CATSKILL – Two boys from
Catskill, ages 14 and 15, were rescued last Friday evening when they became
stranded in the middle of Catskill Creek while clinging to a rock ledge
at the edge of a 15-foot waterfalls.
State Police from the Catskill barracks, Leeds firefighters and Greene County
paramedics responded and were able to deploy a lifeline across the water
near the boys. The 14-year-old was able to grab the line and was guided
to the shoreline uninjured.
The 15-year-old attempted to follow, but lost his grip on the line and was
swept over the falls into a pool of water below becoming completely submerged.
As he was being carried downstream, a secondary lifeline was deployed, which
the youth was able to grab, but as rescuers were pulling him toward the
shore, he lost his grip again. A medic was able to enter the water in a
shallower spot downstream and secure the teen until a third line was deployed
and used to successfully extract the first responder and the boy from the
water.
The child was transported to Columbia Memorial Hospital in Hudson for possible
hypothermia and minor injuries.
