The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-02-01
THEIR CALLING
Is HAZARDOUS
GOVERNMENT RECORDS SHOW
PERCENTAGE OF DEATHS
AMONG THE LIFE
SAVERS.

Representative Robert O. Harris of
Massachusetts, I'm the course of his
Investigations into the life saving SER
vice, has come across some interesting
statistics showing the large percentage
of deaths which occur i'm the service
while the men are on duty, General SUI
perintendent S. l. Kimball. in response
TO an inquiry from the House. has
stated that while men in the service
are continually being injured while in
the performance of their arduous and
hazardous duties, the records of his
office are by no means complete
An examination, however, of the
record OF applications for benefits filed
by keepers and members of crews of
life saving stations gives some idea of
the expense of injuries to surfmen.
The law provides that If any keeper or
member of the crew Of "a life saving
station shall be so disabled by rea-
son Of any wound or injury received
or disease contracted in the life saving
service in the line of duty as to unfit
him for the performance of duty, he
shall be continued upon the rolls with
fun pay during the continuance OF his
disability, not to exceed. however the
period of one year. During the calen-
Oar years from 1901 TO 1910, inclusive.
the number of claims filed was 1878
This record covers only claims that
have been allowed by the auditor of the
treasury department and paid, the dis
ability having been determined to have
heon contracted in the line of duty in
the service. There is no means of
showing in how many cases the dis
ability arose from disease as dLstin-
guishod from wound or injury, but il
is certain that a large per cent of the
claims is based on disability arising
from wounds or injury. The diseases
are generally such as are peculiarly
incident to exposure or hardship, such
as grippe. rheumatism, lung trouble, !
etc.
The figures show that during the |
ten years covered there was an av
erage of about 316 men absent each |
year for short periods on account of
injury or disease incurred i'm the line
Of duty. AS there arc only about 1900 |
Keepers and surfmen in all. IL will be
seen that the percentage of men dis
abled is large, being about IA per cent |
or one man out of seven. This does |
not include the year claims, which are
claims OF men who are compelled to
leave tho service by reason of dis
ability contracted in the line of duty
II will be observed that during the ten
years in question there has been an
average Of about thirty-siX men of this
class each year.
These figures are considered sufii-
cent in themselves TO show the haZar
dous nature of the service. The rec
Grds also show that the number of
keepers and surfmen who have died
during said ten-yoar period by reason
Of injury received or disease contracted
in the line of duty in the service is
eghty-two, AN average of about eight
per annum. The records show that
great many of these men died from
disease caused by cold and exposure
while IN the lire OF duty. while in 9TH
er cases death was due to accident or
drowning while on duty OF the eigh-
teen persons shown to have died In
1902, seven were drowned at one time
by the capsizlng of a boat while re-
turning from wreck duty.