on duty

Parks officials were directed to keep employees who perform front-facing visitor services, such as maintenance and sanitation, on duty, along with essential law enforcement and emergency functions.

Control towers at two major airports are regularly closed when the only controller on duty takes a break.

Mario Garcia, the battalion chief listed as being on duty the day that firefighters were ordered to leave the Lachman fire, said in an email that he was unable to comment due to “the ongoing investigation.”

Many government employees, including vital airport staff, are either on duty unpaid or furloughed at home, waiting for the high-stakes political standoff between Republicans and Democrats to end.

Donna-Marie Hamilton-Wallace, the head of nursing at the hospital, was on duty at the time.