Search and Rescue
Ships haven't had any way to communicate with the shore when in danger until the last century, so they couldn't summon help. When Congreve rockets and flares came into use around the turn of the nineteenth century, ships could at least signal for short ranges. Shortwave radio early in this century brought rescue notification into the modern era. It also increased the number of alerts that rescuers received and the distance from shore that they had to go to reach the victims. Rowboats wouldn't answer the need any more.
Blue water rescue in U. S. waters was originally the responsibility of the Revenue Cutter Service, which was ordered to take up winter cruising in 1831, to assist mariners in distress. Vessels of all nations, military or commercial, have traditionally given assistance when needed, but of course, without adequate communication, all of these rescues took place primarily by happenstance. When radio became available, gear was mounted in ships, which allowed the beginning of radio dispatching of vessels towards radioed distress calls. Eventually, even small boats received radios. They also received engines to increase speed and range, and permanent waterside boathouses to ease launching. New designs entered service that were self bailing and self righting. These designs could launch in heavy weather and travel well offshore to effect rescues. The 'rescue zone' grew and extended further offshore; and then aircraft entered the picture.
Possibly the first 'air/sea' rescue occurred in 1912, on Long Island. According to an article in the November 1999 issue of Air & Space magazine, (Smithsonian Institute), the Wright Aircraft Company was attempting to establish a school on Long Island for 'hydroaeroplane' lessons. The chief pilot observed a man fall overboard from a rowboat, and rescued him by taxiing the Wright Model B floatplane over and pulling him out of the water.
Aircraft went through the same types of evolution that boats did. They were originally useful only as aerial scouts, because they didn't come with floats and couldn't land on the water. They could drop messages to surface vessels, though, and guide them to where they were needed. Putting floats on early aircraft arguably put the rescuers at more risk than the original victims. Early designs had a tendency to dig in the tips of the floats and sink the aircraft. Float planes improved in power, performance and seakeeping ability up through World War II, when they began to be joined by helicopters.
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