A Long Beach volunteer firefighter pulled an unconscious man out of the ocean Friday afternoon and helped revive him with cardiopulmonary resuscitation, officials said, adding that the victim was fighting for his life in a hospital.
Long Beach Fire Commissioner Scott Kemins said firefighter Justin Fitzmartin, who also is an emergency medical technician, jumped into the water near Tennessee Avenue and brought the man to shore shortly after fire officials received the emergency call at 2:38 p.m. Fitzmartin and a Long Beach police officer performed CPR, Kemins said.
"The patient regained a pulse and was transported to South Nassau Communities Hospital emergency room in critical condition," Kemins said.
Ryan McTiernan, executive assistant to the Long Beach city manager, said police Officer Michael Corbett helped revive the victim after Fitzmartin carried him to the shore.