Beach Rescue Drills The preferred means of rescue involved the beach apparatus. The beach apparatus included a cart that could be pulled down the beach by men or by horse. On the cart was a Lyle gun, line, powder for the gun, and a breeches buoy. A beach rescue was only possible within 350 yards of shore. To ensure the "readiness" of the men, beach rescue drills were done every week. Beach rescue drills began with the shout "ACTION". The surfmen fired the Lyle gun over a drill pole which was made to look like a ship's mast. The line played out, it was attached and the breeches buoy sent out to the person on the drill pole. The drill ended with the retrieval of the person in the breeches buoy. Some life-saving stations also had a life car as well, a capsule that could be sent out like the breeches buoy and which people could crawl inside. For the district inspector's visit, this drill had to be performed within 5 minutes, or those slowing the drill could be fired.

CLICK FOR LARGER PHOTO Keeper's daughter riding Breeches Buoy

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