American Heroes Day 2009 on The Outer Banks, NC
Chicamacomico U.S. Life-Saving Station hosts 4th Annual Event on August 6th
The Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station Museum Complex will be holding its fourth annual “American Heroes Day” on Thursday, August 6, 2009 from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM in the village of Rodanthe on Hatteras Island. Chicamacomico was part of the United States Life-Saving Service (1871-1915) wich would eventually become today’s U.S. Coast Guard, and was the first such station built in NC dating back to 1874. The men of the United States Life-Saving Service were the original rescue heroes, the “storm warriors” who made dramatic and heroic rescues of shipwreck victims whose lives were in peril from the sea.
With that inspiration, Chicamacomico decided to honor and celebrate true American heroes of the past and the present. Participants invited include the US Coast Guard, US Navy, Coast Guard Auxiliary, local volunteer fire departments, NC State Highway Patrol, local sheriff and police departments, local EMS units and Ocean Rescue squads, NPS Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Outer Banks Lighthouse Society, the Frisco Native American Museum, and perhaps some last-minute surprises. Equipment on display and/or in use includes fire engines, ambulances, police cars, Coast Guard helicopter, rescue boats, and others. There will be numerous displays, demonstrations, and exhibits as well as hands-on activities and participation events. See Schedule of Events (below) for details.
All of these organizations are heroic to us. Some are obvious by saving lives, but others are saving history nature, or culture. All selflessly serve the public like the Life-Saving Service did. And, unfortunately also like the Life-Saving Service, do not always get the public recognition they deserve. So, American Heroes of today, the Heroes of the Past salute you. Many thanks for carrying on such an essential and positive time-honored tradition.
This is a fund-raising event for the non-profit 501c3 Chicamacomico Historical Association so that it may continue these kinds of events and keep the history of heroes alive.
Admission fees are a flat $5 per person. Children 5 and under are free. For additional information, contact the Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station by phone at (252) 987-1552, or email clss@embarqmail.com . Visit the website at http://www.chicamacomico.net/ to learn more about the organization and see a write-up about previous year’s events.
Schedule of Events
The Schedule of Events, as of press time*, for Thursday, August 6, 2009
Chicamacomico’s 4th Annual “American Heroes Day”
ONE-TIME EVENTS
10:00 Event Opens (All emergency vehicles: sirens on 30 seconds, lights on 5 minutes)
10:30 Opening Ceremonies – Posting of Colors, United States Coast Guard Ceremonial Honor Guard, Alexandria, VA.
Welcoming Remarks, James Charlet, Chicamacomico Historic Site Manager
Guest Speaker: Joe Raymond, Lt., USCG Sector NC Field Office Nags Head
11:00 USCG Search & Rescue Demo, Jayhawk Helicopter & GC Lifeboat
12:00 Front Porch 1911 Station
1:00 Water Rescue Demo (Chicamacomico Banks VFD Water Rescue Unit)
2:00 Beach Apparatus Drill: (See picture above. The Beach Apparatus Drill is a historic reenactment of a rescue method used by the U.S. Life-Saving Service and will be performed at 2 pm on August 6, during American Heroes Day, as it is every Thursday in the summer. It involves a large two-wheeled cart filled with life saving equipment or “apparatus”, the firing of a projectile with a black-powder cannon to get lines to a stricken ship (the “wreck pole” in the drill simulates the mast of a ship) and then sending out equipment to save the lives of those on board, one soul at a time. Aaron Tuell photo)
3:00 Closing Salute: Military Flyover, U.S. Navy F-18 fighter jets
ON-GOING EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE DAY
- US Coast Guard Station Oregon Inlet- static display of 25 foot response boat & tow truck
- US Coast Guard Station Hatteras Inlet- interactive demonstration of fixing vessel water leaks
- Chicamacomico Banks Volunteer Fire Dept & Water Rescue Unit- static display and inspection of ladder truck and jet-ski, and tow truck. See demo above.
- Dare County Sheriff Department- live demos of K9 Officer and dog, static displays and inspection of patrol car and 5 ton “storm truck”
- Dare County Emergency Medical Services –static display of EMS ambulance and equipment
- Kill Devil Hills Ocean Rescue Unit – static display of truck and lifeguard equipment
- Salvo Volunteer Fire Department – static display and inspection of company fire engine
- North Carolina Highway Patrol – static display and inspection of SUV Patrol vehicle
- Tables, displays, handouts, and conversations with – Dare County Emergency Management, NPS Cape Hatteras Nation Seashore, Outer Banks Lighthouse Society, & Frisco Native American Museum
*This is a tentative schedule and subject to change due to the fact that active-duty emergency personnel and equipment are present and may be called out before or during the event.
