In February 1941 Crouch updated his 1940 report on “Ranger Protection Requirements” for the park. According to Superintendent Leavitt this supplement was designed “to keep current park protection requirements to substantiate trends, which in turn give justification for changes in administration, expansion of activities, etc. , and to emphasize the rapidly changing conditions from year to year.” The supplemental report stated that the unprecedented travel to Crater Lake during 1940 emphasized “the urgent need for permanent personnel to look after this all-out use of the park.” Despite the spiraling visitation “the numerical strength of the protection personnel remained stationary, and very definitely below a minimum required to perform satisfactorily even the most essential services expected of this division.” A temporary structure had been used in the Rim Village area as a clearing house for protection activities, but a permanent ranger station was needed. Operations during 1940 substantiated the recommendation for ranger and checking stations at the north, south, east, and west entrances to the park.
Ranger districts had been established in the northern, southern, and headquarters/rim areas of the park. A fourth district had been created in the Lost Creek area “due to the extraordinary conditions prevailing in and the attention required for the Yawkey lands in the southeast corner of the park.” While the districts provided for greater efficiency in ranger services Crouch observed that the “one outstanding deficiency in the operations was a complete lack of District Rangers notwithstanding the effective work accomplished by those designated Acting District Rangers.” He observed:
In the case of two districts, it was necessary to designate seasonal rangers as Acting District Rangers and all other rangers assigned to these districts were seasonal men. The work expected and actually performed by these two men were those of a District Ranger, and yet it is not in conformity with good personnel management to expect them to continue in such assignments with their present ratings. The operation of the district system the past year more than justified its establishment. A continuation of the district organization will insure an increase in the aggregate volume of protection business and a greater efficiency together with a more substantial return from the funds expended for protection. Two District Ranger positions should, therefore, be established to make this possible.
Crouch also recommended the addition of an assistant chief ranger position to the park staff:
The need for an Assistant Chief Ranger position continues apparent. Assistance in the general operation of the department–selection, training and supervision–is greatly needed in the summer season and equally so or more so in the winter season when the Chief Ranger is assigned to Klamath Falls or Medford. One member of the ranger staff has to assume responsibility for and supervision of protection activities in the park during the winter, such assignment comparing in every respect to the seasonal rangers who were designated Acting District Rangers. The work in the park during the winter must be largely planning and supervision, following general and broad programs, and places on the man greater responsibility and requires a greater scope of activities, both quantity and quality, than was contemplated in a Grade FCS 8 Ranger position. The work of this man is in every respect that contemplated in the classification of Assistant Chief Ranger and such a position should be established. [20]
By the fall of 1942 a “Crater Lake Ranger and Fire Organization” plan had been developed. It was reported that the district ranger system was working well, both in routine and emergency situations. The fire protection efficiency of the ranger force was proven by the fact that of the 23 fires (21 lightning-caused, 1 man-caused, and 1 miscellaneous) occurring in the park during the year, only one exceeded the Class A acreage of a maximum of 1/4-acre and that one covered 0.77 acre. Fire protection during the year was enhanced by the completion of telephone lines from the rim to the north entrance checking station and from the park to a U.S. Forest Service guard station east of the park.
