Saving lives in the resort since 1898, guards have formed bonds while protecting bathers
OCEAN CITY — “If you swim near a lifeguard, you are not going to drown,” historian Fred Miller said, noting there has never been a drowning on a guarded beach in the Ocean City Beach Patrol’s 125-year history.
Started in 1898, the OCBP held four days of celebration in mid-August to honor the milestone.
According to a history posted on its website, the Ocean City Beach Patrol expects a high level of professionalism from each employee, leading to its reputation of excellence.
Miller said ocean lifeguarding requires constant training.
“The OCBP has alway prided itself on training young guards, working with veteran guards. It goes from the veterans to the rookie guards,” he said.
OCBP Alumni Association President Jack Brooks said the organization is structured so that rookie guards learn from the senior guards, noting mentoring is a large part of the job.
“You don’t just get let go with a whistle,” Brooks said. “People have to teach the job and awareness of ocean conditions.”
The city is rich in ocean lifeguard history dating back to the 1800s. According to Miller, an author and longtime former member of the OCBP, the history dates back to the founding of the city.
In 1879, only four buildings existed on the island: three U.S. Life-Saving Service stations and the home of the Parker Miller family.
According to the website, Parker Miller was an agent for marine insurance companies, which hired him to report shipwrecks in hopes of deterring people from scavenging them.
Within 20 years, Ocean City had grown into a major seaside tourist destination. As its popularity grew, so did the attraction for bathers in the ocean waters. By the late 1890s, several drownings had occurred.
The local newspapers and businesses called for the city to hire men to protect the bathers. A few were already serving as lifeguards, most notably Joseph P. Krauss, who patrolled the surf in front of the large hotels. His only pay came from donations by grateful bathers he had rescued and from benefits held at the end of summer on his behalf.
In 1898, the city hired Krauss, George Lee and William Scull to patrol the surf and assist bathers. Krauss was named captain of the lifeguards, a position he held until spring 1910. The lifeguards were paid $40 per month and worked each day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Ocean City was the first municipality in Cape May County, and one of the few in the country, to pay for bather protection. Alfred R. Smith, who became a paid lifeguard in 1899, succeeded Krauss as captain in 1910.
In 1920, the city hired former member of the U.S. Life-Saving Service Jack G. Jernee as captain. He is credited with building the Ocean City Beach Patrol into one of the finest lifesaving squads in the country.
Thomas A. Williams, a lifeguard since 1922, took over as captain when Jernee joined the U.S. Navy in summer 1942. Under Williams, there was a large increase in the patrol’s membership and the number of beaches protected.
George T. Lafferty, a former member of the Ocean City Beach Patrol and a retired Navy sailor, was appointed captain when Williams retired in spring 1962.
The OCBP first hired women to guard city beaches in 1976, one of the first in the country.
“Women lifeguards have done a great job. It’s a shame we waited so long to hire women,” Miller said, noting they now make up about a quarter of the patrol.
Under recent leaders, the OCBP has continued to grow and has continued its excellent record of bather safety.
Today, J. Allan Karas is director of operations and Erich Becker is operations chief.
The Ocean City Beach Patrol has four zones providing ocean lifeguard and EMT services for about 9 miles of protected beaches. Each zone has its own headquarters, also known as “tents.”
Zone 1 — the OCBP headquarters — is at First street, Zone 2 is at 12th street, Zone 3 is at 34th Street and Zone 4 is at 59th Street.
The Boat Shop, a general maintenance and administrative facility, is at 46th Street and West Avenue.
Generally, each zone (and the boat shop) is supervised by a captain and staffed with two or three lieutenants and an EMT, as well as a personal watercraft operator.
Each zone consists of about 10 to 12 guarded beaches, each staffed by two or three lifeguards.
At its peak staffing, the OCBP employs about 186 lifeguards and EMTs and guards about 40 to 45 beaches, including one guarded beach exclusively for surfing.
The OCBP also hosts the T. John Carey Master’s Swim and the Women’s Lifeguard Invitational, as well as taking part in the South Jersey Lifeguard Chiefs Association tournaments throughout the summer.
Celebrating 125 years
The OCBP held several events in mid-August to celebrate the milestone, starting with a flag-raising ceremony Aug. 10 on the boardwalk featuring OCBP guards who had served in the U.S. military.
The patrol then took part in the 113th annual Ocean City Baby Parade with a couple of surf boats filled with junior lifeguards. Later that evening, a lecture was held on the history of surf rescue.
On Aug. 11, the OCBP Alumni Association distributed lunch to working lifeguards.
Miller, who served on the patrol from 1965-2017, said the fraternity of guards has become his life.
“I have a lot of memories between 1965 and this year, all good memories,” he said. “Most of my friends are old lifeguards and we keep in touch.”
Brooks (OCBP 1974-2017) said the relationships formed through sitting the stand together, competing together and mutually supporting a common goal stay with many guards for life.
“When you sit 4 feet away in that little plywood box, you sit for 8 hours, you know somebody. You develop friendships that last a lifetime,” Brooks said.
That’s part of what led him to become president of the OCBP Alumni Association.
“When you live it, you think about becoming the steward of it. The interested people are stewards of this great organization,” he said, noting he and Miller were involved in the 100th anniversary celebration and that his rookie season was 50 years ago.
Part of keeping in touch is the annual hall of fame induction and reunion, at which hundreds of current and former guards get together to celebrate their mutual experiences.
“It’s a wonderful group and we are blessed to have a good lifeguard force,” Miller said, noting the reunion this year “was the best we ever had.”
The Hall of Fame induction ceremonies were Aug. 12 at the Ocean City Free Public Library. Inducted this year were Rachel Boudart Kyle and Graham Parker. The Bob Stowe Award was presented to Corby Derr and the Derr family.
The hall of fame was started in 1975 and now includes 116 lifeguards, from Krauss up to the present day.
Later that evening, the 125th Anniversary Celebration and Reunion were held at the American Legion post on 46th Street.
The weekend wrapped up with the Schmitt Relays Zone Competition, which pitted teams from the four zones against one another. The competition was started by the late Joe Schmitt, a former lieutenant.
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
