FDNY diver’s Hudson rescue

An FDNY scuba diver jumped into the Hudson River Thursday to save a man who inexplicably fell off a West Side pier, officials said.

Firefighter Christopher Gaulrapp was dispatched to Pier 84 at W. 43rd St. at about 9:10 a.m. after a man inexplicably fell off the pier and was having trouble treading water near the pylons.

“When we got to the scene, the victim was midway down the pier in the water, trying to stay afloat,” Gaulrapp, a 17-year veteran of the FDNY, said. “On the way to the call, I had put on my dry suit and grabbed a life jacket, so I jumped in the water to secure him.”

As Gaulrapp grabbed hold of the victim, other firefighters managed to lower a ladder down to the two men so they can get back onto the pier.

It was unclear how the fully-clothed man ended up in the water, but he was more than happy for the help.

“He was very appreciative,” Gaulrapp said. “He was saying thank you to everybody.”

Medics took the man to Mount Sinai Roosevelt Hospital for an evaluation.

Gaulrapp jumped from the pier into the water — a distance of about 12 feet — according to Lt. John McCann. While the rescue was nearly textbook perfect, there are always some perils that are a cause for concern, McCann said.

“These piers look new and nice, but there could be rebars and debris under the pier in the water that could hamper the operation,” Gaulrapp said. “The current could also be a concern.”

FDNY divers undergo 12 weeks of training and do 40 to 60 hours of refresher training a year, officials said.

Gaulrapp said he didn’t mind jumping into the Hudson as the temperature in the city hit about 87 degrees.

“It was nice to cool off a bit,” he joked.