My husband and I headed to Mount Rainier on Jan. 1 for a day of snowshoeing. As we left the Longmire checkpoint, we did not know a gunman had run through a checkpoint behind us. We were motioned by a park ranger to move on and not stop. After we passed her, that ranger was gunned down. In the time it took us to drive a short distance to Jackson Visitor Center, rangers had been notified a killer was loose. It can easily be speculated that Margaret Anderson, the park ranger killed, saved the lives of many.
We can be proud of the quick action of our national park rangers. The concern for safety of more than 100 people in lockdown for over 14 hours in the visitor center was first and foremost. They entertained the children, guarded doors and windows, and saw to it that everyone was well fed, all while inwardly grieving the loss of their colleague. This was an example of our national park employees at their finest.
As we approach elections, we must scrutinize what cutbacks in federal funding candidates are proposing. Should it be national parks’ budgets, think again. With current law allowing loaded weapons in national parks, rangers need enough funding for training to be fully prepared to protect the public.
Carolee Allen
Washougal
