Editor’s Note: Through Aug. 21, Gina Scala and David Biggy explore the uniqueness, flair and prestige of each of the six beach patrols on Long Beach Island, and why visitors and residents can feel safe throughout the summer, in this six-week feature series, “Inside the Beach Patrols.”

For decades, before Emily Wilson established a Red Cross station in Beach Haven, lifeguards, commonly referred to as “beach masters,” were not public servants.