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>> "THIS WEEK IN RICHMOND" IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY ALPHA
NATURAL RESOURCES, AN ENERGY COMPANY DEDICATED TO RESPECTING
THE LAND. ALPHA NATURAL RESOURCES. WE POWER THE WORLD
THROUGH THE ENERGY OF OUR PEOPLE.
THE VIRGINIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THE VOICE OF THE
VIRGINIA BUSINESS COMMUNITY, PROMOTING THE FREE ENTERPRISE
SYSTEM TO ENHANCE ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS.
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT IS PROVIDED BY THESE SPONSORS.
>>[MUSIC] AND BY THE MEMBERS OF
VIRGINIA'S PUBLIC TELEVISION STATION.
THANK YOU. >>[MUSIC]
>> WELCOME TO "THIS WEEK IN RICHMOND". AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS A HOLIDAY SEASON AND
WE HAVE A VERY SPECIAL SHOW TODAY BECAUSE WE HAVE WE'RE STARTING WITH YOU TWO GENTLEMEN.
THEN WE HAVE SOME OF YOUR COLLEAGUES TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S I THINK VERY MUCH FITTING
FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON. SO CHIP KRAMER, R.J. KUYKENDALL.
I GOT IT RIGHT. >> YES, SIR.
>> DELIGHTED TO HAVE YOU HERE. CHIP, START AND SET THE PROGRAM.
WHAT DID YOU ALL DECIDE TO DO AFTER SANDY HIT THE NORTHEAST?
>> WELL, IN OUR PREPARATIONS FOR HURRICANE SANDY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID, AMONGST
OTHERS, WAS TO IDENTIFY A NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THE STATE PARK SYSTEM THAT WOULD BE
ABLE TO LEND ASSISTANCE IF ANY OF OUR PARKS WERE AFFECTED, AND AS IT TURNED OUT, WE WERE
VERY FORTUNATE THIS GO AROUND. WE HADN'T BEEN SO FORTUNATE IN THE PAST.
AND WE WERE DISCUSSING WITH OUR DIRECTOR, JOE ELTON, THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING ABLE TO
LEND SOME ASSISTANCE TO ANOTHER STATE PARK SYSTEM THAT WASN'T QUITE AS FORTUNATE.
THROUGH THE DIFFERENT YEARS AND THE DIFFERENT STORMS WITH ISABELLE AND IRENE AND A NUMBER
OF OTHER TROPICAL STORMS, WE KNOW HOW DAUNTING THE TASK OF TRYING TO RECOVER AND GET OUR
FACILITIES BACK OPEN CAN BE. SO DIRECTOR ELTON REACHED OUT TO SEVERAL OF
THE NORTHERN STATE PARK SYSTEMS, AND NEW JERSEY WAS THE SYSTEM THAT WAS WILLING TO ACCEPT
OUR OFFER OF ASSISTANCE. AND OUR DEPARTMENTAL DIRECTOR, DAVID JOHNSON,
WAS ABLE TO GET THE AUTHORIZATION FOR OUR OUT OF STATE TRAVEL, AND WE PUT TOGETHER A
GROUP OF NINE INDIVIDUALS FROM ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH FROM VARIOUS STATE PARKS THAT
WERE ABLE TO GO UP TO NEW JERSEY FOR A WEEK'S TIME PERIOD AND PROVIDE SOME ESSENTIAL ASSISTANCE
AND HELP THEM RECOVER MUCH QUICKER THAN THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN OTHERWISE.
>> I UNDERSTAND THEY WERE ALMOST DISBELIEVING WHEN THE PEOPLE WHEN YOU ALL WERE WILLING
TO COME UP AND HELP, THAT THEY WERE JUST DELIGHTED TO HAVE YOU COME.
>> THEY WERE EXTREMELY APPRECIATIVE. AND WITH STATE PARKS, WE LOOK AT OUR EMPLOYEES
REALLY AS A FAMILY, A STATE PARK FAMILY. AND BEING ABLE TO REACH OUT TO ANOTHER STATE
PARK SYSTEM WAS, IN A SENSE, REACHING OUT TO THE EXTENDED FAMILY.
IT'S NOT ANYTHING THAT WE HAD REALLY EVER HEARD OF BEFORE, OF STATE PARK SYSTEMS FROM
VARYING STATES LENDING ASSISTANCE TO EACH OTHER IN THESE TIMES OF NEED.
HOPEFULLY THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'LL SEE MORE OF IN THE FUTURE.
AND IT IS FAIRLY COMMON IN SOME OTHER STATE AGENCIES AND DEPARTMENTS WHEN YOU LOOK AT
FIREFIGHTING COMMUNITY, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY, THOSE TYPE OF MUTUAL AID AGREEMENTS
AND ASSISTANCE ARE FAIRLY WELL KNOWN. >> R.J., TELL US ABOUT SOME OF YOUR EXPERIENCE.
WE HAVE SOME PICTURES, TOO. WE'LL GET SOME OF THOSE PUT UP DURING THE
TIME YOU'RE TALKING. BUT HOW WAS IT FOR YOU GOING UP TO JERSEY?
>> IT WAS FUN. I MEAN, IT WAS A LOT OF HARD WORK, PUTTING
IN A LOT OF HARD HOURS, BUT IT WAS FOR THE REASONS WE AGREED TO DO.
GO UP THERE AND HELP THESE FOLKS. LIKE CHIP SAID, WE HAVE GONE THROUGH THESE
STORMS SEVERAL TIMES. ISABELLE WAS A BIG ONE THAT HIT A LOT OF US.
AND A TORNADO THAT HIT STANTON RIVER, IT WAS SURREAL TO REACH OUT AND HELP SOMEBODY ELSE
THAT'S REALLY NEVER BEEN THROUGH SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
AND JUST TO GO UP THERE AND DO NOTHING BUT WORK FROM SUN UP TO SUNDOWN, IT WAS A PLEASURE.
WE WERE SO FORTUNATE THERE ARE FOLKS THAT ALLOWED US TO GO UP THERE AND HELP.
>> I THINK SOME OF THE PICTURES WE HAVE OF THE HUGE TREES THAT YOU ALL ENCOUNTERED THAT
HAD COME UP OUT OF THE GROUND ALMOST. >> THEY WERE BIG.
THEY WERE TELEPHONE POLES. THEY WERE EVERY BIT 80 TO 100 FEET.
>> AND THIS WAS NOT ON THE OCEAN. IT WAS SOMEWHAT INLAND WHERE YOU ALL WERE,
CORRECT? >> THE NORTHWEST REGION.
>> CORRECT. WE WERE IN THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF NEW JERSEY.
IT WAS STOKES STATE FOREST, WHICH IS RIGHT WHERE PENNSYLVANIA, NEW JERSEY AND NEW YORK
COME TOGETHER. >> YOU KNOW, MOST OF US SAW PICTURES OF THE
DEVASTATION ALONG THE COAST. BUT PEOPLE DIDN'T REALIZE HOW FAR INLAND IT
WENT. >> WE LEFT ON SATURDAY AND DROVE OUT TO THE
COAST. IT WAS ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF DRIVE.
SO THEY WERE, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, 60 TO 70 MILES INLAND FROM THE COAST.
SO THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF DAMAGE STILL THAT FAR INLAND, WHICH TOOK EVERYBODY BY SURPRISE,
I BELIEVE. >> SO YOU PULLED TOGETHER A TEAM.
I THINK WE HAVE SOME PICTURES UP ON THE SCREEN AT TIMES OF THE TEAM OF NINE OF YOU FROM PRETTY
MUCH ALL OVER THE COMMONWEALTH. >> THAT'S CORRECT.
>> AND YOU WORK OUT OF THE VIRGINIA BEACH AREA.
>> YES, SIR. >> AND, CHIP, YOU'RE ONE OF THE ONE OF THE
NINE IN THE CENTRAL OFFICE. IS THAT CORRECT?
>> THAT'S CORRECT. WE HAD, I BELIEVE IT WAS, SEVEN STATE PARKS
REPRESENTED. MAINLY COMING DOWN THE EASTERN SEABOARD.
BUT THEN GOING INTO THE CENTRAL VIRGINIA. THEN I WORK OUT OF THE CENTRAL OFFICE.
>> WE WERE DELIGHTED TO HEAR ABOUT WHAT YOU DID, YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES.
AS I MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SHOW, TO BE ABLE TO THANK YOU ALL AS STATE EMPLOYEES,
AS EXAMPLES OF OTHERS WHO DO THIS KIND OF VOLUNTEER WORK AND HELPING OUT IN TIME OF
DISASTER, I THINK IT'S REALLY GREAT. WHATEVER ONE CELEBRATES DURING THIS HOLIDAY
SEASON, IT'S REALLY A GOOD HOLIDAY TIME. YOU PROBABLY GOT SOME NEW FRIENDS UP THERE
IN JERSEY NOW. >> A FEW.
>> I BELIEVE SO. >> YEAH.
YEAH. AND IF THE NEXT TIME IT HAPPENS TO BE VIRGINIA,
I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED TO SEE SOME OF THEM WANTING TO COME DOWN AND LEND A HAND.
>> THAT WOULD BE A WELCOMED EFFORT. >> YEAH.
NOW, THIS WAS A FIRST FOR YOU, WASN'T IT, IN THE STATE PARKS?
>> THIS WAS THE FIRST COLLABORATIVE EFFORT FOR REACHING ACROSS YOU KNOW, THE TERM CROSS
THE LINES TO GIVE SOMEBODY A HAND. AND WE'RE HOPING THIS IS A PRELUDE TO MORE.
BECAUSE WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE LINES ARE.
WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER AND WE SERVE THE SAME CAUSE, PROVIDE RECREATION FOR PEOPLE.
THE HUNTERS WERE ACTUALLY ANXIOUS FOR US TO GET OUT OF THERE BECAUSE THEY WERE COMING
HUNTING. >> SO IT WAS RIGHT UP ON HUNTING SEASON.
>> YES, SIR. >> YES.
WELL, YOU MENTIONED, TOO, CHIP, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HEAR ABOUT FIREFIGHTERS DOING AND
OTHER FIRST RESPONDERS. SO IT'S GREAT TO HEAR ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT
OF CONSERVATION, RECREATION, PARKS FOLKS, EMPLOYEES, TO BE DOING THIS AS WELL.
SO WE THANK THE TWO OF YOU VERY MUCH. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME CONVERSATION IN JUST
A MOMENT WITH SOME OF YOUR COLLEAGUES. >> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. >> WE'RE DELIGHTED TO HAVE THREE MORE OF THE
GROUP OF NINE WHO WENT FROM VIRGINIA UP TO NEW JERSEY AFTER SANDY HAD DEVASTATED SO MUCH
OF THE EAST COAST. AND EVEN THE INLAND PARTS.
SO INSTEAD OF INTRODUCING ALL THREE OF YOU AT ONE TIME, WHY DON'T I START WITH YOU ONE
AT A TIME AND INVITE YOU TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS. DAN COFFIN, I'LL START WITH YOU.
TELL OUR VIEWERS SOMETHING ABOUT SOME OF YOUR EXPERIENCES AS YOU WERE UP THERE IN JERSEY.
>> WELL, THE THING THAT SURPRISED ME THE MOST WAS HOW BEAUTIFUL THE PARK WAS.
I MEAN, YOU HEAR ABOUT NEW JERSEY, AND YOU DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THEY HAVE 33 PARKS.
WHEN WE GOT THERE, ONLY THREE WERE OPEN. AND AFTER WE CUT A WHOLE LOT OF TREES AND
GOT TO ACTUALLY SEE WHAT WE WERE WORKING ON, IT WAS A VERY, VERY PRETTY PARK.
IT HAD A TROUT STREAM THAT RAN THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF IT AND A NICE LAKE.
IT WAS JUST DEVASTATED. WHEN YOU GOT THERE, YOU COULDN'T HARDLY SEE
ANYTHING BUT TREES DOWN. >> YOU KNOW, THOSE OF US THAT TRAVEL UP 95
IF WE GO HAVE A HARD TIME PICTURING JERSEY BEING THE GARDEN STATE AS ITS NICKNAME IS.
BUT IT DOES HAVE A BEAUTIFUL PORTION INLAND IN PARTICULAR.
IT DOES. SO, DAVID YEAGER, GIVE US SOME OF YOUR INITIAL
REACTIONS AND THOUGHTS. WHAT PARK WERE YOU ALL IN?
>> STOKES STATE FOREST. >> STOKES STATE FOREST.
>> AND WE ARRIVED THERE SUNDAY. AND WE TOOK A LOOK AT THE DAMAGE, AND IT WAS
PRETTY DEVASTATED. THE AMOUNT OF TREES THAT CAME DOWN YOU COULD
TELL WHERE THEY HAD ALREADY SPENT WEEKS CUTTING TO OPEN THE ROADS.
BUT THEY JUST WERE NOT EQUIPPED TO HANDLE THE AMOUNT OF TREES.
WHEN WE SHOWED UP WITH THE BOBCATS AND OUR SAWS AND THE CHIPPER, IT REALLY WAS LIKE THE
CAVALRY HAD SHOWN UP. THEY WERE VERY EXCITED TO SEE US.
>> DAVE SYMINGTON, YOU MAYBE WERE ONE OF THE YOUNGEST ONES ON THIS GROUP OF NINE.
>> YEAH. I BELIEVE I WAS ONE OF THE YOUNGEST.
YEAH. >> WHAT WERE SOME OF YOUR REACTIONS AS YOU
GOT THERE? >> IT REALLY WARMED MY HEART.
THEY REALLY APPRECIATED IT. I GOT A SENSE OF PRIDE RIGHT AWAY FROM GIVING
A HAND TO THEM. THEY SEEMED TO KNOW WHAT THEY WERE FACING,
AND THEY KNEW IT WAS GOING TO TAKE A LONG TIME.
AND THEY KNEW BECAUSE WE WERE THERE, IT WAS GOING TO GET DONE A LOT QUICKER.
SO THEY WERE VERY APPRECIATIVE. THEY MET US OUT THERE ON MONDAY WITH COFFEE
AND DOUGHNUTS, WHICH WAS GREAT. THROUGH THE WEEK, IT GOT A LITTLE COLDER,
BUT WE DIDN'T NOTICE. WE WERE PULLING OFF CLOTHES AS SOON AS WE
GOT THERE. IT WAS RIGHT TO WORK.
YEAH. >> WORKING THERE THAT ENTIRE WEEK, I BELIEVE.
YOU SPENT A FULL WEEK THERE. >> YEAH.
>> IT WENT BY REALLY FAST, THOUGH. I MEAN, WE'D GET IN THE TRUCKS AT DARK AND
GET BACK AT DARK. IT DIDN'T SEEM THAT LONG DURING THE DAY THAT
YOU WERE OUT THERE WORKING BECAUSE YOU JUST STAYED CONSTANTLY BUSY.
>> NOW, THIS WAS A STATE FOREST, I THINK YOU REFERRED TO IT.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE CABINS OR SOMEPLACE TO PUT YOU UP?
>> YES, SIR, IT DOES. THEIR FORESTRY AND PARK SERVICE ARE COMBINED.
THE CAMPGROUND, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS IN THE STATE FOREST, WAS A FULL HAD CABINS AND
EVERYTHING. BUT THERE WAS NO POWER THERE STILL WHEN WE
GOT THERE. >> YES.
>> SO WE STAYED IN PENNSYLVANIA IN A HOTEL. >> YEAH.
WE WERE HEARING ON OUR FIRST SEGMENT ABOUT THE FACT THAT YOU WERE 60 OR 70 MILES FROM
THE COAST. BUT I THINK THAT WE HAVE ONE SCENE OF LIBERTY
STATE PARK WHERE YOU LOOK OVER AT ELLIS ISLAND THAT WE'LL SHOW OUR VIEWERS.
TELL US SOME OF THE REACTIONS THAT YOU HAD WHEN YOU GOT OVER TO THE COAST.
>> THE BUILDING THAT WE WENT TO VISIT AT THE PARK WAS JUST DEVASTATED.
IT WAS AN OLD 1800 VINTAGE BUILDING WHERE MOST EVERYBODY THAT CAME TO ELLIS ISLAND THAT
WENT ANYWHERE INLAND HAD TO TRAVERSE THROUGH IT TO CATCH A TRAIN.
AND ALL THE WINDOWS WERE BROKEN IN THE BOTTOM LEVEL.
THE SIDEWALK WAS GONE. >> ROCKS HAD BEEN WASHED UP.
LARGE ROCKS HAD BEEN WASHED UP THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN STACKED ALONG THE SHORELINE BETWEEN THE
CITY AND THE PARK. AND IT WAS INCREDIBLE WHEN YOU REALIZED THE
AMOUNT OF POWER THAT IT TOOK FROM THE WATER TO DO THAT TO THE PARK.
AND ALSO WHAT WAS INTERESTING, THERE WAS A CHAIN LINK FENCE AROUND THE PARK.
AND YOU COULD SEE THE DEBRIS OF TRASH AND HOW HIGH IT HAD WASHED UP.
IT WAS EVERY BIT OF FIVE FEET UP ON THE FENCE, WHEN YOU REALIZED THERE WAS THAT WERE WATER
THAT HAD FLOODED THE PARK, IT WAS INCREDIBLE. >> DAVID, I GUESS IT WAS THE FIRST TIME YOU'D
SEEN SOMETHING THAT BAD PERHAPS? >> WELL, I DIDN'T GO UP THERE.
I USED TO LIVE IN UPSTATE NEW YORK, SO I HAD BEEN TO ELLIS ISLAND BEFORE AND I HAD A PREVIOUS
ENGAGEMENT ON SATURDAY. SO I LEFT FRIDAY AT LUNCHTIME.
>> WHAT ABOUT DEVASTATION IN SOME OF YOUR PARKS IN PREVIOUS STORMS?
I GUESS YOU'VE HAD SOME EXPERIENCE, BUT NOTHING MAYBE AS SEVERE AS THIS?
>> WELL, WHEN HYBRID TRAILS FIRST OPENED, WE HAD A BAD ICE STORM THAT WINTER AND WE
CUT TREES FOR QUITE A LONG TIME. BECAUSE ALONG THE RAILS, THERE WAS A LOT OF
SMALLER PINES AND STUFF THAT BOWED OVER, BUT NOTHING TO I MEAN, THESE TREES WERE PLANTED
BY THE CCC BACK IN THE '30S. SOME OF THEM WERE HUGE.
SOME OF THE HEMLOCKS WERE, YOU KNOW, 2 1/2, THREE FEET IN DIAMETER.
AND SO JUST TO HAVE THEM STACKED UP LIKE THEY WERE, I'VE NEVER MESSED WITH ANYTHING
LIKE THAT. >> WE HAD SEEN THAT TYPE OF DAMAGE AT POCAHONTAS
LAST SEPTEMBER WITH THE HURRICANE THERE. THE ROADS WERE COMPLETELY BLOCKED UP.
SO THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE AT STOKES WAS IMPRESSIVE, BUT I HAVE TO SAY I'VE SEEN IT BEFORE.
WE HAD THAT AT POCAHONTAS LAST YEAR. SO WHICH MADE ME MORE QUICK TO DEAL WITH
IT. >> TO CUT THE TRAILS AND STUFF.
THEY WERE STACKED UP LIKE THAT. SOME OF THOSE TREES WERE HUGE.
>> HAVE YOU HAD SOME DEVASTATION AT THE PARK WHERE YOU WORK?
>> YEAH. AT ISABELLE, WE HAD QUITE A TIME.
WE WERE 12 FEET ABOVE NORMAL, WHICH WASHED DOCKS AND THINGS UP TO WHERE THE MARINA IS.
WE HAD DAMAGE LAST YEAR DURING THE HURRICANE THAT HIT.
A LOT OF CLEARING TRAILS, A LOT OF TREES OFF OF ROADS, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE FACED IN STOKES.
>> NOW, OUR VIEWERS WOULD PROBABLY BE INTERESTED, THE PARK WHERE YOU'RE WORKING HAS A REALLY
UNIQUE FEATURE. >> OH, YES, SIR.
WE HAVE A BRIDGE THAT'S 125 FEET HIGH AND 2477 FEET LONG.
AND THE BRIDGE RIGHT NEXT TO IT OR THE ABUTMENTS NEXT TO IT WERE BUILT IN THE 1850S AND THE
BRIDGE WAS BURNED DURING THE CIVIL WAR TO KEEP THE NORTHERN FORCES FROM FOLLOWING LEE.
BUT THERE WAS A SMALLER BRIDGE RIGHT AT RIVER LEVEL THAT HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY FLOODED AND
WAS GREEN TIMBER. EVEN THOUGH THEY SET IT ON FIRE, IT DIDN'T
BURN. SO THEY FOLLOWED THEM THAT WAY.
>> SO WHEN YOU SPEAK OF THE BRIDGE, IT'S A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE?
>> IT IS YES. IT'S A BICYCLE, HORSEBACK RIDING, HIKING BRIDGE
THAT CONNECTS THE EAST AND WEST PORTIONS OF OUR TRAIL, AND OUR TRAIL IS BASICALLY 30 MILES
LONG. >> NOW, ALL OF YOUR PARKS HAVE CABINS?
>> NO, SIR. WE'RE A NEW PARK.
SO WE'RE JUST IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING STARTED. >> WE HAVE ORIGINAL CCC BUILDINGS THAT ARE
EQUIPPED FOR PEOPLE TO STAY THERE, BUT IT'S A DIFFERENT TYPE OF CABIN THAN WHAT IS AT
STOKES. >> WE HAVE A PRIMITIVE CAMPGROUND, BUT WE'RE
A DAY USE PARK ONLY. >> SO THERE'S NOT OVERNIGHT.
SO, AGAIN, TELL ANY OTHER REFLECTIONS THAT YOU HAVE AS YOU THINK BACK ON SPENDING THAT
WEEK UP IN NEW JERSEY THERE AT THAT PARK. IF I HAVEN'T PERHAPS ASKED THE QUESTION TO
PROMPT IT, WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU WANT TO TELL OUR VIEWERS.
LET'S START WITH YOU, DAVID. >> THAT IF YOU CAN LEND A HAND, THAT'S A GREAT
THING TO DO, IF YOU CAN HELP OUT YOUR COMMUNITY AND GET A SENSE OF PRIDE FROM HELPING OUT
YOUR OWN COMMUNITY, THEN IT'S A GREAT AND VERY REWARDING THING TO OFFER ASSISTANCE.
>> THOSE PEOPLE, THE PARK EMPLOYEES, AGAIN, YOU COULD SEE HOW MUCH WORK THAT THEY HAD
ALREADY DONE JUST TO GET THE STREETS OPENED, THE ROADS.
BUT THEY WERE WORE OUT. AND WHEN WE SHOWED UP, WE WERE DOING THE SAME
TYPE OF WORK. WE HAD SOME ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT THEY DIDN'T
HAVE. BUT JUST TO HAVE NINE FRESH SOLDIERS SHOW
UP TO START ATTACKING IT, IT REALLY LIFTED THEIR SPIRITS.
>> THE OVERALL APPRECIATION THAT THEY GAVE US FOR WHAT WE DID FOR THEM JUST MADE EVERYTHING
WORTHWHILE. >> I THANK THE THREE OF YOU VERY MUCH.
WE'LL HAVE ONE MORE SEGMENT AND GET THREE OTHERS OF YOUR COLLEAGUES TO TELL THEIR EXPERIENCES.
THANK YOU ALL. >> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. >> SO WE NOW HAVE THE FINAL THREE OF THE ONES
ON THE SHOW. WE'LL START WITH YOU, STEVE.
GIVE US SOME OF YOUR REACTIONS ABOUT THIS TRIP TO JERSEY.
>> WELL, CONSIDERING THAT IT WAS JUST BEFORE THANKSGIVING, WE FELT IT WAS A GOOD THING
FOR US TO GO UP THERE AND HELP OUT SOMEBODY ELSE WHO NEEDED SOME ASSISTANCE.
WHEN I FIRST GOT UP THERE, I WAS KIND OF SURPRISED THAT THERE WAS ONLY TWO FULL TIME EMPLOYEES
FOR THIS 16,000 ACRE STATE FOREST WE WERE AT.
AND THAT EVEN MADE IT MORE WORTHWHILE FOR US TO GO IN AND HELP THESE FOLKS GET THEIR
STATE FOREST BACK OPEN. WE I HAD GONE THROUGH SOME SIMILAR TYPE
THINGS AT WESTMORELAND AND IT WAS GOOD TO GO UP THERE AND HELP THEM OUT AND SEE HOW
MUCH THEY APPRECIATED US. >> CAMERON, WHAT WERE SOME OF YOUR REACTIONS
AND THOUGHTS? >> WHEN I FIRST GOT UP THERE, YOU LOOK AROUND
AND YOU'RE KIND OF AMAZED AND JUST SO MUCH DAMAGE, SO MANY TREES DOWN, TRYING TO FIND
A PLACE TO START IS WHAT I WAS LOOKING AT. WHERE CAN WE START AND HELP THEM THE MOST
THAT WE CAN. THAT WAS ONE OF THE BIG THINGS FOR ME, JUST
GETTING THE START OF IT AND WORKING OUR WAY TO CLEAR SOME OF THE CAMPGROUNDS SO THEY COULD
GET THEM BACK OPEN AGAIN AND GET SOME MONEY FLOW IN THERE.
THEY'D BEEN CLOSED DOWN A WHILE. THAT HELPS THEM IF WE CAN GET THEM OPEN AND
GET SOME MONEY FLOW BACK INTO THEIR PARKS TO GET EVERYTHING OPEN AGAIN.
>> WHAT ABOUT YOU, JAMES? >> MY FIRST THOUGHT, ONCE I SEEN THE PARK,
IS PRETTY MUCH WHAT CAMERON SAID. JUST KNOWING WHERE TO START.
IT WAS IT WAS PRETTY DESTROYED. ME, I HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED TOO MUCH OF THESE,
AND IT WAS KIND OF NICE TO ACTUALLY GO HELP OUT SOMEBODY AND HELP SOMEBODY THAT NEEDED
THE HELP. BUT IT WAS A REAL BIG EXPERIENCE FOR ME.
AND >> I THINK WE WERE SAYING BEFORE WE STARTED
THAT YOU ARE THE YOUNGEST OF THE GROUP. SO YOU'D SEEN LESS OF THIS THAN ANY OF YOUR
COLLEAGUES HAD. >> YEAH.
THIS IS I HAVEN'T I HAVEN'T HARDLY SEEN HARDLY ANY OF IT, WHICH BEING THE YOUNGEST
>> YEAH. SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO GET WORDS TO DESCRIBE
WHAT YOU SAW. WE WERE TALKING ALSO WHILE YOU WERE GETTING
MIKED UP ABOUT THE TREES, ABOUT THE TYPE TREES THAT YOU WERE CUTTING THERE.
>> A LOT OF THE TREES, I SAID BEFORE, WERE PLANTED BACK IN THE '30S.
THEY WERE PLANTED PRETTY HEAVILY. A LOT OF THEM WERE RED PINE AND NORWAY SPRUCE,
AND THESE TREES WERE PLANTED SO CLOSE TOGETHER, THEY GREW 80 TO 100 FOOT TALL STRAIGHT UP
WITH NO LIMBS. NO STRUCTURAL SUPPORT FOR THE TREES.
THAT'S WHY THEY WERE BROKE OFF REAL HIGH. SOME BROKE OFF 20, 30 FEET TALL AND CREATED
A LOT OF DANGER FOR US CUTTING UNDER THEM AND FINDING THE BEST WAY TO CUT BECAUSE OF
THE TYPES OF TREES THEY WERE. IT MADE IT A LOT MORE DANGEROUS.
>> AMAZING THAT THEY WERE PLANTED THAT CLOSE TOGETHER BUT HAD LASTED THAT LONG.
IT TOOK THIS STORM TO BRING THEM DOWN. >> THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT I THINK NEW
JERSEY HAD EVER EXPERIENCED ANYTHING, NOT JUST ON THE COAST, BUT EVEN INLAND.
I THINK THAT'S ONE THING THEY WERE KIND OF OVERWHELMED BY THE SHEER NUMBERS AND LOOKING
AT IT. I KNOW HOW I FELT AFTER SOME OF THE STORMS
AT WESTMORELAND GOING OUT. YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START.
BUT THEY ESTIMATED THAT WE HAD CUT ALMOST 70,000 BOARD FEET OF TIMBER JUST IN THE WEEK
THAT WE WERE UP THERE. >> THAT'S AN AMAZING AMOUNT.
WHEN YOUR WEEK WAS OVER, WAS THE PARK ABOUT READY, THE FOREST ABOUT READY TO BE REOPENED?
>> WELL, WE CLEARED TWO CAMPGROUNDS. WE CLEARED THEIR CABIN AREA, WHICH HAD SEVEN
TO EIGHT CABINS IN IT THAT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN OCCUPIED WITH THE TREES HANGING OVER
THE CABINS. WE GOT EVERYTHING CLEARED SO PEOPLE CAN COME
IN AND CAMP THERE. WE PILED EVERY TREE INTO LOGS TO GET THEM
MILLED. WE PILED THEM UP IN SAFE SPOTS WHERE NO ONE
WOULD GET INJURED. IT STILL LOOKED BAD, BUT IT WAS CLEAN SO PEOPLE
COULD COME IN THE FOLLOWING WEEKEND. WE LEFT ON SATURDAY.
THEY OPENED ON THAT SATURDAY. >> WHEN WE WERE WRAPPING UP FRIDAY AFTERNOON,
THEY HAD PEOPLE COMING IN AND CHECKING INTO THEIR CABINS.
THERE WAS A SCOUT TROOP THAT WAS CHECKING IN FOR THEIR WEEKEND CAMPING TRIP.
WHEN WE LEFT SATURDAY TO GO TO LIBERTY ISLAND, THE PARK WAS FUNCTIONING.
>> THAT'S GOT TO BE A REAL SENSE OF REWARD TO YOU THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THAT
MUCH IN A WEEK'S TIME. >> ONE OF THE GUYS SAID IF WE HADN'T COME
UP THERE, IT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN JULY 4TH BEFORE THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO OPEN UP
SOME OF THOSE SECTIONS. THAT MEANT A LOT FOR US TO HELP THEM CONTINUE
ON. >> I BELIEVE AS MUCH AS WE HELPED THEM, WE
GAINED THE SAME EXPERIENCE BACK. WE FELT SO OVERWHELMED WE COULD HELP THESE
PEOPLE SO MUCH, EVEN IN DIFFERENT STATES. WE KNOW HOW IT IS.
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DAMAGE IN OUR PARKS. YOU GET THAT GOOD FEELING IN YOUR HEART THAT
YOU DID A GOOD THING AND IT'S A GOOD TIME TO HELP SOMEONE ELSE AFTER THESE BAD STORMS
WE'VE BEEN HAVING. >> WE STARTED THE PROGRAM TALKING SOME ABOUT
HOLIDAY SEASON THAT WE'RE INTO NOW. AND CERTAINLY FOR ON BEHALF OF ALL THE REST
OF US IN THE COMMONWEALTH, WE WANT TO EXPRESS THANKS TO THE THREE OF YOU AND TO YOUR OTHER
SIX COLLEAGUES, THE NINE OF YOU WHO WENT. YOU MAKE US PROUD AS STATE EMPLOYEES THAT
YOU JUMPED IN AND HELPED OUT THE WAY YOU DID. >> I BELIEVE AFTER THE INITIAL E MAIL WAS
SENT OUT ASKING FOR PEOPLE TO RECRUIT, I BELIEVE SEVEN OR EIGHT OF US SIGNED UP FOR IT WITHIN
30 MINUTES OF THAT INITIAL E MAIL. IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ALWAYS WILLING TO
DO IS HELP OUT. WE'RE LIKE A BIG FAMILY IN THE VIRGINIA STATE
PARKS. WE'RE ALWAYS WILLING TO HELP OUT WHEREVER
WE CAN. >> WE ACTUALLY HAD HAD ANOTHER CREW SET UP
TO GO THE WEEK AFTER THANKSGIVING. AND I GUESS WE DID SUCH A GOOD JOB, THEY WEREN'T
NEEDED. BUT THAT'S ONE GOOD THING ABOUT WORKING WITH
STATE PARKS AND ONE THING WITH THE COMMONWEALTH IS EVERYBODY IS WILLING TO HELP EACH OTHER
OUT. >> WE THANK THE THREE OF YOU VERY MUCH AND
ALL OF YOUR COLLEAGUES AND ARE DELIGHTED TO BE ABLE TO TELL THIS STORY TO THE VIEWERS
AROUND THE COMMONWEALTH ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING US. >> [MUSIC]
CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY CAPTION SOLUTIONS, LLC
WWW.CAPTIONSOLUTIONS.COM
>> "THIS WEEK IN RICHMOND" IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY ALPHA
NATURAL RESOURCES, AN ENERGY COMPANY DEDICATED TO RESPECTING
THE LAND. ALPHA NATURAL RESOURCES. WE POWER THE WORLD
THROUGH THE ENERGY OF OUR PEOPLE.
THE VIRGINIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THE VOICE OF THE
VIRGINIA BUSINESS COMMUNITY, PROMOTING THE FREE ENTERPRISE
SYSTEM TO ENHANCE ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT IS PROVIDED BY THESE SPONSORS.
[MUSIC] AND BY THE MEMBERS OF
VIRGINIA'S PUBLIC TELEVISION STATION, THANK YOU.