A man who cracked through the ice and fell into a frigid lake at Central Park Saturday had the good fortune of doing so while firefighters were conducting ice-rescue drills nearby.
Firefighters engaged in the drill noticed the man walking in the middle of the frozen lake at about 1 p.m. and shouted warnings at him, an FDNY spokesman said. The man, who wasn't identified, failed to heed the warning and moments later plunged into the icy water.
Firefighters were already wearing their ice-rescue gear and were able to get to the man within two to three minutes, the FDNY said. Rescuers were unsure of the temperature of the lake water, but said it was about 20 degrees outdoors.
The man was incoherent and intoxicated, rescuers said. He was combative in the ambulance and had to be sedated as he was taken to Lenox Hill Hospital, they said.
The rescue occurred near West Drive in the vicinity of 76th Street.
