CLINTON -- An off-duty call firefighter is being hailed as a hero after
rescuing four people from a capsized boat yesterday afternoon on South
Meadow Pond. Dale DiMeco was on the dock behind his Sprague Road home
when he saw the boat overturn and its four occupants go into the water,
Fire Department Capt. Dennis Parker said last night. The eight-foot boat
apparently capsized because it was overloaded, Capt. Parker said. None
of the occupants wore life preservers.
Mike Abendroth was walking on South Meadow Road when he heard someone
yell to call 911. He placed the emergency call on his cellular phone and
watched as Mr. DiMeco jumped in his pontoon boat and made his way onto
the pond. ``It was pretty amazing,´´ Mr. Abendroth said. ``Two could
swim and two couldn´t.´´ He said he watched Mr. DiMeco dive under
the surface to pull one man to safety. One witness estimated that Mr.
DiMeco was underwater for several minutes, Mr. Abendroth said.
Capt. Parker was the first rescue worker to the scene after a call of a
person in the water was received around 2:45 p.m. When he arrived, he
said, Mr. DiMeco was already in the middle of the rescue operation. ``I
don´t think this water rescue should go unrecognized,´´ he said.