Coast Guard, Cape May Fire Departments Teamwork Saves Swimmer in Distress

CAPE MAY – Members of the U.S. Coast Guard Training Center’s Fire Department assisted Cape May City’s Fire Department, Sept. 11, responding to a report of a swimmer in distress 75 yards from Cape May’s shoreline in the Atlantic Ocean.
Fire fighters from CGFD were returning from the city’s Sept. 11 ceremony when a report of a female swimmer in distress in the vicinity of Jackson Street came in at 7:14 p.m. Both the CGFD and the CMFD were on scene in less than a minute after notification. Bystanders at the scene stated that the female swimmer was in distress and that a male swimmer had entered the water in an attempt to rescue her. Members of CMFD entered the water with rescue cans and members of CGFD assisted with providing a heaving line and pulling the victims back to shore.
The female was taken to Cape Regional Medical Center and the male was treated and released at the scene.
“This is a perfect example of the teamwork that we share with the City of Cape May,” said Nathan Hulme, a CGFD fire fighter who assisted in the rescue. “That teamwork and the level of training we conduct played a major part in saving a life last night.”
The Training Center Cape May Fire Department provides fire and emergency services for approximately 2,000 permanent party military, civilians, contractors and recruits. CGFD has entered into 14 mutual aid agreements with surrounding areas including Cape May, West Cape May, Cape May Point, Townbank, Villas, Erma, Rio Grande and the County of Cape May NJ for fire and hazardous materials and emergency responses.