Two firefighters stranded in the rushing waters of a New Jersey river were lifted roughly 100 feet to safety Wednesday afternoon during a dramatic rescue caught on camera.
Those first responders need saving themselves after plunging over the falls as Dundee Dam in Clifton, and into the Passaic River below. After an ordeal that lasted several hours, the firefighters were pulled up by a state police helicopter.
Three firefighters had been aboard the rescue boat, responding to a 911 call about boats in trouble, when their vessel went over the falls around 3 p.m. One of its members managed to jump out before the boat went over.
The rescue helicopter arrived after a couple hours and began the extraction of the two firefighters stuck in the partially submerged boat. Onlookers descended as the commotion of the first rescue got underway and the first rescued firefighter was safely pulled up to the helicopter. The second rescue, took a bit longer.
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As the rescuer from the helicopter descended a second time, he had difficulty hitting his targeted and was left dangling away from the boat, just feet above the water. He was pulled up before the chopper returned for a second attempt. But again, no luck.
The helicopter would circle back for a third attempt, which finally proved successful and was met with cheers from the sidelines.
The Clifton Fire Department chief said his firefighters had rushed to the river to help two boats that reported trouble.
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"Two boats that were in the Passaic River that were doing some kind of maintenance, while they were doing maintenance in the river the boats got stuck," Chief Frank Prezioso said.
Three people in all were inside the boats as firefighters attempted the initial rescue.
"Our boat went into the water to assist the three struck and at that time they went over the falls," the chief explained.
Those rescuers, need saving themselves after plunging over the falls at Dundee Dam in Clifton.
The stranded firefighters did not appear to be in imminent danger throughout the ordeal, and none suffered any major injuries.
