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Save
Our Lights!
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American Lighthouse Foundation, Inc.
P.O. Box 565
Rockland,
Maine 04841
Phone: 207-594-4174
info@lighthousefoundation.org
The American Lighthouse Foundation is a
Non-Profit 501(c)(3) Organization dedicated to the preservation of America's historic lighthouses.
SEARCH ALF WEB
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Race Point ‘Keepers’ Dedicated to being the
Best for Preservation, Conservation and YOU!
By Bob Trapani, Jr.
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Over the past decade, thousands of people have enjoyed
memorable daytrips and overnight stays at Race Point Light Station on
Cape Cod.
The alluring thought of total relaxation away from the
hustle and bustle of life, all while enjoying the breathtaking natural
beauty found at a place of solitude like Race |
Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
Race Point Light Station, Cape Cod, MA
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Point, is an
experience that never fails to speak to one’s innermost feelings and
emotions.
But who makes all this possible at Race Point?
The answer is the dedicated volunteers – or ‘keepers,’ of the Cape Cod
Chapter of the American Lighthouse Foundation.
No lighthouse can be properly cared for, preserved and shared with the
general public, without vigilant ‘keepers.’
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Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
Volunteers participate in the 2009 Race
Point Lighthouse Volunteer Orientation
program in Hyannis, MA
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Thankfully,
Race Point Light Station is blessed with some of the very best in the
country when it comes to volunteers willing and able to accept the
serious responsibility of hosting guests at a historic site that is
nestled within a sensitive environment like Cape Cod National Seashore.
On Saturday,
May 2, 2009, over fifty volunteers gave of their |
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time to
participate in the Cape Cod Chapter’s ‘Race Point Lighthouse Volunteer
Orientation’ program, which was held at the Federated Church of Hyannis.
The eight-hour orientation covered a host of topics ranging from lighthouse
and vehicle operations to the protection of endangered species and training
in the use of a defibrillator.
“This is our third volunteer keeper orientation, “says James Walker, Cape
Cod Chapter chairman. “Each year the orientation continues to get better,
thanks in part to individuals like Bill Jenkins who worked hard on the
program since last September.”
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The Race Point
Lighthouse Volunteer Orientation featured a number of brand new keepers,
in addition to the veteran keepers returning for 2009, so Bill Jenkins,
a Cape Cod Chapter board member who served as the event’s facilitator,
started off by covering the history of Race Point Light Station and the
Cape Cod Chapter.
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Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
The "Keepers Handbook" touched on
many facets, including vehicle operation
oversand to Race Point Light Station
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Mr. Jenkins also included a segment within the program that explained who
the American Lighthouse Foundation is and the lighthouses the organization
cares for throughout New England.
James Walker addressed the volunteer keepers at the outset of the
orientation, noting that the training session was important in order “to
have everybody on the same page, especially when it comes to new updates in
operations at Race Point and the Federal regulations governing activities
within Cape Cod National Seashore.”
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Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
The keeper's house at
Race Point Light Station
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Following the welcome and history segment, the remainder
of the orientation was dedicated to the careful review of Race Point
Lighthouse’s Keeper’s Handbook.
Using an engaging combination of imagery, text slides and
video clips, volunteer keepers listened, learned and |
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asked questions
about every aspect of operations at the light station.
According to the document, “The Keeper’s Handbook contains policies
and procedures you need to thoroughly understand and employ in order to
ensure that you and the guests have a safe and enjoyable experience.”
Orientation facilitator Bill Jenkins notes, “A Keeper's duties are fairly
straight forward in nature. They are, however, very detailed. Simply reading
the Handbook, especially for a new volunteer, would not provide a level of
performance we consider acceptable.”
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Mr. Jenkins
went on to say, “Like learning to fly an airplane, it is best to have
some formal ‘hands-on’ training. My goal was to have each volunteer
keeper leave the event empowered with the knowledge needed to conduct
daily operations at Race Point safely, and with confidence.”
In addition to
program operations at Race Point |
Photo by Chris Mills
The "Keeper's Handbook" stresses
the importance of protecting the natural environment surrounding Race
Point
Light Station
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Light Station,
volunteer keepers must also be mindful of the natural environment, for the
station’s location, as beautiful as it is, remains a sensitive resource that
requires vigilance and responsibility to ensure its full protection.
The Keeper’s Handbook dedicates a section to training volunteers on
this important aspect by stressing the need to understand and carry out the
Federal regulations that govern activities within Cape Cod National
Seashore, and protect the dunes, wildlife and endangered species.
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Photo by Dave Spang
Protecting the piping plover is of utmost
importance -- a point the orientation
focused upon
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For instance,
the Keeper’s Handbook notes, “Please respect the environment and
be considerate of others. Minimize your impact on this fragile ecosystem
by exercising responsible off-road driving practices. Leave the beaches
and trails beautiful; drive only where permitted; when walking the
dunes, use established trails; stay |
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off the
vegetation; pack out what you pack in and pick up a little more for those
who are less considerate.”
The document goes on to state, “Be aware of wildlife. Shorebirds are
abundant and seals sun themselves on the beaches. Respect their space and
avoid disturbing them. Should you discover sea life or wildlife in distress,
call the appropriate organization and advise them of your discovery.”
David Spang, a retired National Park Service employee with over 40 years
experience, serves as the Cape Cod Chapter’s ‘Vehicle Escort Program
Manager’ and presented a segment during the orientation on the serious
responsibility of protecting the endangered piping plover.
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Plovers nest throughout Cape Cod National Seashore on an
annual basis (typically between late May and early July), and often
times establish nests along Pole Line Road near Race Point Light
Station.
Mr. Spang explained that during the 2006 season the
lighthouse was closed for six weeks due to nesting plovers |
Photo by Dave Spang
The Cape Cod Chapter utilizes an ATV to
escort its vehicles to and from Race
Point
during the piping plover season
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near the
lighthouse, resulting in a major loss of revenue for the Cape Cod Chapter,
which is critical for the upkeep of Race Point Light Station, as well as
nearby Wood End and Long Point lights.
Subsequently,
an agreement was worked out in 2007 between U.S. Fish & Wildlife, National
Park Service, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife, United States
Coast Guard and the nonprofit American Lighthouse Foundation, which
maintains the historic site through a Coast Guard license agreement that
permits limited access to the lighthouse during the plover season.
Mr. Spang
noted, “The Race Point Lighthouse Essential Vehicle Management Plan enables
Cape Cod Chapter volunteers to work closely with the Cape National Seashore
on an escort program that has permitted one round trip per day in and out of
the area requiring protection for the piping plover.”
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Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
Shoreline along Cape Cod
National Seashore
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“The escorts
are trained by National Seashore plover Rangers to be able to recognize
the birds, get to know their behavior, and how to monitor them without
harassing them. An ATV is used to travel to the area and to lead the ALF
vehicles in and out. The ATV is used because it gives the escort an
excellent |
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view of the road
ahead and allows the rider to hear the peeps of any birds nearby.”
Reviewing every important aspect within the Keeper’s Handbook for
Race Point Lighthouse and learning about vital information to ensure the
protection of an endangered species like the piping plover was a full day’s
session for the Cape Cod Chapter’s volunteer keepers, yet the group didn’t
stop there.
For the volunteers knew there was a new – and extremely important, facet of
their orientation to cover next, so they dutifully pushed on with the
session well into the afternoon.
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Thanks to the Cape Cod Chapter’s commitment to their
guest’s enjoyment and well being at Race Point Lighthouse, the group has
gone the extra step and added a device at the site that may very well
prove to be a lifesaver one day.
Starting in 2009, a defibrillator will be at the
lighthouse, which means the keepers at Race Point must be familiar with
how |
Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
Race Point Light Station, which has
been beautifully restored by the
Cape Cod Chapter of ALF
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to use this
important device, especially since the light station’s location is remote
and logistically challenging for medical responders.
“Should a visitor to Race Point ever find themselves the unfortunate victims
of Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA), our defibrillator provides keepers and
guests one more level of personal safety, especially in such a remote
location,” said Bill Jenkins.
“Due to the oversand component of the drive to reach Race Point, Emergency
Medical Services (EMS) is slow in reaching us. This being the case, the
decision was to purchase a Zoll AED plus. Not only is the AED able to
provide a ‘shock’ to a victim of SCA if needed, but also visually and
aurally ‘coaches’ a caregiver through the steps necessary to perform
high-quality Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) until EMS arrives.”
Mr. Jenkins went on to explain the process of how the Cape Cod Chapter
obtained a defibrillator for the lighthouse, noting, “Once the Race Point
Board voted to go with the project of installing an AED, I contacted one of
our brand new Keeper's who recently retired from his job as a Fire Chief and
Paramedic -- Gary Childs. Gary still provides CPR/AED training for hospitals
and Fire Departments in Massachusetts and was the perfect candidate.”
“He was able to use the services of an organization on Cape Cod called
Connecting Hearts, which provides guidance in the implementation Public |
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Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
The 2009 Race Point Lighthouse Volunteer
Orientation program included training on the proper use of a
defibrillator
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Access
Defibrillation Programs, just as we now have in place at the lighthouse.
They have ties to physicians at the Cape Cod Hospital who would be
‘writing’ the prescription for, and who will be overseeing the
implementation of, the AED.”
Adding an
important lifesaving device like a defibrillator to Race Point
Lighthouse |
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meant that the
volunteer keepers were going to require professional training. This fact
would necessitate the chapter’s orientation program being expanded, but
typical of Cape Cod Chapter’s volunteers, they exhibited a ‘can do’ attitude
despite the additional learning.
“Due to the interest the CPR/AED training class generated, the instructor to
student ratio at Keeper Orientation would be beyond what is acceptable to
the American Heart Association guidelines,” said Bill Jenkins. “Additional
instructors would definitely be needed. With Gary's ties to the Emergency
‘First Responder’ community he was able to enlist the assistance of more
trainers. The following individuals gave selflessly of their personal time
to bring their expertise to our group:”
Renee Lake, John Adelizzi, Judi Franklyn, Kathleen Haniffy, Joshua Mullen,
Christopher Norris, Gene Os.
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“Allow me to share a communication sent to these
wonderful people:”
I would like to take this opportunity to thank each of
you for providing professional-level, CPR/AED training to our Keeper
corp. Your training was inspiring to watch. As I walked about the room,
I was able to observe each of you taking questions or demonstrating a
certain technique to your trainee |
Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
Having a defibrillator at Race Point
Light Station is vitally important to the remote, oversand location of
the site
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group.
The majority of
the attendees who participated personally told me they were grateful you
cared about the material you were teaching and had the patience to keep them
motivated throughout a fairly lengthy program. Comments like these are a
testament to their trust in each of you and their respect of your
credentials.
Once again, thank you for sharing your time and expertise with the Race
Point volunteers.
Highest regards,
Bill Jenkins
Race Point Lighthouse
The incredibly thorough 2009 Race Point Lighthouse Volunteer Orientation
program demonstrates the Cape Cod Chapter’s unwavering commitment to
excellence when it comes to lighthouse preservation, the environment,
innovative adaptive reuse, education and memorable public access.
Just as importantly, such a program requires the very best in responsible
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Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
An overnight stay at Race Point Light
Station
is a memory that promises to 'shine
bright'
for a lifetime
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and dedicated
volunteers. When one stops and realizes that the Cape Cod Chapter has
been successfully operating its overnight stay program at Race Point
Lighthouse for over a decade, it speaks volumes about the volunteer
keepers and their commitment to all the facets that encompass the
one-of-a-kind beauty and charm of this historic site.
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So whether your visit to Race Point Light Station lasts for a few hours or a
few days, the experience promises to not only ‘shine on’ for a lifetime in
your heart and mind, you will also walk away with an admiration for the
‘keepers of the light’ who make this amazing opportunity possible for YOU!
Posted: 6/9/09 |
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