NEW YORK – Crews from Coast Guard Station Fire Island and EMT personnel from Suffolk County conduct a medevac of a man in Babylon, New York, on August 26, 2017. (U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of Station Fire Island)
NEW YORK – A Coast Guard Station Fire Island boatcrew medevaced a diver Saturday afternoon, 20 miles southeast of the Fire Island Inlet.
At approximately 1:15 p.m. a crewmember aboard the fishing vessel Tempest notified watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound via VHF-Channel 16 that a diver surfaced after about 15 minutes with symptoms characteristic of the bends.
The command center launched a boatcrew from Station Fire Island aboard a 47-foot Motor Life Boat and a Suffolk County EMT joined to assist with the medevac.
Watchstanders also diverted the nearby Coast Guard Cutter Sitkinak, a 110-foot Patrol Boat, to provide on scene assistance.
The boatcrew conducted the medevac of the 59-year-old man at approximately 2:15 p.m. They returned to Station Fire Island and transferred him to awaiting EMS.
The diver was taken to Nassau University Hospital and was listed in stable condition.
