FDNY rescues boy, 11, who fell through ice into frigid Queens pond
An 11-year-old boy had to be rescued after falling through the icy surface of a pond in a Queens park Friday, according to cops and firefighters.
The boy dove into the frigid waters of Springfield Park near Springfield Blvd. and 146th Ave. just before 3 p.m., according to police.
Firefighters from Engine 311 and Ladder 158, whose station is located next to the park, were coincidentally finishing specialized training in icy water rescue when local children rushed through their doors pleading for help for the frozen child, said FDNY Deputy Assistant Chief Tim Keenan.
The smoke eaters grabbed tied ropes and ice picks, while trainee firefighter Shaun McMahon – designated “rescue swimmer 1” for the operation – donned a cold water suit.
Trying not to fall through the ice himself, McMahon lay flat on the frozen surface of the pond and used his ice pick to slide towards the boy.
“When a child falls through the ice, we know we are also at risk of falling through the ice,” Keenan said.
Despite his best efforts, McMahon proved too heavy for the ice and fell into the pond halfway to the boy, he said.
“It was really cold,” the firefighter said. “It didn’t matter if I was cold or not, he was even colder.”
With the water too deep for him to stand, McMahon swam over to the boy, before motioning for his partner to bring him back. But the two men ran into trouble after being pulled back onto the ice floe, where McMahon was unable to get back onto the icy surface of the pond, forcing the firefighter to fight his way through the ice to shore with the help of his partner.
The boy was transported to a local hospital in stable condition.
Firefighters also pulled another boy who was closer to shore from the pond, McMahon said.
“He came in to throw a ladder to help his friend,” the person said. “He was rescued. The other one had to be rescued.”
Springfield Park’s heroics followed another ice rescue in Queens after three 22-year-old men fell through the ice in Jamaica Bay on February 6.
Video captured from a rescue helicopter hovering over the bay showed the NYPD frogmen in action, with several divers carefully crawling across the ice and diving into the frigid waters to attach victims to tethers, before helicopters carried them to safety.
The fire department released a public service announcement on YouTube Friday evening advising New Yorkers to stay off the ice.
“We have put out a lot of public messages about the dangers of the ice,” Keenan said. “No ice is safe. We need to continue to talk about the danger of going out on the ice, especially now that the temperature is getting warmer. It’s a dangerous situation.”
