When the crew of the Fireball in the Fire Island ferry fleet came upon a sinking boat in the Great South Bay last month the crew sprung into action using its training to help rescue the six passengers onboard.
Captain Luke Kaufman and deckhands Anthony Celano and Kayla Brabender were honored for their heroism last week by Islip Town officials including Supervisor Angie Carpenter, Town Councilman John Cochrane, Jr., joined New York State Senator Phil Boyle and members of the US Coast Guard. It was noted in a press release about the ceremony that deckhand Kayla Brabender had just completed her training two days prior to the rescue.
"We train for this all the time. I am glad that we could have been there at that particular moment, because I think had we not come upon that scene when we did, there probably would have been a different outcome," said Fireball Captain Luke Kaufman.
Carpenter expressed her gratitude for the crew.
“To Dave Anderson and his incredible team, we thank you for what you do each and every day," she said.
Kaufman added that it was only 15 minutes from the time ferry personnel responded to the distressed passengers to when they were safely returned to shore by the US Coast Guard.