Reddingsbrigade Petten Live Cam

The Founding and Early Years

In the waning years of the 19th century, the shifting sands of Petten’s coastline and the growing popularity of seaside leisure prompted concerned locals to formalize a rescue service for bathers and fishermen alike. Inspired by lifesaving brigades emerging along the English Channel, a small group of volunteers—including retired fishermen, coastal guardsmen, and health officers—gathered in 1902 to establish what would become the Reddingsbrigade Petten. Their first equipment consisted of hemp ropes, wooden rescue buoys, and a simple stretcher. Training sessions were held on the windswept beach at low tide, where recruits practiced hauling simulated victims across the ebbing shallows.