A $25,000 grant has been contributed by the National Park Foundation to a fire relief fund set up to help those affected by the deadly Chimney Tops Fire that swept Great Smoky Mountains National Park last November.
The money, made possible through a gift from Humana, a partner of Find Your Park/Encuentra Tu Parque, went to the relief fund managed by the National Park Service Employees and Alumni Trust Fund. Humana has a community location in nearby Knoxville and several hundred associates in Tennessee.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park and its surrounding communities are still recovering from the November 2016 wildfires that burned a total of 17,140 acres in Sevier County, Tennessee, and led to the deaths of 14 people. The wildfires originated from multiple locations including an arson fire set at Chimney Tops inside the park and from downed power line ignitions throughout the county. Fueled by extreme winds and dry weather, the fire storm also injured 190, and damaged approximately 2,500 structures. In all, losses attributed to the fire have been estimated at $500 million.
“In moments of joy and in tragedy, we are here for our park partners, both at the National Park Service and within the broader park community,” said Will Shafroth, president of the National Park Foundation. “We are saddened to know that so many lost so much, and we hope that our contribution can help make a very tragic situation more manageable as they rebuild their lives.”
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That's a great gesture. However, if entities like this wanted to make some real, lasting change within the NPS, they should devote some time and resources to studying why the NPS allowed a woman to get mauled and eaten by bears in the GRSM while a ranger stood by doing nothing. Note that one of those NPS employees is still in a position of power at Great Smokies. This is the same GRSM management that mismanaged a wildfire that ended up costing 14 lives. Again, a retired ranger testified that the park turned a blind eye to death. Here is what that retired ranger says about it. https://www.facebook.com/jerrygrubb50/posts/10208721483018404
Those were horrible and shameful incidents you cite, no way to justify them. And they have nothing to do with the donation that this article is about.
There is a lot of money flowing to Sevier County these days from all over. The Sevier county folks will be fine. You might find it interesting that Sevier County is the most Republican county in the State of TN and arguably one of the most right wing enclaves in America. It is Trump County, a red as red can be commerce at all costs place. Sevier county includes Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, just an FYI that also has nothing to do with this article. It is an aside for out of towners like you. Some folks appreciate the information. The fact that the NPS allowed a fire to get out of control (I was there to witness the fire, by the way) which killed 14 folks is interesting to some. Much like the fact that the NPS also allowed a woman to get eaten by a bear while a ranger watched would be grounds for murder in an ordinary court. But the NPS isn't subject to the same rules and the rest of American, non governmental folks. Had the wildfire in question not happened, this retired Ranger would never have said anything about the bear story. I'll bet a lot of folks here find these things of interest, other than you, Rick.
Your county there has a population, per wiki, of around 99,000. Out of an approximate US population of 327,000.000, that makes for a goodly number of "out of towners", your derisive term. Around where I live we put it in terms of up river or down river. The further upriver, the more rural, and the more downriver the more like 'city folk'. Personally I live pretty rural and upriver and don't much care for the cities. You can get that sort of thing most everywhere and use it to feel better about yourself or put others down, as you appear to.
I'm glad you like where you live. I have enjoyed my drives through Tennessee over the years. I'm also quite happy with where I've settled for the final years of my life. I just can't figure out why you come to a website about the national parks every day and never have a good thing to say about the parks and always find a negative thing to say. That kind of attitude has to eat your soul over time.
Good night.
It's gotten to the point that I click on some folks comments just to see how negative they're going to be.