Police Rescue 11-Year-Old Girl Who Fell Through Ice

An 11-year old female was rescued after falling through the ice on the Great South Bay on Candee Avenue, according to reports from the Suffolk County Police Department, the Sayville Fire Department and the Community Ambulance Company.

The Suffolk County Police Department was the first on the scene. The call came in after a neighbor in a nearby apartment complex heard the girl's screams.

“The girl fell through the ice while chasing after her dog,” according to a spokesperson from the SCPD's Fifth Precinct. “The girl was rescued by a police officer. Both the girl and the officer were being taken to Stony Brook Hospital for precautionary purposes.” According to the Fifth Precinct spokesperson, the officer is Matthew DeMatteo.

“The girl was 20 to 30 feet from land,” the spokesperson said. “The water was up to at least her neck. One of the chiefs from the Community Ambulance Company in Sayville held a rope that was attached to a ring buoy and the officer went out on the ring to rescue the girl.”

The Community Ambulance Company responded with two ambulances, two Paramedic first responders, and several Emergency Medical Technicians, according to Jamie Ryan Atkinson, Chief of the Department. The first Paramedic responder arrived with the first arriving Suffolk County Police Officer, who was running to the shore to initiate the rescue. "Our members held the rope and assisted with the rescue operation. The Suffolk County Police Officer made entry into the water to pull the 11-year-old child from the ice. Community Ambulance Company Members and bystanders assisted by pulling both the officer and the child to shore," Atkinson said.

The Sayville Fire Department was assisted by the Bayport Fire Department and multiple Suffolk County Police Department Marine Units. The dog, a black Bijon named Ace, was rescued by members of the Sayville Fire Department. Chuck Hartman of the Sayville Fire Department, rescued the dog, which kept running further on the ice, according to Wendy Liu, spokesperson for the Sayville Fire Department. He crawled on the ice in a commander suit while he was tethered to a landline. The dog is fine and currently with neighbors.

Crews from Community Ambulance Company assumed care of both the child and officer, treated them for hypothermia, and transported them to Stony Brook University Medical Center for definitive care in stable condition. "Our Ambulance Company Members and Suffolk County Police Officers routinely work hand and hand on the scene of emergency calls," Atkinson said. "We usually respond and arrive on scene together.  This is just one example where this teamwork approach saved a little girl's life and created a positive outcome."

"We want people to realize no ice is safe ice due to fluctuating temperatures and water movement," Liu said. "It's important to remember that it is never OK to go on the ice under any conditions."