Water Rescue
 
By Commissioner Steven Freeman
September 2, 2021
 

At approximately 00:45 on September 2 we were dispatched to assist Iselin Fire Department, District #9 with a water rescue with a report of people trapped in the building with a flood in the lobby at 100 Wood Avenue South at the Provident Bank Corporate Office. Rescue 11 responded with a crew of 6 including Assistant Chiefs Ryan Malheiro and Chris Wertz, Ex-Chiefs Kevin Byington and Steve Freeman and firefighters Emmanuel Jimenez and John Zairopoulos. When we arrived on the scene, District #9 let us know here were 10 people trapped in the lobby including children. Ryan and Emmanuel donned the water rescue drysuits while the rest of the crew inflated the rescue raft. Ryan and Emmanuel waded though the waist deep water with the raft into the lobby of the building. They located the people in the lobby and loaded five into the raft and brought them to safety. The rest of the crew assisted with removal of the people from the raft and provided backup if needed. A second trip into the lobby was made to rescue the rest of the people. Everyone worked together to provide a successful rescue operation.

 
Units: Rescue 11