Makeshift Medical - Doing more with less, the NPS way.

If I ever submit a story, it is safe to assume it is something odd or ridiculous that happened to me.  In this case, it was when I worked at South Entrance Station for Grand Canyon National Park.

It is standard when working for any job, government or otherwise, that you do not come to work when you are contagiously sick.  However, when you are passed that point, you should be at work, no matter how miserable you are.  During my first year at GRCA, this happened to me.

I’d been very sick with a respiratory infection for a couple days, but once the worst of it had passed, it was back to work.  I drank lots of water, had soup and fruit whenever I ate, and made sure I didn’t overexert myself, while trying to protect my lungs from any cold air.  It being October in Northern Arizona, that was starting to become quite the feat.  Not to even mention all the coughing I was still doing, which was eliciting some horrified looks from the visitors that went through my lane (it sounded like I was dying, I imagine).

In order to avoid making myself sicker and to prevent the visitors from being grossed out, a search for a medical face mask commenced.  Now, this is a standard item to have in such a work situation where public contact is constant.  Of course, none could be found.  Welcome to employment with the United States Federal Government.

So, I made my own. Comprised of coffee filters, rubber bands, and staples, and despite my constant coughing, copious amounts of vehicle exhaust, and Jason Vorhees style, the mask lasted all day.

Needless to say, my superiors heard about this and from then on, there would always be actual medical face masks available for use.