Three Men Rescued from Icy Jamaica Bay

By Katie McFadden

Three people are lucky to be alive thanks to the heroism of the NYPD and FDNY. On the late afternoon of Friday, February 6, three men had to be rescued from Jamaica Bay off of Bayswater, after they fell through the ice.

The frozen bay has been a phenomenon in recent weeks with the below-freezing temperatures, tempting some to treat it like an ice rink. On Friday afternoon, three 22-year-old men decided to go for a stroll along the ice, making it more than 100 yards out, when the ice on the 32-degree day, broke underneath their feet. With the shock of the roughly 44-degree water hitting them, they began to panic as they tried to pull themselves up. Fortunately, someone heard them screaming and called emergency services.

FDNY firefighters and EMS responded to a report of multiple people in the water off of 13-10 Norton Dr. at 4:15 p.m. As the scene unfolded, they were joined by members of the NYPD’s Scuba Team, Aviation Unit and Emergency Services Unit.

The rare and tricky rescue presented challenges for the rescuers themselves. According to ABC, witnesses say an FDNY rescuer fell in the water while attempting to reach the victims but managed to pull himself out. A member of the NYPD scuba team, dropped off by a helicopter, also fell into the water.

However, despite the challenges, one by one, the victims were rescued and airlifted to safety by an NYPD helicopter, and transported to hospitals by ambulance. The third victim had become lethargic after struggling in the water for nearly 40 minutes. Two victims were taking to Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital in Oceanside. A third went to St. John’s Episcopal Hospital. All three were conscious and alert.

Witnesses say the men had walked on the ice several times throughout the week for entertainment, despite the warnings from neighbors.

Following the incident, the NYPD shared video of the valiant rescue effort on social media. Councilwoman Joann Ariola, chair of the Committee on Fire and Emergency Management, warned others to not put themselves in a similar situation.

“This was a bad decision that could have put their lives at risk and the lives of our first responders at risk, and it is a miracle that this didn’t end in tragedy,” Ariola said. “I’m extremely grateful that there were no fatalities, but people really need to be smarter when it comes to this. The ice may look fun and inviting, but it isn’t a skating rink. It is a thin sheet over freezing cold water, and every year people lose their lives to this kind of thing,” Ariola said. “Unless you have a lot of experience and know exactly what you’re doing, just stay off the ice.”

Note that the freezing point for saltwater, like in Jamaica Bay, is lower than fresh water at 28.5 degrees. Temperatures are expected to be above 32 degrees over the next week.