Good Samaritans Step in For Winter Water Rescue

By Katie McFadden

Rockaway sees plenty of water rescues in the summer, but a water rescue in February is not so common. On the last day of February, emergency services responded to a call for a water rescue, but fortunately for the victim, some brave passersby on the beach came to the rescue before first responders quickly made it to the scene.

On late Saturday afternoon, February 28, many were enjoying the beach on the nearly 50-degree day, a temperature New Yorkers haven’t seen in several weeks. A visiting couple walked out on to the jetty between Beach 106th and 107th to take in the view when the woman slipped and fell on a wet rock, splashing into the roughly 35-degree ocean below. Fortunately, people were around to witness what happened, and took action.

One such man was Frank Snosnowski, who said another man ran to the woman’s rescue first who wound up needing help himself.

“A dude who was hanging on a blanket on the beach ran to the rocks jumped in to save her. A lady who was walking her two dogs was yelling for help. We pulled the lady out and then pulled the savior out,” Snosnowski said. “I kept smacking him in the face to stay awake. He was totally exhausted and freezing. I was rubbing his hands and placed a blanket on him until police and FDNY arrived.”

Within minutes of receiving the call for two people needing help in the water at 4:16 p.m., FDNY, NYPD and even an NYPD helicopter arrived on the scene, but the first responders realized the victims were already on the beach. The man who initially ran in to save the woman was treated for symptoms of hypothermia and was taken off the beach on a stretcher and into an ambulance on the boardwalk. The woman, who was still shaken up by the ordeal and collapsed on the beach, was carried off in a chair and taken by ambulance. Her husband left her heavy water-logged winter jacket and boots on the sand.

FDNY says both victims were transported to St. John’s Episcopal Hospital, but they could not provide an update on their condition.

As a reminder, everyone is urged to keep off the jetties, no matter what time of the year it is.

Photos by Katie McFadden.