D.C. Firefighters Make Water Rescue

Two Washington D.C. firefighters leapt into the frigid waters of the Potomac River on March 1 to rescue a racing coach who had been thrown from his boat.

A water rescue assignment was dispatched to East Potomac Park after high winds and choppy waves swamped a racing skull manned by a girls' rowing team. After all rowers had been safely removed from the river, a coach, manning a small flat hulled skiff, was tossed into the water when his vessel was upended by a wave.

Seeing his dire predicament, firefighters Kevin Rogan and Kevin Kirkpatrick, assigned to the fireboat and wearing survival suits, immediately dove to his assistance.

Reaching the victim, they kept him afloat and struggled to swim him over to the sea wall. Once there, the coach was hauled to safety and into the hands of EMS personnel.

When that rescue was complete, the fireboat and other units sped upstream to another racing boat in distress. All in all, 17 people were assisted from the river that day.