Among the heroes who saved a kayaker from the Atlantic over the weekend was 22-year-old rescue swimmer Joseph Dalen, who plunged into the icy waters to help bring the man to safety.
A 1st Lieutenant with the Eastport Fire Department, the first responder sped to the scene on a boat driven by his father, Fire Chief John Dalen. The victim, who had capsized in the breakers at the mouth of the treacherous Moriches Inlet and was separated from his kayak, was too hypothermic to grab a rescue ring thrown to him. Joseph, already in cold water survival gear, was deployed to get him into the hands of the crew who pulled him in.
The Eastport-South Manor grad was well trained for just this type of operation, having completed the Swift Water Rescue Course conducted by New York’s Office of Fire Prevention and Control in upstate Oriskany. With helping people as his life’s mission, the young man is pursuing a degree in Fire Protection and Life Safety Studies at Suffolk Community College. When he’s not studying or serving as a rescue volunteer, Dalen works part-time with the Southampton Town Police Department.
Public service is ingrained in his family as his dad, the man at the helm during the daring ocean rescue, spent 22-and-a-half years with the U.S. Coast Guard. He’s already been active with the fire department for six years. “I enjoy doing it,” he said of the training and being on call 24-7 for emergencies.
The rescue swimmer is part of a Marine Incident Response Team made up of Eastport and five other departments that cover 15 miles of Suffolk’s coastline. When a cry for help rings out, day or night, good weather or bad, land or sea, volunteers such as Joseph Dalen, his father, and dozens of other dedicated emergency responders answer the call.