By Laura French
SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y. — Two off-duty firefighters rescued a 12-year-old boy who was pulled into the ocean by a rip current on Sunday.
North Patchogue Firefighters Justin Owen and Steven Welsh were spending their day off at Smith Point Beach on Long Island when they were alerted that a child had been caught in the rip current, according to a Facebook post by the department.
Several other people had tried to retrieve the boy, including the boy’s father, but were unable to due to the rough waters, according to News 12 Long Island. Owen and Welsh managed to swim out and reach the boy, keeping him afloat until they made it to shore where he was evaluated by EMS.
The boy, Kyle, and his family visited the fire station Monday morning to meet with the firefighters again and express their gratitude. The firefighters said the incident is a reminder to stay out of the water during rough currents and to swim parallel to shore.