The Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station Historic Site & Museum located in Rodanthe village on Hatteras Island is hosting two community events. We hope you can make it to these events and that the Life-Saving station is a stop on your upcoming Hatteras Island vacation. It is rich with history and the summer programs are fun for all ages!

Special Off-Season Coast Guard Historic Drill Reenactment

A very special “pre-season” performance of the popular Beach Apparatus Drill, aka “Breeches Buoy Reenactment” will be held at the Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station Historic Site & Museum on Thursday, March 29th.
The program will start promptly at 10:00 am. Tickets are $6 for adults and $4 for seniors (62+) or youth (6-17). This historic reenactment will be performed by area Coast Guardsmen who are about to be promoted to the rank of Chief, which is a big step forward and is considered by the service to be a very big deal.

This exercise is part of what the U.S. Coast Guard calls the “Chief’s Indoctrination.” What is that you ask? The answer from the official Coast Guard website: The purpose of the Chief’s Call To Indoctrination (CCTI) is to prepare Prospective Chief Petty Officers (PCPO) to perform their roles and responsibilities as a chief petty officer. In addition, this event recognizes the achievement of a significant career milestone. CCTI reinforces the responsibility of all Chiefs as leaders and mentors.

Chicamacomico and Coast Guard History
The Beach Apparatus Drill, first used by the U.S. Life-Saving Service and continued when that organization was reformed and renamed the U.S.Coast Guard in 1915, was used to save hundreds of thousands lives from 1871 until 1962 when it was last used. Now helicopters and powerful lifeboats do the same. Thus, the prospective Chiefs get some direct and first-hand experience of what their predecessors went through, although they won’t be pulling a 1,000 pound Beach Cart three miles up the beach… in a storm.

Visiting Hatteras Island this summer? The Drill is regularly scheduled for every Thursday at 2:00 PM during June, July and August. This also gives attendees some pretty strong bragging rights: this is one of only two places in the entire country to perform the full drill regularly. And the ONLY one done by the Coast Guard!

Free Community Shredding Event & Family Activities

Saving Lives and Safeguarding Security, the Tradition Continues. The Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station Historic Site & Museum will be hosting a secure document shredding event on Saturday, March 31 from 1:00 to 4:00 pm as a fund-raiser for the Historic Station.

But wait, there’s more! Also free that afternoon are presentations by the Dare County Sheriffs Department about Identity Theft and deputies will also offer fingerprinting and ID kits for whoever wants them, including children. Free refreshments generously provided by Island Convenience will be available on the porch of the 1911 Station, inside the fence.The icing on the cake is free self-guided tours of the 1911 Life-Saving Station (the rest of the Site will remain closed). Please browse the Gift Shop while you are there.

The Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station Historic Site & Museum, in cooperation with the Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce, its Hatteras/Ocracoke Island Council, Shred X of Manteo, the Dare County Sheriffs Department, and Island Convenience of Rodanthe, is proud to announce this free and valuable event for the Outer Banks community to be held at the Chicamacomico Site in Rodanthe.
There is no limit of documents to bring. Mercifully there is also no need to remove staples, clips, spirals, hanging file folders because the machine will shred them all EXCEPT cardboard. What should you bring to destroy securely? The Shred X website says any and all old, outdated or expired payroll records, marketing plans, human resources documents, design ideas, legal briefs, medical records, personal and business information, confidential correspondence, canceled checks, trade secrets and blue prints or whatever you like. You will witness your own shredding being done right in front of you.

This event is a fundraiser for the Life-Saving Station which is still suffering the effects of Hurricane Irene. Chicamacomico wants to offer these valuable services to the community with the hopes that this generosity will be returned with donations and/or purchases in its unique Gift Shop. All are welcome.Questions about the event can be directed to Sara at the Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce at 252-441-8140 or to James at Chicamacomico at 252-996-0493.

About the Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station Historic Site & Museum

The Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station Historic Site & Museum is one of the many sites on the Historic Albemarle Tour and the National Outer Banks Scenic Byway. The Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station is only 30 minutes south of Nags Head or the same 30 minutes north of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. All are welcome. It is located in Rodanthe, the northernmost village of Cape Hatteras Island, oceanside at 23645 NC Highway 12, or MilePost 39.5, or GPS 35 35 737N, 75 27 981W.
It is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm mid-April-Thanksgiving. To learn more about Chicamacomico, its exciting activities and offerings, visit www.chicamacomico.net, email at clss@embarqmail.com, call 252-987-1552, and now on Facebook.