Campaigning Against DOGE Coin: Workers' Group Erects Billboards Warnings of Heat-Related Fatalities in National Parks
Unveiling the Summer Dilemma at Death Valley
LAS VEGAS - As you cruise down West Bonanza Road, not too far from the dazzling casino lights of the Strip, a billboard catches your eye. It appears as a postcard from one of the continent's most inhospitable habitats, reading: "Greetings from Death Valley National Park." But the message takes a grim turn, warning: "Heat deaths rise. Safety staff cut. Made possible by D.O.G.E."
This billboard, along with around 300 others, has been placed across states like Arizona, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida, courtesy of More Perfect Union, a labor advocacy group aiming to shed light on staffing reductions in the federal sector.
Dwindling National Park Service (NPS) staff has become a concern, with the National Parks Conservation Association, an independent advocacy organization, estimating that approximately 13%—roughly 2,500 employees—took buyouts or early retirements as part of a drive to drastically reduce the federal workforce.
There's a growing apprehension that these deep cuts could compromise public safety, especially in remote locations like Death Valley, where park rangers play a crucial role in maintaining visitor safety.
"In far-flung places like Death Valley, park rangers are there to ensure your safety," said Faiz Shakir, More Perfect Union's founder and executive director. "If you succumb to heat exhaustion, they're the ones ensuring proper care."
In Nevada, 19 billboards have popped up in both Las Vegas and Reno, emphasizing the potential peril of heat-related illnesses and fatalities for park visitors this summer.
Death Valley National Park sprawls across eastern California and Nevada, resting around a 2.5-hour drive from Las Vegas. Known as North America's hottest spot, temperatures often soar well above 130 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer season.
The billboards, while attention-grabbing, have stirred controversy. Contrary to the message, there is currently no official department called “Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency” within the U.S. federal government, and Elon Musk does not play a direct role in any U.S. government agency overseeing public staffing, including the NPS.
Nevertheless, the billboards have sparked discussions about the potential staffing shortages and safety concerns at National Parks. In reality, staffing at NPS parks, including Death Valley, is influenced by federal hiring practices, budgets, and congressional appropriations, guided by the Department of the Interior.
Whether fueled by speculation or reality, these billboards have ignited public debate surrounding the summer tourism season's safety in Death Valley National Park, raising awareness about the importance of a well-staffed and equipped park service to ensure visitor safety and enjoyment.
- As retirements and buyouts among National Park Service (NPS) staff increase, concerns about environmental-science fields like climate-change research and visitor safety, particularly in extreme environments like Death Valley, become more pronounced.
- The potential impact of reduced staffing at National Parks, such as a rise in heat-related incidents during sports activities like hiking, has sparked discussions among advocacy groups and the public.
- With sports-betting on summer events growing, visitors flocking to Death Valley National Park for adventure seek fresh memories, ensuring a well-staffed environmental-science team for climate-change research and park rangers for safety remains critical to their well-being.
