SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Syracuse firefighters saved a woman's life after she dangled from a chain for about 15 minutes Monday off the Bear Street bridge overlooking the Inner Harbor, First Deputy Fire Chief Steve Evans said.
The woman climbed over the bridge to the outside rail, grabbed onto a chain hanging from the bridge and threatened to jump sometime between 1 and 2 p.m., Evans said. The chain was in a big loop and part of the bridge.
Firefighters arrived two to three minutes after someone called 911.
"She was dangling on the chain," Evans said. "Her body was being held up by the chain, which she was straddling and hanging onto."
The woman was about 30 feet to 40 feet above the water, which was about 3 feet deep at that point, Evans said.
A Syracuse police negotiator tried to talk to the woman, but she wasn't cooperative, officials said.
At the same time, the Syracuse Fire Department's Rescue Company and Marine 1 took action.
Firefighter Paul Veri, a 13-year veteran with the Rescue Company, got into a rappelling harness. With help from fellow firefighters, Veri (pronounced Ver-EYE) rappelled about six feet down -- just below the bridge, where the woman was still clinging to the chain.
But the woman was combative. She yelled at Veri and threatened to pull his boot off, Evans said.
"He was afraid she would reach out and cause her to fall so other (firefighters with the Rescue Company) pulled him out of her reach," Evans said.
Meanwhile, the fire department boat, Marine 1, went downstream in the harbor, right below where the woman would fall if she let go of the chain.
Two other firefighters from the Rescue Company also strapped on water rescue suits and entered the creek.
After several minutes, the woman stopped talking and put her head down as she cradled the chain. Worried that she may lose consciousness and had become tired, firefighters quickly moved in.
Firefighter Veri rappelled down -- and before the woman had time to react -- he had locked his arms and legs around the back of her body, Evans said.
Firefighters from above cut the chain, and lowered Veri and the woman into the water to the two rescuers in the water, Evans said.
But on their way down, the woman became combative again, he said.
She bit Veri on the arm, near his wrist, Evans said.
"He just held on tight and lowered her down," the chief said.
The two firefighters in the water put a lifebuoy ring around the woman's body and pulled her out of the water.
"This is one of those rescues where their training takes over," Evans said. "I'm glad they were able to save her life so she can get the help she needs."
American Medical Response (AMR) ambulance took the woman to a Syracuse hospital for evaluation.
Syracuse firefighters drove Veri to a local hospital. He was waiting on blood tests Monday night, Evans said.
After the rescue Monday, the chief said the firefighters were "just doing their job," but he also admitted this rescue was one-of-a-kind.
"They train every day, which makes the routine rescues easier and the extraordinary rescues obtainable," Evans said. "This was one of those extraordinary rescues that makes me proud to be a Syracuse firefighter."
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