False Woman in Life Saving Crew

Operations of the Treasury Exhibit on Park Lake Shore

Buffalo Courier, June 23, 1901

Dressed as a woman, one of the members of the Exposition Life Saving crew was the "heroine" of a thrilling rescue from the mast in Park Lake yesterday afternoon.

Given a little distance, the life saver could pass muster for a woman, and many of these in the crowd which watched the drill wondered at the temerity which "she" displayed in going out, scaling the mast and coming ashore in the breeches buoy. Yesterday was the first time this feature has been introduced into the drill, but hereafter the "lady" will be rescued daily. The purpose of this feature is to show that the Life Saving Service can and does rescue women from wrecks quite as readily as men.

The only difference in the operation is in the style of the buoy, which is modified to suit the costume of the rescued by having the breeches enclosed in a long sack. The "heroine" of the mast is brought ashore in safety and with perfect propriety.

Another new feature which has been introduced into the drill in the past few days is the rescue frmo the sinking boat. After the breeches buoy is over and while the rest of the crew is pulling in the ropes one of the members, who is dressed as a rube, paddles off in a little punt. When he is off about 100 yards from shore his reckless management of the craft causes it to upset. He goes under with a loud yell from the crowd. This attracts the attention of his brother life savers off the dock, who drop the ropes on which they have been pulling so industriously, run for the surf boat and put off to his rescue. When they arrive he is under water, apparently down for the last time. One of the crew leaps from the boat into the water, and brings him to the surface, where the two are quickly seized by the other life savers and hauled into the boat. This is then headed shoreward and rowed to the dock with all speed. The apparently inanimate man is taken out on the dock and resuscitated. when all the methods employed in the service have been demonstrated he leaps to his feetwith a laugh and runs with his mates to the big life boat, which is then taken out for the turn-over drill.

Yesterday the equipment of the life boat was increased by the arrival of the power life boat from Marquette, Mich. This is precisely similar to but larger than the boat which is used in the turn-over drills, and is propelled by a twelve-horse power gas engine situated behind its rear bulkhead. As this craft is too heavy to upset by anything save a derrick it cannot be used in drills. It will be shown here as the latest improvement incorporated into the United States Life Saving Service.

 

 

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