Cape Hatteras National Seashore will, with the help of local communities, be able to offer lifeguard services at three beaches this summer.
There had been questions over whether the national seashore would be able to afford lifeguards this summer due to budget cuts that sliced about $1 million from the seashore's annual funding.
Superintendent Barclay Trimble announced Friday that the national seashore's summer lifeguard operation and services would begin Saturday and continue through Labor Day, with guards working at Coquina Beach, Cape Hatteras Lighthouse beach, and the Ocracoke Day Use Area from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week.
During the winter of 2013-2014, at a time when federal budget restraints forced tough decisions regarding basic park operations, cooperative efforts and partnerships led to a compromised resolution, seashore officials said in a release. Following discussions between the park superintendent, Hyde County government, and the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau, the two local entities agreed to provide stop-gap funding for this summer, which enabled the longstanding lifeguard operation for the seashore to return to a seven days a week.
Comments
This was extortion of funds from the local communities. The NPS threatened the safety of visitors and to negatively impact tourism in order to extort funding for lifeguards. This action has driven an even deeper wedge between the NPS, local communities, and visitors. The local communities have vowed to not allow this extortion to happen next year. The NPS at Cape Hiatteras National Seashore Recreational Area have been on a decade long mission to harm the local economies and reduce visitors, from beach closures, excessive permits and fees, and ridiculous resource management practices. There is no partnership and no cooperative environment Mr. Trimble.
I would like to know how the NPS magically found funding for the lifeguards at all since lthey claimed last year there was no money for lifeguard program.
Did Barclay Trimble get booted because of the lifegaurd scandal? Did he get booted because of the deepened divide with community? Did he leave because the NPS policies have created a toxic environment with the local communities and visitors?
Glad to see this sorry excuse for a superintendent leave!
Still no annoucement from NPT that Barclay Trimble got "promoted" out of CAHA? Any insiders want to speculate why?