Young Surfer Rescued

Teamwork by members of the Montauk Fire Department and a police officer saved the life of an 11-year-old Montauk resident, Steven Forsberg, who was stuck in a strong rip tide off the Royal Atlantic beach on Tuesday afternoon.

"He was caught in a bad situation," said Anthony DelPercio, the firefighter who actually pulled the boy onto the shore.

In the course of saving the boy, one of the rescuers found himself in trouble as well.

It all began when Steven's cousin, 10-year-old Donny D'Albora, re ceived permission from his mother to go surfing as long as someone else went with him. Donny called Steven, his frequent surf partner, and within an hour the two boys were paddling through the white water.

More Cautious

Donny is the more cautious of the two boys, according to his mother, Jennifer D'Albora. Deciding it was too rough, he returned to the beach. There he stood watching as a wave hit Steven so hard that he lost his board. Donny ran up the block to his mother's store, crying, and told her Steven was in trouble.

While Mrs. D'Albora called 911, Donny ran across Main Street to the police substation and told Police Officer Peter Murray his cousin was in trouble. Officer Murray radioed for help and drove to the beach with Donny. Steven had drifted eastward toward Mimosa Beach by this time.

Meanwhile, the call came into the Montauk Fire Department and was heard by Mr. Del Percio, who was close by. He got to the beach the same time as Officer Murray and Dennis Snyder, second assistant chief.

Surprisingly Calm

Officer Murray pulled off his gun belt and shoes and entered the water. He managed to grab the boy's wayward surfboard before the waves forced him back to shore.

Mr. Del Percio and Mr. Snyder, members of the department's water rescue team, stripped down to their pants and jumped into the water. Mr. Snyder had Steven's surfboard with him. When they reached Steven, Mr. DelPercio said, he was surprisingly calm.

"I'm fine," Steven, who was wearing a wetsuit, told him. "I'm just cold and tired."

They put Steven on the surfboard and began swimming back toward shore. But when they reached the breakwater they were hit so hard by a wave that they lost hold of Steven and the board, and Mr. Snyder's pants were forced down around his ankles. He dove under the water, released the trousers from his legs, and surfaced to find Steven again.

Rescuer Gets Stuck

Mr. DelPercio got Steven in a rescue lock, while Mr. Snyder retrieved the surfboard and a rope handed to him by rescue workers on the beach. He tried to paddle back toward Mr. DelPercio and the boy, but was constantly thrashed by powerful waves.

Mr. DelPercio managed to get Steven to shore on his own, but now Mr. Snyder was stuck in the rip tide. According to Montauk Fire Chief Tom Grenci, who was on the beach, Fire Department members could tell Mr. Snyder was tiring and very cold. Water temperatures are hovering around 48 degrees.

Robert Grossman, a member of the Fire Department, picked up another surfboard lying nearby and tried to get out to Mr. Snyder. His efforts were thwarted by the waves.

Winded And Tired

Alan Burke, a Fire Department member who is a surfer, had his wetsuit and surfboard in his truck. He quickly pulled on the wetsuit and dove into the water, managing to reach Mr. Snyder.

Chief Grenci said Mr. Snyder was winded and tired when Mr. Burke reached him, but they both managed to get to shore safely.

Mr. Snyder was wrapped in blankets on the beach, put on a stretcher, and taken by the Montauk ambulance crew to Southampton Hospital, where he was released after three hours.

"That water was cold!" he said. He had lost his pants in the rescue effort, wallet and all.

Thankful Parents

"I can't thank them enough," said Steven's father, Steven Forsberg, who with his wife, Virginia, was waiting on the beach during the rescue operation.

He's not too keen on the youngsters returning to the surf. "I'd like to break them both in half," he said of the boys' surfboards.