Rip Current, Southeast Suffolk
- When
- August 11, 11:00 AM EST to 1:00 PM EST
- Where
- Southeast Suffolk forecast zone
- Deaths
- 1 direct, 0 indirect
- Reported by
- Broadcast Media
- Coordinates
- 40.941, -72.685 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
On August 11th at about noon, a Suffolk County Park Ranger who was patrolling Smith Point was on the outer beach between cut 1 and cut 2 was was notified that a person was in distress in the water. Fire Rescue officials were also notified and activated the Mastic Beach FD, along with the local Marine Incident Response Team (MIRT), which in addition to Mastic Beach FD also consists of Mastic Fire Department, Eastport FD, Center Moriches FD, and East Moriches FD. Also activated were the Mastic and Mastic Beach Ambulance Companies.
The Mastic FD Marine Incident Response Boat 5-12-26 was already out conducting overwatch for the Suffolk County USAR team that was conducting a drill on the Forge river when the call went out. With a full crew and an EMT on board, they broke off from the drill immediately once the call went out for persons in the water on the ocean side at Smith Point.
Mastic Beach FD, under command of Chief Luis Grego and Assistant Chief Jason Sharp, also sent members to the dock to meet the boat. The remaining members of the MIRT team also began to quickly muster crews and resources for response. Suffolk Police Marine Rescue Boat Marine Mike was also dispatched. While units were responding from Police and Fire Departments, the Park Ranger and a good Samaritan had attempted to send out a life ring, but the man was unresponsive.
Suffolk County Ocean Rescue lifeguards responded to the location, which is outside of the protected zone of jet skis and located the unresponsive 70-year-old male. He was taken to shore where CPR was initiated. Smith Point EMTs were on scene and assisted with care, which was turned over to members of the Mastic Beach Ambulance.
Park Rangers met with Suffolk Police at the outer beach entrance where police requested that the road to the outer beach be closed at the booth. Mastic Beach Ambulance transported the male to Long Island Community Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.