Sept. 29.
Members of the second crew include:
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