Off-duty firefighter helps save 9-year-old boy from drowning in New Windsor

New Windsor EMS officials say Octavius Fraser performed CPR on the 9-year-old at Knox Village Apartments on Blooming Grove Turnpike until paramedics arrived.

Blaise Gomez

Jun 26, 2023, 4:52 PM

Updated 471 days ago

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An off-duty City of Newburgh firefighter is being credited for his quick-thinking actions that saved an unresponsive 9-year-old boy from drowning in a swimming pool in New Windsor.
Police say Octavius Fraser and a lifeguard at Knox Village Apartments on Blooming Grove Turnpike pulled the child from the pool and administered CPR until paramedics arrived.
Fraser tells News 12 that the child didn’t have a pulse and that they immediately started CPR.
“The lifeguard grabbed a pocket mask and started giving him breaths intermittently while I was doing compressions. After performing CPR for a few minutes, his heart was beating strongly again and he was breathing,” said Fraser.
New Windsor EMS credit their quick-thinking actions for saving the boy.
The off-duty rescuer says he’s grateful the child is OK, and that he was there to help.
“I just used my training to help immediately because in those situations every second counts,” said Fraser.