Saint John fire, police, and the Coast Guard were dispatched to help rescue two people from the breakwater connected to Partridge Island on Saturday.
Emergency services were called to the rescue just before 5:30 p.m. as one of two stranded parties said they were experiencing signs of hypothermia.
Fire crews hiked across the breakwater and after reaching the stranded pair a quick rescue boat was launched from the Coast Guard’s site on Chesley Drive to assist in the rescue.
It was just under two hours before the pair were safely returned to the mainland.
The city introduced fines last year for ‘thrill-seeking activities’ requiring emergency services to be called.
Those ticketed for thrill-seeking activities are on the hook for $500 per hour for each emergency response unit.
Acting Platoon Chief Roy Byers says it’s always a hazard when crews are dispatched to Partridge Island.
“It’s highly dangerous for not only those that seek to cross, but for our own crews,” Byers said. “Conditions were truly terrible out there last night.”
He said the rescue boat had to circle the island to better approach the stranded individuals.
“With the wind and the rain, we actually had to switch sides… to try and get a better side of conditions to get the boat nosed in, to get everyone from the breakwater back onto the rescue craft,” said Byers.
