Hero Long Island Cop In 'Right Place At Right Time' In Rescue Of Teen From Fire

MINEOLA, NY — There's no doubt that as a 10-year veteran of the Nassau County Police Department, Lt. Richard Mosback has known the danger of an emergency before.

Despite his training at the academy, and his experience on the force, describing how close to home to danger he recently came, is difficult for him to put into words even a week later.

He was off-duty at home in Sayville and had just laid his son down for a nap when he noticed smoke billowing from a home across the street, and he sprang into action, dashing over to the home to investigate, and then back across the street with a metal ladder.

In a frantic scene, which was all caught on security video, Mosback lugged the ladder to the second floor of a burning home where an 18-year-old was dangling from a window.

"It's something where I feel very fortunate that I was in the right place at the right time to see something that I could take action, and I could do something about it," he said at a special ceremony in the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building in Mineola on Wednesday.

County Executive Bruce Blakeman was flanked by Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder, as well as President of the Superior Officers' Association Ricky Frassetti, as he presented a proclamation to Mosback, honoring his actions.

The fire started at the home at around 2 p.m., with a 911 caller telling officers that there was one person trapped inside, but by the time they arrived, Mosback had rescued the teen, Suffolk police said.

Mosback had been unable to go inside the front door due to heavy smoke and flames and he used a ladder supported by a good Samaritan to help the teen from his second-floor window, police said.

"As you can see, he's definitely hustling while climbing down the ladder," Blakeman said. "The glass windows and doors exploded from the heat."

Mosback was taken to an area hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation, but the teen did not require medical attention, police said, adding that the family lost their dog in the fire.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, but it is believed to be non-criminal, police said.

Multiple fire departments, as well as the Town of Islip Fire Marshal responded.

A GoFundMe has been created to help the teen and his family and so far, $74, 317 has been raised toward its $100,000 goal.

"We feel that all of our police officers are special, but every once in a while, we have one that is extraordinary," Blakeman said. "I think today we have a very extraordinary police officer who really went above and beyond with courage and decisiveness that definitely saved the life of an individual, and if it wasn't for his swift action, the outcome of a fire in sable would it turn tragic."

Blakeman said there was a "tough couple of weeks in law enforcement" because "we lost one of our own Nassau County residents, Police Officer Jonathan Diller from the New York Police Department."

Diller, a resident of Massapequa' was shot in the line of duty while responding to a traffic stop in Far Rockaway.

Blakeman said his death "drove home the point" that police work is "truly a dangerous job."

"But what is impressive about what happened here is that Lt. Mosback was not on duty at the time," he said. "He was off-duty. He was at his home. It was a day off. And the fact that he sprang into action to save a life is really what is truly admirable about about [Mosback's] actions."

Ryder said that "heroes are not born, but "created by peoples' decisions and choices.

"Decisions and choices like Jonathan Diller made, and unfortunately lost his life," he said. Decisions that Lt. Mosback made to save somebody else's life, putting his family at risk knowing that their father may not come home."

Frassetti said asked those in attendance to think about how they would react after just putting their child down for a nap, and looking out the window to see smoke.

"Rich is a very modest person," he said. "He doesn't want to be here today. He doesn't want any of this attention."

Mosback, who is assigned to the 4th Precinct in Hewlett, said he has received some very kind words since the save and was honored to be hosted by Blakeman and the brass, who invited his wife, Brooke, and son, Carter, up to the podium.

Mosback, a tri-athlete, also credited his training in the save.

"I'd like to thank my family, too, because I know they put up with all my training as they say," he jokingly said.