Fire on the Beach

the long version

"Fire on the Beach tells the story of the U.S. Life-Saving Service, formed in 1871 to assure the safe passage of American and international shipping and the save lives and salvage cargo. A century ago, the adventures of the now-forgotten "surfmen" who, in crews of seven, bore the brunt of this dangerous but vital duty, filled the pages of popular reading material, from Harper's to the Baltimore Sun and New York Herald. Station 17, located on the desolate beaches of Pea Island, North Carolina, housed one such unit, and Richard Etheridge - the only black man to lead a lifesaving crew - was its captain."--BOOK JACKET.