Lady Life Guards (1936)

[Music] on New York's Manhattan Beach which oddly enough is in Brooklyn Maybe found many outdoor activities each summer besides bathing but its most interesting experiment to date and one it may proudly boast about is an auxiliary life-saving core made up entirely of young women whose Duty it is to assist the regular Guard Patrol in their watchful work of protecting the lives of the [Music] public to the office of recreation manager Mr CLA B come hundreds of young applicants all anxious to join the seaside service after a careful check as to General Health and athletic ability those selected for a try out are taken to the medical station and given a thorough physical examination by the beach doctor for the preliminary tests as well as the training later will be extremely strenuous and now those who have passed the medical examination are lined up on the beach and inspected Soldier likee by by Chief lifeguard Lou fips and Captain meline Carson head of the girls [Music] unit in the first preliminary test each applicant must swim from the shore to the Lifeguard boat a distance of about 150 yd against wave and Tide she is timed and marked for Speed and Style by examiners from the Guard Patrol and life-saving Corps to show she has not exhausted and to prove her endurance without stopping for any rest she must make a surface dive to the bottom a depth here of about 20 ft for evidence she brings up a handful of sand among other tests rowing of course is important though the Lifeguard boat is heavy it is necessary to demonstrate they can Master it upon All Occasions [Music] exhaustive tests have eliminated many but those that remain are now ready to take the [Music] training instructions begin with the proper method of breaking various holes such as the front strangle for a drowning person will grab anywhere and hold on for dear life another dangerous hold is the double wrist lock which must be broken in a firm manner for otherwise The Rescuer would go down with the victim two people people locked in each other's arms also present a serious problem unless efficiently handled after a hold is broken the right method of water carry requires one arm to be kept free for swimming and now the girls are shown the right way to carry and to pass a drowning victim from one guard to another known as the Pony Express the victim is held firmly and securely to prevent slipping or falling yet at the same time as gently and comfortably as possible under the [Music] circumstances artificial respiration is an important factor in life- Saving here the use of an inhalator in connection with the prone pressure method is demonstrated resuscitation by relay is necessary for it sometimes takes many hours without pause to start the victim breathing [Music] [Applause] [Music] again the girls now carefully watch how a victim is placed upon a stretcher always held so that the entire body remains in a horizontal position and so the training goes on day after day without let up watching learning practicing on one another gradually becoming confident of their own [Music] ability land up in company formation the girls are ready for their daily drill four are selected to man The Life folk a job they seem to relish judging by the speed they make for the water and necessary it is too for the element of time is always important to a lifeguard more practice this time in deep water she throws out the anchor to hold the boat in position Dives overboard and rapidly swims toward a makeb believe victim holding her head high so as not to lose sight of the subject by an underwater approach she turns the victim round by the knees holds her by chin and Chin with one arm swims back to the boat with the [Music] other every morning The Troop assemble and take their swimming exercise a distance of half a mile at a speed set by the leader yet the mermaids seem remarkably fresh at the Finish [Music] to make sure no one has fallen by the seaside Captain Carson called the role of her company a company any commander would be happy to inspect [Music] at last the day arrives when the girls are permitted to take over a part of the beach under the supervision of the regular Guard Patrol eagerly they Rush forward to reinforce the lifeguards on duty the many hours spent in training and drill now take on definite meaning some are ordered to the guard look out to sight any trouble in the Surf and [Music] Sea others man the boats or Patrol the beach always ready to lend a hand in any emergency that may arise or to keep a watchful eye on the younger children who are brought to this seaside resort in great numbers the girl guards continue their watch suddenly out there someone is in difficulty without a moment's hesitation she is off the stand off to her first call off to a child floundering far out the Lifeguard boat has heard the whistle and the girls put everything they've got in the ORS toward the panic-stricken child there flashes through the water a white figure Swift in action calm in mind a God send to a tired little body swiftly too the Lifeboat cuts through the water and as it appears upon the scene the child is being securely held and safely brought forward on the strong capable arm of one who is doing her part to [Music] perfection in the best tradition of the Lifeguard to save without punishing the young victim is gently and carefully placed in the boat and quickly rolled ashore here all the members of the core run up to the water and help bring in the heavy boat from out the strong cfle but all without confusion for each girl has been trained to do her task and each does it calmly and well back from her first Victory our girl guard returns with a young life In Her Arms safely she places the child on the [Music] shore serenely she returns to the stand ready again for any Duty father Neptune may call upon his daughters to perform I [Music]