Video produced by Logan Hall, part of the 2024 HIRS water rescue staff.
The Hatteras Island Rescue Squad (HIRS) is looking for water rescue candidates for the upcoming 2025 season.
The HIRS is a familiar presence on the beaches of southern Hatteras Island during the summer months, as the roughly 30-member volunteer team routinely patrols the shoreline from Memorial Day until Labor Day, conducting hundreds of water rescues every year.
“The district we cover is approximately 30 miles of the Atlantic Ocean and Pamlico sound coastlines,” stated HIRS in a recent announcement about the candidate search. “The district starts around Ramp 30 and extends to Hatteras Inlet, including Cape Point.
“The rescue squad is a volunteer organization that created the paid-summer water rescue program to keep up with the uptake in call volume during the summer. Tryouts begin the week of May 19th and are a week long. The season runs until the beginning of September.”
Qualifications for interested candidates include the following:
- Must be 18 years old or older
- Capable of passing a swim test
- Hold comfortability in challenging surf conditions
- Willingness to learn and train
- EMT experience is preferred
In-house training is also provided for the following skills:
- CPR
- First Aid
- Blood-borne pathogens
- UTV operator
- Jet ski operations
For any questions, contact Molly Greenwood, Water Rescue Captain, at hatterasrescue35@gmail.com, or visit the organization’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/HIRS35.
