Divers in New Jersey train for ice rescues
HUNTERDON, NJ (WABC) -- Two separate heart-pounding ice rescues recently played out live on Eyewitness News First at 4, with NewsCopter7 hovering above to bring you all the dramatic footage.
The most recent was on Tuesday in Middletown, New Jersey, when first responders helped three people trapped on Sandy Hook Bay get to safety.
The other played out on the Bronx River, when two boys became stranded after one fell through the ice.
Fortunately, in both incidents, no one suffered any serious injuries. But you may wonder how emergency responders prepare for these types of rescues.
Plunging into water that is 35 degrees and covered by a thick sheet of ice, divers must prepare for the possibility of an underwater recovery.
"The shock of the cold can actually really have a big impact on people, make them not able to swim, not able to protect themselves, not get out of the water," said Dr. Michael Westerol, of Emergency Medical Associates. "Just imagine that cold on your muscles, and then you try to pull yourself out."
In most cases, the divers are called in to recover a victim who has drowned. But, as was witnessed in the recent rescues, emergency workers have to be ready to jump into icy waters to save victims who could be alive and suffering from hypothermia.
To prepare, divers practice as a team, coordinating every last detail so they are ready in case of an actual emergency.
The divers work with limited visibility and have a limited amount of time to stay submerged before they start to suffer the effects of the bone-chilling cold.
"That's just an overhead environment we have to deal with," New Jersey state trooper Rob Rohel said. "That's the main hazard in freezing. But if you have the proper equipment, it's not that bad."
They must complete the rescue before their bodies' core temperature drops, which can impact reaction time and orientation.
