Man drowns after jumping into Reynolds Channel

In what was the second “bizarre” drowning death in a week, a man jumped into Reynolds Channel on Wednesday night after leaving Long Beach Medical Center under unusual circumstances and dashing into the bay.

The Long Beach Fire Department received the emergency call at 10:25 p.m., said Fire Chief Richard Corbett, following a report that a man in his 20s “ran out” of the hospital’s emergency room and jumped into the water behind the hospital.

Fire Department units were on the scene within two minutes, confirmed that the man was “submerged” in the water and immediately began a search. Firefighters entered the water with police officers and began searching the area where the man was last seen.

Corbett said that as the search began, the department requested assistance from the Island Park and Point Lookout Fire Departments, who provided floodlight trucks and an ambulance to stand by to cover any additional aided cases.

The Freeport Fire Department sent its dive team to assist in the search, and assistance was also provided by the Nassau County Police Department’s Aviation and Marine units, Corbett said.

“A short time after divers entered the water, the victim was recovered in about 20’ of water,” Corbett said. “As the victim was removed from the water, CPR was administered and he was wheeled into the ER from the dock behind the hospital. Sadly, a short time later, the victim was pronounced [dead] by the staff at LBMC.”

Long Beach Fire Commissioner Scott Kemins said that it was unclear if the man was a Long Beach resident or why he jumped into the bay.

He said that the man’s death was preceded by an earlier incident at the hospital. Long Beach police had responded to an earlier call at LBMC after the man had entered the emergency room and began acting strange, Kemins said.

“From my understanding, he knocked down a nurse and ran out of the ER,” Kemins said. Kemins said that a Long Beach Police officer had dived into the water in an attempt to save the man shortly after he jumped. “The police were responding there because the victim had been dropped off by a taxi and he was acting strangely in the ER,” Kemins said.

Sharon Player, the hospital’s director of public affairs, said it was too early to release the victim’s name, but said the 35-year-old man had arrived alone at Long Beach Medical Center’s Emergency Department at 10:14 p.m. Player said that he was triaged by staff and placed in a treatment room with two staff members for evaluation. While Player said that the man was in distress when he entered the hospital, she said that because of confidentiality policies, she could not comment on why he was admitted to the ER.

"Almost immediately, the patient became agitated and staffing was increased to three registered nurses and a security staff member attending the patient," Player said. "The patient jumped from the stretcher, knocking one of the nurses to the ground and ran out of the emergency room. Staff pursued the patient and heard his voice coming from the Channel. Simultaneously, staff inside the Emergency Department called 911."

Player added that the patient was observed in the water and that a hospital staff member and a responding police officer jumped into the bay to attempt to save the patient. Player said that while staff had heard the man's voice coming from the Channel, it was unclear if he was crying out for help.

"Unfortunately, they were not able to reach the individual before he submerged and a police dive team arrived to assist with the rescue," she said.

At approximately 11 p.m., Player said that divers recovered the man, who was not breathing, and all attempts were made to revive the patient in the Emergency Department.

"Despite extensive measures performed by the Emergency Department staff, resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful and the individual was pronounced dead at 11:14 p.m.," Player said.

Hospital staff has reached out to the individual’s family to offer bereavement and counseling services, Player said. Additionally, counseling services are being made available to the hospital personnel involved in the event and rescue.