Fire Island National Seashore Names Next Chief

Patchogue NY

27 September, 2021

12:49 PM

Description

Press release from the National Park Service: Sept. 27, 2021 Fire Island National Seashore is pleased to announced Erik Westpfahl as the park's next Chief of Visitor and Resource Protection. Erik brings more than twenty years of law enforcement, emergency services, and resource protection experience to Fire Island. "We are thrilled to welcome Erik to the park and look forward to introducing him to the communities on the island," said Superintendent Alex Romero. "He brings broad protection expertise and adaptability, coupled with a dedication to team building, which will make him a great addition to our park." He began his law enforcement career as a police reserve officer in Wisconsin at the age of 18 before serving on active duty in the U.S. Army. After the Army, Erik spent 15 years serving as a police officer, county deputy and then state police officer. In that time, he trained to become a paramedic and founded a 30-person search and rescue team with his wife. Realizing that he could combine law enforcement, EMS and SAR by joining the National Park Service, Erik completed his seasonal academy and began working as a seasonal ranger in Yellowstone in 2007. In 2008, he began his permanent career Lake Mead National Recreation Area where he stayed until becoming the Chief Ranger at Carlsbad Caverns National Park in 2019. Erik is thrilled to join the team at Fire Island National Seashore. He will be moving to Long Island with his wife who currently works as a museum technician and archaeologist. Together they enjoy astronomy, history, and museums. Erik starts his new position in September. For more information on Fire Island Seashore, please visit www.nps.gov/fiis. This press release was produced by the National Park Service. The views expressed here are the author's own.