Chicago Cops Honored For Saving Man From Icy Lake: Video

CHICAGO — Five Chicago police officers and one sergeant were honored Tuesday for saving a man from Lake Michigan earlier this year. The officers acted quickly and formed a human chain to rescue the man, who had fallen into the dangerously-cold water while trying to rescue his dog. The man said there's "no doubt" that he would've died without the officers' quick action.

Those honored in Tuesday's ceremony for the rescue were Sergeant Alejandro Silva, Field Training Officer Miguel Del Toro, Field Training Officer Andrew Larson, Officer Brian Richards, Officer Adam O'Campo and Probationary Police Officer Eithan Ferman. They were each named Officers of the Month by the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation.

Eric Gale, 33, was walking his 9-month-old dog Pika near Foster Beach on the city's North Side in late January, when the pup darted onto the icy lake and got trapped in the water, police said. Gale was able to rescue the 19-pound dog, but the large ice walls prevented him from getting out of the frigid water himself.

Del Toro was patrolling the lakefront and witnesses directed him to Gale. The Chicago Fire Department was called, but there was no time — Silva immediately directed other officers to form a chain using a borrowed dog leash. Gale was pulled out of the water, and Ferman straddled the dangerous ice shelf to retrieve Pika.

Gale was taken to Weiss Memorial Hospital, where his condition was stabilized. His core temperature had dropped to a dangerous 93 degrees, police said. If the body's core temperature falls under 92 degrees, severe hypothermia sets in and can cause death.

At Tuesday's ceremony, Del Toro said he was happy to see Gale and Pika again.

"After that moment, I never saw him again, so you know seeing him here now, you know you remember and you realize that yeah we did save someone and it's a good feeling," Del Toro said.

Gale said he's "forever grateful" for the officers' rescue.