STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A former Staten Islander who was in town visiting friends and out for a day of shooting photos happened upon the scene of a water rescue at South Beach in the vicinity of Capodanno Boulevard and Sand Lane Saturday afternoon.
Tom Martinez, 62, a former Livingston resident who now resides in Chandler, Arizona, was walking the boardwalk at around 3:40 p.m. when he saw what he initially believed to be a group of firefighters practicing a training drill near the shoreline. Seconds later, he realized what he was witnessing and raised his telephoto lens.
A member of the FDNY hurriedly swam toward a woman who could be seen bobbing face down in the water. Upon reaching and flipping her over, a group of emergency responders stationed on the sand quickly pulled the pair back ashore with a length of rope, Martinez explained…