FDNY Members Rescue Victim of Helicopter Crash in East River
The members of Ladder 7, including Firefighter Robert Lopez (third from the right).
FDNY members were among the first on the scene of a tragic helicopter accident on the East River on Oct. 4, rescuing a victim from the water.
Members received the call for a helicopter in the water at East 34th Street at around 3:30 p.m.
The members from Ladder 7, Engine 21 and Engine 7 were the first on the scene.
They had to scale a 15-foot fence – topped with barbed wire – and move their gear over the fence to get to the scene.
Capt. Chris Richie from Engine 21 helped direct the members of Ladder 7 – including Lt. Frank Giaco, and Firefighters Robert Lopez, Alan Squire, Steve Alleva, John Faherty and Dean Eliot – to the victims.
They said at that time, the helicopter was upside down and three of the victims were standing on the helicopter’s struts, while a male victim was swimming about 20 feet away from the wreckage.
Firefighter Lopez was helped into his water rescue gear by the other members of his company while keeping an eye on the victim in the water.
Firefighters operating at the scene of the helicopter crash.
"You want to help,” he said. “I was just focused on getting to him."
Once he was secured, he jumped 10-feet from the bulkhead into the water and swam toward the victim as Firefighter Squire worked as his backup. Once he reached him, Firefighter Lopez handed the man a life ring and they were pulled to the bulkhead by the members.
"He was stressed, he was in shock," said Firefighter Lopez, who added that the victim kept shouting, 'There is one more person in the helicopter!'"
Three of the victims standing on the struts were rescued by police just before the aircraft sank.
The male pilot of the aircraft refused medical attention, the two women – one in respiratory arrest and one in cardiac arrest – were transported to Bellevue Hospital, and the other male was transported to NYU Medical Center in stable condition. Another victim, a woman, was killed.
“This was a terrible accident,” said Mayor Michael Bloomberg. “We’ll continue to think about and pray for the victims and their families.”