It was just before 9am on Sunday when Suffolk County 911 received a call for a male clinging to an overturned kayak in the Moriches Bay off Pattersquash Island in Mastic Beach.

The Mastic Beach Fire Department and other departments from the Marine Incident Response team were immediately dispatched to respond.

While water rescue teams were getting into their cold-water rescue suits, additional information was being relayed to the Mastic Beach Fire Chief that the male was clinging to the kayak.

Along with the Mastic Beach Fire Department, rescue swimmers, and other support personnel from Center Moriches, East Moriches, and Mastic Fire Departments headed to the Mastic Beach Yacht Club to launch their boats.

Eastport Fire Department launched their safe boat from Seatuck Cove and responded to the scene while Westhampton Beach Fire Department stood by at the Center Moriches Firehouse with additional water rescue resources if needed.

Suffolk County Police launched their helicopter and marine unit to assist rescue teams in locating the individual.

Within minutes of arriving on scene, Suffolk County Police Aviation located the male drifting in the bay. The helicopter immediately hovered over the man in distress and dropped a rescue swimmer into the water. The SCPD rescue swimmer was able to pull the male back to the shoreline of Pattersquash Island.

Rescue Swimmers from the Center Moriches Fire Department were on scene and assisted the SCPD Aviation crew packaging the patient and loading him into the police helicopter which was able to land on Pattersquash Island.

The male was brought to Stony Brook University Hospital to be evaluated for hypothermia.

Since joining forces in August of 2021, the dedicated volunteers of the Marine Incident Response Team has proven itself to be a lifesaving asset to our local maritime community.