Officer Singer Lauded for Saving Drowning Child While Off-Duty

Officer Joe Singer is no stranger to water rescues, and after last weekend, he has quite dramatic event to add to his resume.

On Saturday, Sept. 1, Officer Singer – who serves normally as a School Resource Officer – was off-duty and enjoying himself at Sandy Beach in Winchester.

Soon, he heard calls for help and quickly put on his police officer’s coat of bravery.

A 4-year-old child was drowning in about four or five feet of water, and people nearby were calling frantically for assistance.

Singer went into the water immediately and searched for the child in the water, eventually finding him and pulling him out.

On the beach, he called for someone to alert 9-1-1 and quickly began doing CPR on the child.

As luck would have it, a cardiologist had just pulled up to the beach as well for a visit. He and Singer went to work on the child while they waited for authorities to come.

The child was rushed to the hospital by ambulance, but was listed in stable condition at last check.

“He just happened to be there relaxing and ended up pulling the child out of the water,” said Capt. Amy O’Hara, noting that Singer didn’t want to do direct media interviews. “Joe Singer is the type of police officer every agency wants, especially in the School Department. It’s an example of police officers who regularly commit acts of kindness and selflessness whether on- or off-duty.”

Singer did relay that having the cardiologist happen by was a “God-send.”

In 2009, Singer and another officer saved two youths who had been trapped at the Breakwater on Revere Beach and were quickly getting submerged in the high tide. He swam all the way to the Breakers, and carried the youth back to shore in that incident.