PATC Policy
The Potomac Appalachian Trail Club expressly denies any legal responsibility for law enforcement, fire control, and search-and-rescue operations. PATC cannot and will not assume any legal responsibility to warn any hiker of any specific criminal risk on the Tuscarora Trail.
PATC currently organizes and operates a volunteer Trail Patrol. Members of the Trail Patrol walk the Tuscarora Trail occasionally to provide information and assistance to hikers, but have absolutely no law enforcement responsibilities.
The National Park Service and the National Forest Service have exclusive jurisdiction over the Tuscarora Trail in the C&O Canal National Historical Park and in Jefferson & George Washington National Forest. State and local governments retain all jurisdiction in other lands through which the Tuscarora Trail passes. PATC encourages its membership to record and report any instance of illegal activity within the Tuscarora Trail corridor to the proper officials. The Club also reminds its membership not to engage in confrontations, but to remain cautious and mindful of personal safety. PATC will actively cooperate with the federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to protect hikers along the Tuscarora Trail.
Partners’ Policies
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Emergency management and coordination along the Tuscarora Trail is characterized by many overlapping jurisdictions of state, county and local governments. Each jurisdiction plays a role in the emergency response activities. Pennsylvania, to some extent, has simplified the process by creating a central planning and coordination agency—the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA). PEMA is not a response agency—it is a centralized body that coordinates emergency planning and services with county, state, and federal agencies.
Emergency management and coordination can be divided logically into three categories as it relates to the Tuscarora Trail:
- Search and Rescue
- Wildlife control
- Law enforcement
In all cases, the agency recommends dialing 911 to secure the most immediate emergency response.
Search and Rescue
Search-and-rescue operations on private lands are the primary function of local and county emergency management coordination services. These can be activated in any area along the Tuscarora Trail by dialing 911. Local and county governments will play the lead role in all areas except those described below. When two or more municipalities are involved, the county emergency service will coordinate the search-and-rescue operation. When more than one county is involved, PEMA will coordinate the operation. PEMA will coordinate search-and-rescue response when aerial operations are required on private lands.
Search-and-rescue operations on public lands are carried out by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The Department maintains a statewide network of search-and-rescue managers in both the Bureau of Forestry and the Bureau of State Parks. Search-and-rescue operations can be triggered by contacting the emergency services for the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources listed in Appendix B or through county emergency services by dialing 911. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will serve as the lead search-and-rescue agency on public lands.
Wildfire Control
Wildfire control throughout Pennsylvania is handled by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources—Bureau of Forestry regardless of the ownership of land. The Bureau administers the following services in its role as the fire control agency for the Commonwealth:
- Maintains statewide and individual forest district fire control plans
- Maintains a system of fire towers and fire wardens to detect and suppress forest and wildfires
- Develops rural fire fighting capabilities through purchase and renovation of surplus federal property for rural fire companies
- Maintains trained field staff and fire fighting equipment, including heavy equipment and aircraft support to fight fires
- Maintains statewide radio communications network
Wildfire control response can be activated by contacting the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (dial 911).
Law Enforcement
Each state agency is empowered to enforce state conservation laws on its lands and, in certain cases, on other lands throughout Pennsylvania. In addition, state conservation agencies can sometimes enforce the state’s criminal and vehicle code on agency-owned conservation lands. Finally, state and municipal law enforcement agencies are empowered to enforce general laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on all lands that the Tuscarora Trail crosses.
The following is a general description of agency responsibilities as they affect the Tuscarora Trail and its use. These can be divided into the following categories:
- General responses to criminal actions that require law enforcement officials
- General law enforcement actions on state lands
General Responses to Criminal Actions
All responses to criminal actions are handled by either the State Police or by a local law enforcement agency. Where a full-time local law enforcement agency is available, that agency will serve as the primary law enforcement agency and the State Police will function as backup. Where a part-time law enforcement agency exists, that agency will serve as the primary law enforcement agency during its business hours; State Police will fill in during off–hours. Where no local agency is available, the State Police will provide necessary police service on a full-time basis.
Emergency law enforcement reactions for the Tuscarora Trail corridor lands within Pennsylvania are triggered by dialing 911. For purposes of this plan, it is not necessary to know which local jurisdictions have full- or part-time law enforcement capabilities and which depend entirely on the State Police. State police jurisdictions can be contacted to obtain this information.
Law Enforcement on State–Owned Lands
State agencies have powers to enforce conservation codes and some criminal code provisions for violations that occur on state conservation lands. Some overlap exists among agencies having powers over conservation codes and public use of state land areas. A description of each agency’s powers is provided below.
- Forest officers of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources—Bureau of Forestry enforce Chapters 51 and 52 of Department rules and regulations governing state forests and state forest picnic areas. These regulate activities in Commonwealth forest lands, including boating, motorized vehicle use, fuel wood harvesting, camping, hunting and littering. In addition, state forest officers are empowered to enforce the snowmobile and all-terrain vehicle law, fish and game laws, and certain criminal and vehicle code provisions on state forest lands. The Bureau of Forestry is also charged with protecting state endangered plant species from collecting and harvesting.
- Rangers of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources—Bureau of State Parks enforce Chapter 31 of the Department rules and regulations pertaining to state recreation areas. The chapter regulates activities within state recreation areas, including traffic and parking, trespassing, possession of firearms, littering, hunting, camping and a wide range of other uses. Park rangers are also empowered to enforce snowmobile and all-terrain vehicle laws, fish and game laws, and vehicle and criminal codes within Commonwealth recreation areas.
Other Emergencies
Other kinds of emergency situations will undoubtedly occur along the Tuscarora Trail. Most will be managed by the state and local emergency response network established by PEMA, which is reached by dialing 911 from any location adjacent to the Trail.
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources continues to develop an emergency response plan that is coordinated by the agency. Response by the Department can be triggered by calling 911 or by contacting the Department directly (see Appendix B). The Department will respond to 20 categories of environmental emergencies, listed below:
- Air contamination
- Abandoned oil and gas wells in imminent danger
- Dam failure
- Energy shortage
- Explosives
- Fixed nuclear facility incidents
- Flooding
- Flood waterborne illness
- Forest fires and wildfires
- Ground water and surface water contamination
- Ice jams
- Mine subsidence, fire, or methane migration
- Public water supply contamination
- Radioactive material incidents
- Search and Rescue
- Sewage treatment plant problems
- Sinkholes and landslides
- Spills
- Underground mining accidents
- Water supply shortage and drought
Commonwealth of Virginia
Department of State Police
When notified, the State Police will coordinate efforts of all involved agencies. It contacts the Department of Emergency Services, the local county sheriff or rescue squad, or the National Park Service, where they have primary responsibility for emergency response. The Department of State Police provides law enforcement and police services, including investigation and prosecution of criminal actions; search-and-rescue services; emergency evacuation and recovery services; coordination for all search–and–rescue operations; and emergency management, including management of natural or manmade disasters, hazardous materials incidents, terrorist, hostage, or any other emergency situations on lands in the commonwealth that are outside the jurisdiction, responsibility, or capability of another federal, state, county, or local agency. Regardless of who owns the land, the Department is willing to serve as the point of contact and to coordinate response.
Department of Forestry
The Department of Forestry is responsible for wildfire suppression when state, local, or private woodlands are threatened. The county forester serves as fire boss or incident commander in fire suppression operations. Under cooperative agreements with the Shenandoah National Park, the state can assist in wildfire suppression actions on park lands. The agency will collect suppression costs from land holding agencies and private landowners.
Local Agencies
Local fire departments and rescue squads also respond to emergencies in their jurisdictions. Each local response organization can be contacted directly or through the State Police, county sheriff, or county forester.
