Part 10 (1/2)

Under no circ.u.mstances should these boats be used for anything but life-saving duty.

_Ring Buoys._ Ring buoys should be placed on every dock. These should not be over nineteen inches in diameter, and should be equipped with sixty feet of 1/4” line with a float or ”lemon” on end. Ring buoys are valueless unless ready at all times for use, so should be mounted on a rack the shape of a cross, painted red, having a peg, 5” long, on the end of each arm, for the rope to be loosely coiled around. The top loop of the buoy hangs on the top peg. By this arrangement, the buoy is always ready for use.

Water gla.s.ses, first aid equipment, grappling irons, and extra boat equipment, such as oars, rowlocks, and boat hooks, should be kept on hand ready for instant use.

_Row Boats and Canoes._ All row boats should be placed in first cla.s.s condition and tested out to find their safety capacity. The way to determine this is to fill the boat full of water and find out how many it will support in the water holding on to sides; this then is the safe number to carry in the boat when free from water. If boats are equipped with a small air-tight compartment of metal in bow and stern, it will increase their buoyancy to a great extent. Every boat should be plainly marked: THE CAPACITY OF THIS BOAT IS..., with white paint on both sides.

The Life Saving Corps

_Choosing the Crew._ Every camp should build up around its Master of Aquatics a Life Saving Corps from among the campers. Choosing the personnel of the Corps is a very important matter. The applicants should understand that it is an honor to be a member of this unit.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE GOODNIGHT STORY]

It will be found that if the members of the Corps are allowed to have separate sleeping quarters, near the water, over which they fly the Red Cross Life Saving Corps flag, mess together and be relieved of K. P.

duty, that they will develop an esprit de corps which will make for efficiency in their work and be of great value to the general morale of the camp.

Everyone trying for members.h.i.+p should first have a medical examination to prove that he is physically able to stand the very difficult work which he may have to perform at any time. The group of applicants should then be tested out as to their swimming ability, especially being required to swim on back without hands, and on side with one arm only.

_Training._ After your applicants have been culled out, the ones that you decide to use should be given a thorough course of training, first being obliged to pa.s.s the Red Cross life saving test. They must be instructed in boat handling and the methods of taking another person into the boat, in the proper method of throwing the life buoy, using a 60-foot line and a 19-inch buoy. They should be capable of tying knots needed in their work, such as a square knot, clove hitch, two half hitches, bowline, short splice and eye splice. Much emphasis should be placed on instruction in resuscitation by the Schaefer method, and no attempt should be made to instruct them in the use of any mechanical respiratory devices as they are practically useless.

During the camp season, if possible, members should have thorough instruction in first aid, especially as it applies to water accidents, the most common of which are abrasions, sun burn, seasickness, broken arms from backfire of gasoline engines, sickness from gasoline fumes of motor boat engines, and submersion.

_Duties of Crew._ The Life Saving Corps should be familiar with the water at all points and should buoy any especially dangerous spots, such as submerged tree stumps or very deep holes. This can be done with a line, anchor, and float painted red.

The Life Saving Corps should be in charge of Mates under the command of the Master of Aquatics who is the Captain. A log of each day's work should be kept, recording such events as concern the Corps, such as weather report, officer in charge of day's watch, number of swimmers, name of day's swimming instructor, number taught to swim, etc. Watches should be so arranged that members of crew are not on duty more than two days out of three.

[Ill.u.s.tration: ”GOOD MORROW, LORD SUN!”]

During the bathing periods, which should be at least two hours after meals, the Corps members will be in charge of the protection and discipline of bathers, the instruction of swimming, and supervision of diving.

The following is suggested as a good distribution. Two in each life boat, oarsman and c.o.xswain, one person on the dock, two lookouts and messenger in the tower, one at diving board and one or two instructing swimming (change instructors every third day).

_The Swimming Test._ After every camper has had a medical examination he should have a test in swimming and be graded in one of three cla.s.ses: Non-Swimmer, red knot on right shoulder; Beginner--the ones that will still bear watching--white knot on right shoulder; Swimmer, American Red Cross Junior Life Saving Corps emblem.

Check your list up every once in a while to see that everybody is in the right cla.s.s. Hold frequent tests to re-cla.s.sify two lower grades. The graded Red Cross tests are recommended and arrangements can be made for Red Cross awards.

Supervision of Boating

A Non-Swimmer should never be allowed to take out a boat unless accompanied by a swimmer. The Beginners should be limited in the distance they can go and only the Swimmers should be allowed to go where they please. At least two-thirds of every boat load should be able to swim and take care of those who cannot swim.

Under no circ.u.mstances allow more than one boat to be towed behind a motor or sail boat, and then only if boat being towed is in hands of an expert c.o.xswain.

No boating should be allowed during bathing periods.

Detail one of the crew to give instructions in boat handling if necessary.

Have all boats in by ”Mess gear” unless special permission is given.

No boating after dark without special permission.