Around 2 P.M., on January 25, a nearly tragic incident occurred at Gibbs Pond after a father and his 12-year-old son fell through an icy pond into cold, hazardous waters. The child plunged into the frigid pond before coming to an abrupt halt as the only parts of his body above the surface were those from the neck up. The two individuals screamed and pleaded for help, fortunately capturing the attention of nearby high school senior Bradley Fils-Aime. Fils-Aime darted outside after hearing the alarming cries only to find the father-son pair stuck in the lake, a scene that pushed him to call for the aid of his father, an off-duty FDNY lieutenant. The two immediately rushed to the scene and called 911, awaiting the arrival of firefighters.
The father and son found themselves in good hands after first responders, park rangers, and volunteer firefighters flew to their rescue. They managed to pull themselves out of the ice before being instructed to crawl to the dock. After doing so, responders and firefighters were able to pull them from the unstable ice and give them proper medical attention. They were taken to the hospital to receive further medical evaluation and were treated for hypothermia according to CBS News. They are in seemingly stable condition after the incident with no reports of serious injury.
According to Nesconset Fire Chief Daniel Madden, the father and son were going on a hiking excursion across the ice under the impression that the ice was completely frozen. They walked across the ice before coming to the realization that it was not 100% solid, breaking through and falling into freezing temperatures.
Incidents like these highlight the importance of exhibiting safety and responsibility when traveling on ice in any capacity. Ice can offer the illusion that it is perfectly safe and solid to traverse across until the moment someone steps foot onto it and gets greeted with a crackling sound, a sound that can invoke intense fear and panic to the victims that are standing atop it. The harsh weather conditions that have occurred as a result of the recent intense snow storms have offered many lessons in outdoor safety, especially in extreme climates.
