Ocean City’s First Lifeguard
A Look Back at Ocean City
By Fred Miller
Joseph P. Krauss was Ocean City’s first lifeguard and an early leader in water safety. He began his lifesaving career in 1893 patrolling the beach between 8th and 11th streets. Bathers in the 1890s were used to seeing him rowing between Brower’s Bathhouse and the Excursion House helping swimmers get back to shallow water.
Until 1898, Krauss’ only financial reward for his lifesaving work came from donations and end-of-the-summer benefits held by the hotels.
During the summer of 1898 the need for professional bather protection became apparent, and City Council appointed three men to patrol the surf. The men hired were Krauss, George W. Lee and William Scull. They were on duty everyday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and were paid $40 a month.
Council named Krauss captain of the lifeguards, a position he held until 1910. During that period, the patrol grew as the town grew, and the Ocean City lifeguards’ good reputation also grew.
In 1901, Krauss designed a lifesaving buoy and reported, “With our buoy the victim has three chances to be rescued. He can throw his arm over it, take hold of one of the loops around it, or grab the line attached to it, and six people can be brought in with one of them.”
In 1906, Krauss put up a large tent on the 10th Street beach which was used as the lifeguard headquarters, and to treat bathers with beach related injuries.
The professional bather protection contributed to the popularity of Ocean City. A 1906 publicity booklet bragged about the city’s safe bathing beach reporting, “Efficient beach guards are always on hand to aid any who may need help.”
In 1910, Mayor Lewis Cresse made Krauss superintendent of lifeboats, and Alfred R. Smith captain of the lifeguards. The two men guided the lifeguards until 1920 when Smith resigned. Mayor Joseph G. Champion appointed Jack G. Jernee captain. Krauss remained on the patrol until his death on February 10, 1924. He was 79 years old.
Funeral services were held at the Prescott Cadman Funeral Parlor. Captain Jernee decorated the parlor with flowers, rescue buoys, oars, and lifeguard pictures.
Rev. John B. Handley, pastor of the First Methodist Episcopal Church, conducted the funeral service. The pallbearers were Jack G. Jernee, Alfred R. Smith and Fred Hedelt, representing the Ocean City Beach Patrol, and Ross Collins, Michael Pileggi and Joseph Gifford, representing the Patriotic Order Sons of America.
Lifeguard Hedelt, driving a city vehicle pulling a lifeboat, lead the funeral procession to Port Elizabeth where the burial took place.
Krauss has been inducted into the Ocean City Beach Patrol Hall of Fame, and a plaque with his likeness is on display in the lifeguard museum.
