McFarland Selected as Park Safety Officer

Date: January 17, 2017
Contact: Denise Germann, 307.739.3393

MOOSE, WY — Mack McFarland has been selected to serve as the safety and occupational health manager at Grand Teton National Park and a member of the park’s leadership team. McFarland, a 23-year veteran of the National Park Service and Grand Teton National Park, is currently the deputy fire management officer at the park.

 
Grand Teton National Park Superintendent David Vela said, “Mack brings a variety of skills and experience to the position that will benefit the safety and wellness program at the park.” Vela said the position has a critical role in fostering and maintaining a safe and healthy environment for employees, and for visitors.
 
McFarland will be responsible for overall management of the park’s safety, occupational health and structural fire programs, as well as provide guidance to the environmental management system.
 
McFarland began his career with the National Park Service in 1992 as a summer seasonal forestry technician at Grand Teton National Park. He continued working additional summers as a prescribed fire technician at the park before working year round at the park in a variety of fire management and fuels specialist positions.  He has been greatly involved in working in partnership with the Bridger-Teton National Forest on wildland fire, prescribed fire and fuels management planning and projects. He served for a short time as the National Park Service Intermountain Regional Fire Management Specialist in 2015. For most of his career, McFarland has served in operational roles with regional incident management teams responding to wildland fire across the country. 
 
McFarland has been a volunteer with Jackson Hole Fire/Emergency Medical Services at Station 4 in Moran for the past 13 years. He currently serves as the station captain, a position he has held for the last ten years. 
 
He lives in the Buffalo Valley east of Moran with his wife Kathy, 13-year old daughter, and their mule Archie and horse July.   He will begin his new duties in early February.