Nassau County Ambulance Medical Technicians are skilled in providing pre-hospital medical care services. Usually, those services are provided to humans. But on a June 3 day at Gilgo Beach, two AMT’s had to expand their responsibilities.

 

Ron Kahl and Paul Brodowsky were at the boardwalk of Jones Beach at their normal patrol point when they received a call that there was a young dolphin that washed up on shore and was holding on for dear life.  They rushed over to Gilgo Beach where the dolphin was, and a media frenzy ensued. As Kahl and Brodowsky tried to keep the blowhole open and keep the dolphin breathing, helicopters from CNN with live coverage, and reporters from various newspapers came to the area to witness. 

 

After two and a half hours of keeping the dolphin alive along the shoreline with 58 degree water rushing in, the Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research based out of Atlantis Marine World Aquarium arrived to transport the dolphin back to safety. 

 

 

Once the dolphin arrived at the aquarium it was swimming around and appeared quite healthy. However, about 24 hours lately the dolphin suffered a parasite infection to the brain and died. 

 

Despite that, Kahl and Brodowsky were honored by County Executive Ed Mangano for going above and beyond. Coming in July, they will also be honored as the first ever “Top CSEA Member” by the Nassau County Legislature.

 

When Kahl was asked how they knew how to keep a dolphin alive, as opposed to a human, he said, “Well when you have to keep something or someone alive, no matter who or what it is, we have to get the job done. Saving lives is not a hobby, but our profession.”