Long Island Woman Rescues Man From Icy Creek: Fire Department

MASTIC, NY — A Long Island woman rescued a man who had fallen into a partially frozen creek on Thursday afternoon, fire department officials said.

The department received a call at about 12:30 p.m. regarding a cold water rescue in Poospatuck Creek in Mastic at where a man fell through the ice and was unable to get out, according to a post on Facebook.

As the fire department was responding to the scene, Kayla Masotto "risked her own life," springing into action from her backyard, and was able to successfully rescue the man with her paddle board, the department said.

"This gentleman was already experiencing the early effects of hypothermia and thanks to Kayla's actions, will be okay after being evaluated at a local hospital," the post read.

The department credited Masotto for doing a "great job."

"Kayla, thank you again for your amazing life-saving efforts this afternoon," the post read.

Masotto, of Mastic Beach, told News 12 she spotted the man on the ice when she was sitting in her living room watching TV, and ran out and asked if he needed help, but he told her he was okay, but not shortly after, the man's personal watercraft started to smoke and then sank.

"I ended up running to my basement, grabbing my paddleboard, and ran out and saw how far I could run on the ice,” she told the outlet. "I just had to do what I could to try to help this man. There was no time to think honestly. It was just kind of adrenaline."