2020 Distinguished Service Award
Gerald Bamburg
2020 Distinguished Service Award
Gerald Bamburg was a member of the Florida Park Service family long before he began his career with the state of Florida. Gerald comes from a family of park rangers. In conversations with him, he has spoken of visiting his uncle, then park manager at Wekiwa Springs State Park, as a young man. After serving his country in the U.S. Navy, Gerald sought employment with the Florida Department of Natural Resources at the newly acquired Dr. Julian G. Bruce St. George Island State Park.
Gerald began his career at Dr. Julian G. Bruce St. George Island State Park in June 1986 as a park law-enforcement officer. During his tenure at the park, he has served as law enforcement officer, park ranger, resident park ranger, interim assistant park manager, and his current position of maintenance mechanic.
Gerald has amassed an array of maintenance skills in his career that have proved mission-critical to ensuring the park's daily operations. The knowledge he possesses of the park's infrastructure have been essential in assisting park staff with repairs.
Gerald has cleaned up and repaired park facilities after every hurricane that has impacted the park since its opening. Gerald has seen the park change drastically during his tenure, often recounting the original location of the road some 100 yards south of the current roadway. Gerald has participated in all facets of resource management, including prescribed burning and sea turtle nest monitoring. Simply put, Gerald is as knowledgeable of the park's diversity as one can be.
Gerald is also a great teacher. He has assisted park staff and volunteers with maintenance projects and taught many his methods and knowledge.
In August 2020, Gerald assisted with a park water main break. With his knowledge of the park's plumbing infrastructure, he was able to save the park thousands of dollars in repair bills.
Gerald is an exemplary employee, and staff consult with him on any questions of park operations. His knowledge of park maintenance has been a great benefit to the park and the state. It is for these reasons among countless others that he is being nominated for a Distinguished Service Award.
The Distinguished Service Award is awarded annually to recognize contributions that require a high degree of personal initiative, professionalism, leadership, effort or skill; must represent a significant benefit to the division; and must be made on a voluntary or special assignment basis completely above and beyond the requirements of the employee's position description.