SPRINGDALE, Utah — More than three weeks into the government shutdown, rangers at Zion National Park have either not been paid or furloughed entirely, and their needs, both physical and mental, are growing.
The Zion Forever Project held an event Friday for rangers that included complimentary meals and vendors providing vouchers for basic needs. While at the event, Springdale Mayor Barbara Bruno asked rangers about their greatest needs during the shutdown.
"One of the biggest needs I heard about was gas money. And our businesses were very generous with them," she said. "But they were asking people what they really need. And it seemed like to me the biggest need was going to be for pet supplies; pet food, veterinary bills, that kind of thing. That came up several times."
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Most rangers live outside the area, and since most are nature lovers, they have pets. While the city has no formal program to help the rangers, residents are volunteering to either provide gas cards or bring supplies to where the rangers live so they don’t have to use fuel to get to them.
Zion Forever also announced it has established a fund to provide mental health services at no cost to staff members at Zion and other southern Utah parks
A Springdale medical clinic located just outside the park is available to the community and rangers. However, a nurse practitioner at the clinic said there has been no marked increase in either locals seeking care or rangers seeking mental health care, but added that they're there for them.
