Hempstead bay constables billed as heroes after saving duck hunter

Two Hempstead bay constables were honored as life-saving heroes Tuesday for rescuing a duck hunter who had fallen out of his kayak and into the frigid waters near Point Lookout.

"They saved the life of somebody who was on these waters and facing a very harrowing situation," said Don Clavin, supervisor for the Town of Hempstead. "He fell out of his kayak and he was starting to have water go into his waders. … When they got him, his body temperature was approximately 90 degrees. What does that mean? He was facing certain death."

Clavin spoke at the Curtis E. Fisher West Marina Tuesday where he was joined by the two constables, Orazio Taddeo and Salvatore Mastracchio.

They were both presented with "Hometown Hero" awards for their efforts Sunday afternoon. Taddeo, of Oceanside, said the duck hunter, who was not identified, luckily managed to call 911. The constables were able to quickly find the hunter and pull him from water that authorities said was about 50 degrees.

"The gentleman managed to get one call off before his cellphone went dead," Taddeo said. "We had an incredibly large search area. We knew he was in trouble. When you’re dealing with cold water, cold temperatures, every second counts. Hypothermia sets in rather quickly."

Taddeo added Hempstead EMS personnel were able to "raise his core temperature" which contributed to the man surviving.

Mastracchio, of Long Beach, described the rescue as "a little bit of a scary situation for us and for him."

When he was asked whether he and Taddeo are heroes, Mastracchio said: "No. We were just doing our job that day — that’s what we do."

Although people tend to think about Long Island with images of summertime on the water, Clavin said, constables work all year around.

He spoke directly to Taddeo and Mastracchio and told them: "Thank you for getting the job done. Thank you for saving their lives. Thank you for the great work you’ve done year in and year out during every season."

With James Carbone