Original link: RI environmental police officer saves life of unresponsive fisherman | WPRI.com

Leah Crowley

Oct 6, 2021

WPRI 12

RI environmental police officer saves life of unresponsive fisherman

NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI) — An environmental police officer is being hailed a hero after he helped save a fisherman’s life Sunday morning.

Officer Josh Beuth from the R.I. Department of Environmental Management’s Division of Law Enforcement rushed to aid the fisherman, who was reportedly suffering a medical emergency aboard a vessel near the Jamestown Bridge.

The DEM said Beuth was the first to arrive at Plum Point in North Kingstown, where he determined the vessel would come ashore.

Beuth quickly boarded the vessel, which was being operated by the victim’s fishing partner, as it was approaching the shore.

The DEM said Beuth began performing CPR on the unresponsive fisherman, and was able to get a faint pulse before other responders arrived on scene.

The fisherman was rushed to the hospital where he is currently in stable condition, according to the DEM.

“I’m lucky I was in the right place at the right time, which allowed me to help in this situation,” Beuth said. “Our dispatchers did a great job of relaying my location, status and needs to the other agencies responding, which I’m sure helped contribute to a positive outcome”

(Sunday morning, Environmental Police Officer (EPO) Josh Beuth from DEM’s Division of Law Enforcement (DLE) responded to a call for assistance of an unresponsive individual experiencing a medical emergency on a fishing vessel near the Jamestown Bridge. EPO Beuth determined the vessel was likely to come ashore near the Plum Point area, and was the first responder to arrive. EPO Beuth entered the water along the shore to board the vessel, where the unresponsive subject was accompanied by his fishing partner. Onboard the vessel EPO Beuth performed CPR and was able to get a faint pulse until other responders, including Rhode Island State Police and North Kingstown Fire Department/EMS, arrived on scene to assist. The individual was then transported to the hospital by rescue, and was last reported in stable condition.

“I’m lucky I was in the right place at the right time, which allowed me to help in this situation,” said EPO Beuth. “Our Dispatchers did a great job of relaying my location, status, and needs to the other agencies responding, which I’m sure helped contribute to a positive outcome.”

DEM salutes Rhode Island Environmental Police Officer Beuth for taking such decisive action. His conduct reflects DLE’s mission to protect public safety, public health, and natural resources.