At 3:30pm on Thursday, July 28th 2016 the Islip Fire Department and Exchange Ambulance were notified to a report of an occupied car into the water to the rear of J&Rs Steakhouse on Main Street and Degnon Blvd. Units arrived to find a convertible completely submerged in the canal with 2 males on the dock and out of the water. The two subjects both required medical evaluation and were not able to properly communicate that there were definitely no other victims in the vehicle. A decision was made to deploy the Islip Fire Department dive team to have a SCUBA diver search the car. The Bay Shore FD was then also requested for their dive team to back up our team. Fire Rescue Diver Jake Moran entered the water and searched the vehicle while in communication with land crews via our underwater communications system. The car was searched and the diver then popped the trunk to also check for possible occupants. The sweep of the vehicle was negative and the scene was then turned over to the Suffolk County Police Department. Both occupants were transported to Southside Hospital, one by Islip FD ambulance 3-4-6 and one by Exchange Ambulance 3-27-19. A 3rd ambulance was requested to standby at the scene in case there were additional victims as well as to ensure safety of our dive team. [Photos by Jared Gunst]
