United States Life-Saving Service

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The United States Life-Saving Service was a federal agency that operated coastal rescue stations and crews dedicated to saving lives and ships in distress along U.S. shorelines in the 19th and early 20th centuries.


Statements (50)
Predicate Object
instanceOf federal agency
maritime rescue organization
appliesToJurisdiction federal government of the United States
country United States of America
dissolved 1915
employs keepers of life-saving stations
surfmen
fieldOfWork coastal safety
disaster response
maritime safety
foundedBy United States Congress
hasActivity lifesaving operations
maintaining life-saving equipment
maritime search and rescue
shipwreck response
training surfmen
hasHeadquartersLocation Washington, D.C.
hasJurisdictionOver coastal waters of the United States
hasMainTask assisting vessels in distress
conducting beach patrols
conducting surf rescue operations
operating coastal rescue stations
providing aid during maritime disasters
rescuing shipwrecked mariners
saving lives from shipwrecks
hasMotto You have to go out, but you don’t have to come back
hasNotableLeader Sumner Increase Kimball
hasOrganizationalUnit district office
life-saving station
hasPosition General Superintendent
heritage predecessor of modern United States Coast Guard search and rescue mission
inception 1878
mergedInto United States Coast Guard
mergedWith United States Revenue Cutter Service
mergerDate 1915
notableEvent Great Blizzard of 1888 rescue operations
rescue operations during the 1893 Sea Islands hurricane
rescue operations during the 1900 Galveston hurricane
operatedIn Atlantic coast of the United States
Great Lakes region
Gulf of Mexico coast
Pacific coast of the United States
United States coastline
partOf United States Department of the Treasury
precededBy United States Revenue Marine volunteer life-saving stations
usedEquipment Lyle gun
breeches buoy
life car
lifeboats
surfboat

Referenced by (6)

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