Firefighters from Ladder 54 help 10-year-old boy as be begins to climb across the ladder on the Bronx River to safety at Concrete Park late yesterday afternoon about 4:30 p.m. The boy was trapped on a frozen portion of the river about 20 feet from the bank of the park. The rescuer and two children, including a 13-year-boy who had also ventured on the ice and had fallen in, were treated for exposure at Jocobi Hospital. The kids had climbed a fence to gain acess to the water. The boys live in the same building and go to the same school. (Photos: FDNY) Dramatic video.
This was FDNY's second ice rescue recently. On January 11th, midtown Manhattan's Rescue 1 came to the aid of a man who fellen through the ice in Central Park on The Lake by the boathouse restaurant. Firefighters happened to be running drills on the ice when a man began walking towards them and fell through, according to an FDNY spokesperson.
Bronx
FDNY firefighters from Ladder 54 saved a young boy trapped on ice in the Bronx River.
“The firefighters did a fantastic job,” Capt. Thomas Yuneman, Ladder 54, said. “Within two minutes we had him coming to shore,” according to the FDNY.
The members – including Capt. Yuneman and Firefighters Kevin Hillmann, Chris Harkinish, John Tonner, Thomas Bloomfield and Carlos Brito – were called just after 4:30 p.m.
Two children – a boy and girl – were on the ice. The girl had fallen into the river, but was able to climb onto rocks and back to shore before firefighters arrived.
The boy, who was around 10-years-old, was still standing on very thin ice. Upon arrival, Capt. Yuneman immediately climbed over the railing and to the shoreline to talk to the boy.
He looked terrified as the ice cracked below his feet, but Capt. Yuneman said he told him to stand still and remain calm.
Firefighters bring the terrified boy to shore. By the time Ladder 54 had arrived a 13-year-old boy, who had fallen into the river, had climbed onto rocks and made it back to shore.
At the same time, Firefighters Harkinish and Hillmann (who teaches cold water rescue training for the Department) quickly dressed in gear and got tethered for the rescue.
They pushed a portable ladder out to the boy and began to walk onto the ice. The ice was thin and the firefighters fell through – Firefighter Hillman was submerged to his neck and Firefighter Harkinish, who was just behind him, to his waist -- but continued to assure the boy he would be safe.
They told him to climb on his knees across the ladder, like he was on monkey bars, until he reached the firefighters, who carried him to shore. The boy, who never fell into the water, was transported to Jacobi Hospital with minor injuries.
“I have never had to put my [cold water rescue] training to use but my training did not let me down,” Firefighter Harkinish said. “The ice was very thin and the situation could have been much worse.”
Read More:
FDNY rescues boy stuck atop ice on Bronx RiverNew York Daily News - January 29, 2015 - By Joseph Stepansky
No comments:
Post a Comment