Park Ranger

Full Job Description

Works under moderate supervision to provide day-to-day patrol within the Travis County parks and preserves system.

Responsible for visitor and resource protection, with emphasis on law enforcement, emergency medical services, emergency management, and search and rescue.

Ensures a safe park experience for visitors through intensive public interaction. Detects, documents and corrects safety hazards.

Protects natural and cultural resources in the park and preserve system through the enforcement of rules and regulations and state and federal environmental laws.

Functions as a Peace Officer Certified by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) and as an Emergency Medical Technician – Basic (EMT-B).

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:

This is a job classification within the Non-Travis County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO) Peace Officer Pay Scale job family. Operates a motorized vehicle. Operates radio equipment.

Administers CPR and first aid. Maintains physical endurance and agility. Act decisively, rapidly, and knowledgeably in emergency and life threatening situations.

This job works various shifts and may require working extended hours during emergency management operations.

This position requires a flexible work schedule to meet the needs of the department, including frequent evenings and weekends, and incumbents must be available for emergency response at all times when in geographic area.

Requirements

• Conducts daily patrols of Travis County parks and preserves.
• Performs routine patrols of waters off park boundaries and along park shorelines; patrols park areas by foot, bicycle, vehicle, horse, motor vehicle and patrol boat to contact park visitors and neighbors to ensure compliance with park rules
• Enforces Federal and State laws and educates the public on park rules.
• Disseminates park, preserve, and area information to the public; ensures that information is accurate, professional and timely; interfaces with visitors, neighbors, user and volunteer organizations and other agencies to promote Travis County parks and preserves in a positive and professional manner; responds to visitor complaints and concerns; directs corrective action as required.
• Makes felony and misdemeanor arrests, issues citations, conducts investigations, and prepares appropriate reports.  Transports prisoners, testifies in court and completes follow-up investigations as needed.
• Ensures compliance with regulations and policies within Travis County parks and preserves.
• Provides visitor and resource protection in Travis County parks and preserves.
• Responds to incidents inside parks as dispatched, reported, or as detected by the officer.

Responds to, or is dispatched to, medical incidents and situations within parks and preserves and provides patient care according to established protocols.

Provides emergency medical services as part of a First Responder Organization. Treats patients in the field and prepares appropriate reports.

Packages patient(s) awaiting transport and determines category of patient(s).

• Assists or is dispatched to assist other agencies to law enforcement incidents or in hear parks.
• Recognizes, responds, coordinates and/or participates in search and rescue situations.

Performs inspections of facilities, grounds, and equipment to ensure visitor and employee safety, facility integrity, and aesthetic appearance.

Monitors endangered species habitat and patrols boundaries to deter and detect encroachment and destruction of resources.

Completes park and preserve inspections and reports hazards to park supervisors and tract managers and/or performs corrective action.

Safeguards departmental equipment and facilities; prepares reports of activities and presents programs concerning department activities and programs to the public.

Performs administrative duties, and interfaces and coordinates with private and public entities including, but not limited to: Travis County Constable 5, StarFlight, the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA), Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), local volunteer agencies and other agencies on public safety planning, training, and mutual aid.

Recommends staffing needs and special needs for special events; prepares case incident reports, criminal incident reports, and EMS run records as required.

Prepares documentation of patient care incident reports and patient medical records.

Collects data and assists in preparation of the annual work plan for the park and preserve system and completes assigned annual work plan projects.

• Prepares daily time accounting reports.
• Wears approved duty uniform and carries approved weapons in performing duties.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education and Experience:
High school diploma or G.E.D., AND two (2) years of experience in public safety situations requiring immediate decisions, collaboration with other responders, and appropriate corrective action.

Licenses, Registrations, Certifications, or Special Requirements:
Valid Texas Driver’s License.
TCOLE

Certification as a Texas Peace Officer issued by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE).
Must obtain system clearance as a Texas Department of State Health Services certified Emergency Medical Technician-Basic (EMT-B) within one (1) year of completion of a certified law enforcement deputy training academy and Field Training Officer (FTO) training, and then must maintain system certification as an EMT-B based on standards established by the StarFlight Medical Director; AND,
Pre-employment - must pass all written, physical, and psychological tests as required.

Preferred:
Bachelor’s degree with emphasis in Parks and Recreation, Forestry, Conservation Biology, Geography, or other related Life Science disciplines, plus at least two (2) years of experience in park resource management and administration.


Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge of:

• Texas Penal Code, the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure and of the Incident Command System (ICS).
• Criminal law statutes, crime prevention, investigation techniques and patrol operating procedures.
• Park administration and management, departmental rules and regulations.
• Specialized training including search and rescue techniques, technical water rescue, high angle rescue, swift water rescue, dive rescue certified, boating operations, hazardous material handling and control, technical self-defense, defensive weapons, and advanced life support techniques.
• Appropriate response to emergency medical situations and principles and practices of emergency medical services.
• Federal, State, Travis County and City of Austin applicable laws, rules, regulations and guidelines.
• Computer equipment to include word processing, spreadsheets, databases and variety of software packages.
• Local ecology, and resource management issues and strategies.
• Business letter writing, grammar punctuation, and report preparation.

Skill in:

• Effective oral and written communications.
• Effective management of emergencies
• Customer service and conflict resolution.
• Maintaining effective public relations.
• Explaining complicated technical problems in simple non-technical language.
• Use of personal computers and a variety of software applications including word processing and spreadsheets.
• Emergency Medical Technician with a Basic certification (EMT - Intermediate preferred) and CPR (Adult & Pediatric CPR).
• Safe operation of motorized watercraft.
• Problem solving and decision making.
• Using handguns and other firearms.

Ability to:

• Maintain accurate logs and provide clearly written incident reports.
• Work as a team member within a diverse organization.
• Operate a motor vehicle.
• Articulate factual information to the public regarding parks and preserves.
• Provides informal interpretation of the area resources.
• Analyze and solve problems.
• Detect and correct safety problems and hazards.
• Read and understand basic legal documents and technical publications.
• Respond to unexpected situations in a reasonable manner.
• Understand oral instructions.
• Reason and make judgments and decisions.
• Manage time well and perform multiple tasks, and organize diverse activities.
• Work calmly, effectively, decisively, rapidly and knowledgeable in emergency situations.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with County employees and officials, representatives of outside agencies, and the general public.

Additional Information

Physical requirements include meeting physical ability/strength standards.

Physical requirements include the ability to lift/carry up to 10-60 pounds occasionally, visual acuity, mental effort, speech and hearing, hand and eye coordination and manual dexterity, necessary to operate a computer, and viewing screens for long periods.

Subject to talking, standing, sitting, walking, climbing stairs, bending, squatting, stooping, crouching, kneeling, pushing, pulling, reaching, twisting, balancing, handling, gripping, grasping, driving, repetitive motion, and client/customer contact to perform the essential functions.

May work outdoors under extreme heat, cold, dampness for extended periods of time.

May be exposed to high-risk situations involved in law enforcement, medical emergencies, natural disasters, search and rescue.

Subject to contact with communicable diseases, radiation, hazardous waste, human fecal matter and foul odors.

Subject to stressful environment and client and customer contact for extended periods of time.

Ability to take physical control of another person as required and exposure to: volatile or stressful situations. Job may involve danger due to contact with criminals and suspects.

Emergency operations require working under difficult conditions, including but not limited to being subjected to hazards and potential physical danger inherent in public safety and law enforcement work.

Travis County employees play an important role in business continuity. As such, employees can be assigned to business continuity efforts outside of normal job functions.

Work Hours: 8 am - 5 pm, Monday-Friday.
Location: 700 Lavaca Street, Austin, Texas
Department: TNR (Trans & Natrl Resrc)
Criminal, Driving, Education, and Employment Background Checks Required.

This job description is intended to be generic in nature. It is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The essential duties, functions and responsibilities and overtime eligibility may vary based on the specific tasks assigned to the position.