Training turns to action: First responders rescue elderly man from icy Lake Hopatcong waters
LAKE HOPATCONG, NJ – An ice rescue training exercise on Lake Hopatcong turned into an actual life-saving mission Wednesday when members of the Morris County Sheriff’s Office and multiple first responder agencies saved an 82-year-old man who had fallen through the ice near their emergency drill.
“It is work like this, with our other public safety partners, that makes it all worth it. Responding in a time of need and applying our training to help an individual who is in dire consequences, all with positive outcomes. Saving lives is the purpose of our mission and the reason why we train together and ensure seamless performance,” said Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon.
The incident unfolded while the Sheriff’s Office was conducting a joint training exercise alongside the N.J. State Police, Mt. Arlington Police Department, Hopatcong Police Department, and the N.J. Division of Fish and Wildlife Conservation Police at Lee’s County Park Marina in Mt. Arlington. An urgent report came in that a man had fallen through the lake ice near the Lake Hopatcong Yacht Club on Bertrand Island.
Sgt. Edward Koster of the Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit, Sgt. Nicholas Vernotica of the Patrol Division, Cpl. Ivan Bajceski, and Sheriff’s Officer Ryan Wood of the Emergency Services Unit (ESU), along with the N.J. State Police Marine Bureau, quickly mobilized to assist in the rescue.
The victim, who had been operating an iceboat on the lake, was observed lying on the ice with his vessel partially submerged in the broken ice. Three Mt. Arlington firefighters were already making their way across the unstable ice to reach him when Sgt. Koster and Cpl. Bajceski arrived with the Sheriff’s ESU truck and met the incident commander from the Mt. Arlington Fire Department.
Sgt. Vernotica and Sheriff’s Officer Wood arrived with the Sheriff’s Heavy Rescue Truck and deployed the MARSARS® Ice Rescue Sled. While tethered to the shoreline, Sgt. Koster, Cpl. Bajceski, and N.J. State Police Trooper Thomas Gilroy carefully advanced across the ice, maneuvering the sled toward the victim, who remained conscious and alert. Mt. Arlington firefighters had secured a sling around him, and rescuers placed him onto the sled before signaling the shoreline team to pull him to safety.
As the sled reached the edge of the ice shelf, Sgt. Vernotica, Sheriff’s Officer Wood, and Mt. Arlington Police Officer Matthew Kaiteris waded into waist-deep water to carry the victim to solid ground, where he was immediately transferred to St. Clare’s EMS for medical evaluation.
Following the successful rescue, Troopers Gilroy and McClafferty of the N.J. State Police and two Mt. Arlington firefighters later returned to the ice to recover the man’s iceboat.
The dramatic rescue underscores the dangers of venturing onto the ice and the critical role of specialized training in emergency response. Authorities urge the public to exercise extreme caution on frozen lakes and remain aware of changing ice conditions.
