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by GALIA GARCIA-PALAFOX
Firefighter Greg Mosia trains every Thursday for water rescue missions, always hoping he won't ever have to use his skills.
But he needed them yesterday — to rescue a 13-year-old boy who was about to drown in Jamaica Bay.
"Training pays off," he said. "You hope you never have to use that."
The boy, whose name was not released by police or fire officials, was in critical condition yesterday at Peninsula Hospital Center, authorities said.
"He was not breathing," said Mosia, 32, of Massapequa. "He spitted some water when I was giving him CPR, but he still didn't breathe."
Mosia and his colleagues from Ladder 121 got an alarm at 12:45 p.m. yesterday of two children drowning in Jamaica Bay just north of Somerville.
As Mosia ran through backyards looking for the boys, an elderly woman pointed out the child in the water to him, he said.
"I saw him, jumped and swam to the nearest deck," the firefighter said. "I pulled him out and gave him CPR until the paramedics came."
Mosia said he found the child about 30 feet into the water facing down with his hands and feet floating. The boy was wearing sneakers, jeans and a T-shirt, he said.
Several people were on their decks and in their backyards at the time, but no one was in the water, as that is not a swimming area, the firefighter said.
Apparently, the 13-year-old and the other missing child, who came out of the water by himself, were playing by themselves, Mosia said.
"If the boy lives, it will be a wonderful sense of accomplishment," Mosia said. "If he doesn't live, it won't."
Mosia, who joined the Fire Department three years ago, said the water conditions in nonsupervised areas are unpredictable and swimmers should avoid them.
"Everyone should take some swimming lessons before going into the water," he said. "It's not swimming, not even. They shouldn't be playing in rocky beaches."
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