The Life Of A Lifesaver

roots The U.S. Life-Saving Service grew from in the 18th planted along the shores of Cape Cod of need to century, with men assembling at times long and pluck mariners from the sea along that coast. By sometimes treacherous Massachusetts come into the mid-1800s, the official service had funds. The being, supported in part by federal others were men who braved the weather to save the service called “storm warriors.” By the time it had was folded into the Coast Guard in 1915, 180,000 lives. been credited with saving more than based Members lived and worked as a team and his at stations on the beach. The keeper schedseven or eight surfmen followed a strict service. It ule that was standard throughout the off the kept things running smoothly and fought boredom of a lonely life. set up On Monday and Thursday the crew 17-pound a breeches buoy, firing a line with a representweight from a cannon toward a pole 75 yards ing the main mast of a stranded vessel the necesaway. A good crew could then set up the breechsary lines and pulleys required to rig in the dark. es buoy in less than three minutes — pound On Tuesday they launched the 2,000- for a halfsurf boat and exercised at the oars boat, too. hour, capsizing and righting the - and nuWednesday meant drilling with letter night merical flags, wig-wag flags and making Friday the signals with lights and flares. On the appar - crew gathered to practice “restoring as ently drowned,” using such varied methods form of brandy, mustard plasters and an early artificial resuscitation. the staThey worked at maintenance around cleaning. tion on Saturday, sweeping, painting, rest and, Sunday was a well-deserved day of back to the perhaps, a trip into town. Then it was beach, with an eye on the weather. — Steve Knauth