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| | Airport Rangers | | For more information --the web site is www.fly2houston.com right click and open in a new window. On the Home tab select George Bush Intercontinental. When the page opens go to Airport Rangers on the tool bar running down the left side of the page. Airport Rangers Equestrian Volunteer Project | Thank you for your interest in the George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) Airport Rangers program. The Airport Rangers program was created in December of 2003 with increasing the security of IAH through community participation. Airport Rangers are mounted security patrol made up of volunteers, including off-duty law enforcement officers that ride their horses along the perimeter of the 11,000 acre Bush Intercontinental Airport. In return for keeping an eye out for and reporting any suspicious activity in the area, equestrians have a pristine location, including wooded trails to ride and the airport has extra eyes and ears in areas that most security patrols can not easily access.
All riders are required to fill out an application and undergo background checks. Once the application is approved and background checks are completed, riders will be issued a photo-identification airport badge giving them access to certain remote airport property. All riders must be equipped with cell phones, so they will be able to call for IAH Security or law enforcement if they spot suspicious activity. Riders are given the phone numbers to call at time of their picking up their photo-identification airport badge. The trails are being well-marked to give points of reference. | Please contact if interested: Felipe Torrez Felipe.Torrez@cityofhouston.net , his office number 281-230-3219 or his cell 713-515-8361. Danell Sangster
Danell.Sangster@cityofhouston.net , her office number 281-233-1512 or her cell at 713-859-1247.
|  | After Public Safety receives the application properly filled out and signed, it will be processed by verifying the information and running a background check, including a criminal background and registered sex offender check.
If approved, you will be notified to go to the badging office in Terminal A at Bush Intercontinental Airport to have your picture taken and an ID badge prepared, to sign some other documents, including a waiver and release of liability, to receive a set of the Rules & Regulations, a list of what to look for in terms of suspicious activity when you are out riding, and a map to the trailheads. I would like to extend my appreciation to David Poynor who started the Airport Ranger program and we will miss him in his retirement. |
Trail Information
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There are four areas open for riding at this time … the north, south, west and Lee Road trailheads. All trails open at sunrise and close at sundown. There is no riding after dark and no one is allowed on the trails or in trailhead areas after sundown.
The only areas approved for riding at the airport are those designated as trails. This includes the trails cut through the woods and the open areas on either side of the woods where available. There is to be no riding on the main roads - Will Clayton Parkway and John F. Kennedy (JKF) Blvd - other than to get from one approved area to another unless required and approved for specific security projects.
Parking of horse trailers and vehicles is restricted to the designated parking areas. Information about the parking areas and directions to them is shown below. Horse trailer parking is available. Directions are shown below.
|  Pegasus Alert
Airport Rangers
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Trail Directions | The north trailhead is just south of FM 1960. The entrance is approximately 100 yards east of Farrell Road if you are coming in from I 45. It is approximately 1.2 miles west of Cypresswood Dr. if you are coming in from US 59. There is a large parking area at this site. There are approximately 5 miles of trails in this section. | The west trailhead (Chanute Road) is located behind the Police Academy which is located at the corner of Aldine-Westfield Road and Rankin Road. Follow Rankin Road east until it dead ends. Turn left on Chanute Road and go to a large parking area just north of the end of the pavement. You will see an entrance to the trail on your left at the end of the fence. There are other entrances. There are approximately 5 miles of trails in this section. | The south trailhead is just north of Greens Road. From JFK Boulevard go east approximately .3 miles and turn left, just past the city parking lot, and just before you reach HH Ranch. Go approximately .6 miles and turn right into an open area opposite of Parking Lot Pole No. 34. If coming from Lee Road, it is approximately 1.25 miles west of Lee Road, just past HH Ranch. Turn right and go .6 miles. There are approximately 6 miles of trails in this section. | The Lee Road trailhead is located east of Lee Road, south of Will Clayton. Coming from Will Clayton, turn east just prior to the observation Park (where people watch planes come and go). Coming from the south, it is just past the Observation Park This site may not be accessible during wet weather conditions. There are approximately 5 miles of trails in this section. |
Accolades for the Airport Rangers | | Houston Airport System June 15, 2006 | Five years ago, after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, a group of horseback-riding volunteers were put together by Houston Airport System’s director Rick Vacar. Their mission was simple: act as the airport system’s eyes and ears on the more than 11,000-acre-wide Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). Since then the membership of this unique, civilian-staffed patrol unit has grown to more than 750 volunteers. To most they’re a battalion of courageous and committed local citizens that do not take lightly the potential threat of unusual activities on airport property, hence their name: the Airport Rangers. This week, for their role in airport security and passenger safety, the Airport Rangers were honored by the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS) International. Vacar; his deputy director of public safety, Mark Mancuso; and David Poynor, the Houston program’s coordinator, each received an award for their visionary leadership. | 
This year, the Airport Rangers were honored by ASIS International. | “Airport security is not exclusive to new technologies and state-of-the-art machinery,” said Vacar upon receiving his award. “At IAH we’ve found a way to make the community a part of the process – sometimes there’s no better way to keep an eye on your perimeter than to have a human being out there.” ASIS International, with more than 33,000 members, is the largest international organization for professionals responsible for security, including managers and directors of security. Their mission is to increase the effectiveness and productivity of security practices by developing educational programs and materials that address broad security concerns. Each gathering, the organization recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the security industry. This year, for the first time, ASIS decided to honor security programs that have had a significant impact on the industry. “The Airport Rangers program is such a visionary approach to airport security that we thought it only fitting to debut this new awards category with the recognition of those individuals that have made it possible,” said Greg Walker, president of the Houston chapter of ASIS International. Copyright 2006 - Houston Airport System |
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Harris county mounted patrol deputies inaugurate the IAH horse trails. Airport rangers now help monitor perimeter areas of the airport.
Houston Airport System
| The requirements for licensed law enforcement officer (LEO's) to participate in the Airport Rangers program are: All Law Enforcement Officers must sign the Liability Waiver before riding on the IAH horse trails, just like everyone else (it does not apply to any damages they sustain while in the line of duty on the property). Please call Dave Poynor at 281-233-7375 to receive the liability waiver.
Harris county mounted patrol deputies inaugurate the IAH horse trails. Airport rangers now help monitor perimeter areas of the airport.
LEO's may ride in their uniform, even if off-duty. However, when not in uniform, the law enforcement officer must display their agencies LEO photo ID on the outermost civilian garment.
LEO's must have a cell phone with them to call for back-up should they need it or to report any problems to (281) 230-1300 (HAS Security Dispatch)
It is preferred that LEO's have their gun on them.
Family members can ride with LEO's as long as the LEO is present. Each family member must also sign liability waiver under any condition. There are special waiver forms for the LEOs, separate waiver forms for their adult family members and separate waiver forms for their minor children and David Poynor at 281-233-7375 can also provide those to LEOs.
Family members who want to ride without an LEO present must complete an application and will be required to follow the normal steps as other applicants.
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For additional Information | | 
| You can also get to the Ranger site by clicking on the TTRG logo. Where a new window will open for your convenience. | | This page was last modified on Wednesday, January 19, 2011 07:09:17 PM |
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