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Coast Guardsman practicing the beach apparatus drill for onlookers (taken in 1926).
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A typical week was dominated by drills and patrols. Drills took up much of the week of a Life-Saving Station. Mondays were set aside for cleaning and polishing equipment and washing floors and windows; Tuesdays were devoted to boat drills; Wednesdays to signal drills; Thursdays to beach rescue drills; and, Fridays to practice first aid and resuscitation. Saturdays were kept for washing clothes, bedding, and equipment. Although the drills seemed endless, they made people confident and sure that they would react quickly, without thinking, in a real rescue.
There was not much of a family life for those married crewmen. They were allowed to stay with their family during their day off (Sunday), but slept at the station during the rest of the week. The station keeper's family stayed in the dwelling as well.
Ida Farrant, member of a pioneer Glen Haven family spoke of the social life surrounding the Life-Saving Station and community: "Every Thursday morning at 9 o'clock, and exhibition was given in boat drills, breeches buoy rescue, drowning resuscitation, wig-wag signaling, etc. This provided one of the favorite pastimes for summer guests."
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