Floatation deployed from drone keeps swimmers afloat before rescuers could assist them safely to New York City beach

Floatation deployed from drone keeps swimmers afloat before rescuers could assist them safely to New York City beach

At approximately 6:20 p.m. Tuesday, FDNY members assigned to the Robotics Unit and EMS rescued two swimmers in distress off Rockaway Beach at Beach 85th Street just 20 minutes after lifeguards had gone off duty. While patrolling the shoreline with a drone, Firefighter Michael Stothers spotted the swimmers struggling in the water and, within minutes, successfully deployed a Restube flotation device from the drone. The flotation device began to inflate as soon as it hit the water and helped both swimmers remain afloat until rescuers arrived.