Wool uniforms keep rangers cool in heat

Regular Historic City News contributor, Jeffrey Edel who is a U. S. Park Ranger and the Historic Weapons Supervisor at the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, stands his post in full uniform; just like the Spanish soldiers who guarded the fort hundreds of years ago.

Surprisingly, according to Edel, decked out in the woolen uniforms worn by rangers, “I’m probably cooler than you are — it’s just that I’m a little wetter”.

“I sit there and watch them melt,” Edel said, jokingly. “They’re getting sunburned and they’re dropping from heat exhaustion. You know, we’re doing fine.”

Edel says “Where’s the bathroom?” is still his most frequently asked question; however, “Aren’t you hot in that?” runs a close second.

The period outfits actually keep rangers cooler than the people wearing shorts in the summer, according to a First Coast News interview given by Edel recently. “While tourists adjust their baseball caps and guzzle water, rangers at the Castillo de San Marcos have wool to keep them cool in triple-digit heat,” the television reporter observed.

Edell likened the 18th Century technology used in his garments to today’s microfiber fabrics. “The uniform is made of several layers of linen and wool,” Edel said. “The fabric pulls sweat away from the skin, which naturally cools the person inside.”

Instead of fast-drying fabrics used today, the uniforms are made of materials that keep moisture inside. The long sleeves also protect from the harsh sun and from insects.

Rangers said they are more comfortable than the fort’s visitors on a hot summer day.