| At about 3:05 PM on an unseasonably warm Saturday, Croton Fire, Croton On Hudson EMS and the Ossining EMS Paramedic were dispatched across from Camp Discovery on Route 129 for the report of a person and a dog fallen thru the ice and into the cold water. On the CFD assignment were Rescue 18, Utility 14, Engine 119, Engine 118, Marine 32, Marine 52 as well as all three Chiefs.
Upon the arrival of Car 2081 (Chief Mansfield), the location of the emergency was determined to actually be over ¼ of a mile into the woods on a pond behind a home on Mount Airy Road East. At this point, Rescue 18 and Engine 119, along with EMS, were redirected to this location, while all other units staged on Route 129. Firefighter Brad Kennedy was the first to locate the youth - a 13 year old resident, and his canine companion, who were stranded on an island in the middle of the icy water. Realizing the incident was in a remote location from the road, Assistant Chief Colombo and his son, PAF Chris Colombo Jr., utilized their personal ATVs to help bring equipment in to the scene. Soon after the location was verified, Deputy Chief John Munson (Car 2089) arrived and assumed the role of the “Operations” officer.
While equipment was being loaded up from Rescue 18 - which carries all of the vital specialty gear needed for such an incident – to affect the rescue, a helicopter from the Westchester County Police Department arrived. They maneuvered in as close as they could to attempt to reach the victim and dog, but due to surrounding trees and brush this was not a viable option. The decision was made to utilize our Certified Ice Rescue personnel and our 12' inflatable boat - Marine 52 - to make the extraction. At this point, a second Ambulance from Croton EMS and the Dive/Water Rescue Team from the Yorktown Heights FD were called to the scene.
Two members, Lt. Dave Rinaldi and Firefighter Frank Pusatere, wearing two of the Cold Water Immersion Suits carried on R18, made their way to the island using paddles and a steel roof hook to break the ice. Lt. Billy Vlad Jr. was also suited up as a precaution, while members on shore – including Captain Chuck Conti, Lieutenant John Ghegan, Firefighters Altamura, B. Kennedy, J. Ferguson, C. Rinaldi, B. Powers and B. Ghezelayagh helped tend the line attached to M52 and staged additional equipment if needed.
Working together rowing the boat and breaking the thin ice, Pusatere & Rinaldi reached the victim within a few minutes. Once they reached the little island, Pusatere exited the boat, evaluated the teen and dog, wrapped them in blankets and assisted them back into the boat with Lt. Rinaldi’s assistance. The members on shore pulled M52 back and on to land where they were briefly checked by EMS and then happily turned over to their awaiting father. From the time members entered the water with Marine 52, accessed the victims and returned to shore it was less than 10 minutes. Once our personnel were safely on land, Command placed the situation “under control” and released the Yorktown Dive/Water Rescue Team and second Croton ambulance from the scene.
Over 30 CFD volunteers were on scene and able to execute the successful rescue operation. The victim and dog were returned to their parent and declined further medical attention.
This incident highlights the importance of our continuing training for the "unexpected," and shows the value of having specialized equipment - such as Rescue 18 with it's plethora of ice, water, rope and other rescue gear - and Utility 14 for it's versatility to tow our boats and get into areas larger apparatus can't. Over the years our department has progressed substantially in our ability to handle such unusual incidents, and we look forward to continuing this for years to come. As you can see above, we had a strong response from our volunteers, and we couldn't do this without their dedication to the community and our department. If you have any interest in being a part of our team, we are always looking for new members! E-mail memberinfo@crotonfd.org or call (914) 271-2693.
Our thanks to B. Powers, D. Kempter, A. Roosa III & B. Kennedy for their photos. |
