An off-duty San Francisco firefighter may have saved a life Saturday morning when he aided with the rescue of a swimmer who had been struggling in the cold water of the bay.
Capt. Thomas Johansen was swimming about 9:20 a.m. at Aquatic Park in San Francisco when he saw the Police Department’s Marine Unit responding to a swimmer in distress, said Lt. Jonathan Baxter, a spokesman for the San Francisco Fire Department.
The victim, a 56-year-old man from out of town, was participating in the annual Alcatraz Sharkfest Swim, which normally begins at Alcatraz Island and ends at Aquatic Park, but this year was moved into the cove at Aquatic Park because of high winds on the bay. The police’s Marine Unit, the Coast Guard and medical staff were on hand to help at the event, Baxter said.