Another day, another hero in uniform saving lives in New York City. On Wednesday night, brave FDNY firefighters pulled off a daring rescue under the Roosevelt Island Bridge when someone was found clinging to life in the dangerous East River waters.
FDNY Marine 6 got the call around 10 p.m. about a person trapped in the water. When they arrived, they found someone pinned against the bridge pilings, barely hanging on to a pipe above the rushing water. The victim was fighting for their life against powerful currents and floating debris.
Without thinking twice about his own safety, a Marine 6 firefighter dove straight into those deadly waters. He swam through broken pilings and dangerous debris to reach the victim. This is what real American heroes look like in action.
The rescue got even more dangerous when the strong current swept both the firefighter and victim under their own rescue boat. But these skilled first responders never gave up. The boat captain and crew worked together like the well-trained professionals they are.
They managed to pull both people safely aboard the rescue boat. The victim was suffering from hypothermia and needed immediate medical care. Our firefighters got them to the hospital where they could get proper treatment.
Captain Sean Regan explained how tricky the rescue was with the powerful currents coming from behind their boat. They had to get close enough for the swimmer to reach the victim without putting anyone else in danger. It took real skill and teamwork to pull this off.
This rescue shows why we need to support our first responders who risk everything to protect us. While politicians waste time with their politics, these brave men and women are out there saving lives every single day. They deserve our respect and full funding.
The FDNY still does not know how or why this person ended up in the East River. But thanks to our heroic firefighters, someone went home alive instead of becoming another tragedy in our city waters.
