By: Richard L. Smith
Image Credit: HFD
Emergency crews in Hackensack carried out a dramatic water rescue Tuesday night after a vehicle left the roadway and entered the Hackensack River near the Court Street bridge.
According to pictures and information released by the Hackensack Fire Department, members of the department’s 2nd Platoon, led by Deputy Chief Derevyanik, arrived to find the driver in distress and struggling to escape the partially submerged vehicle.
With the incoming tide posing an immediate danger, two firefighters were lowered into the frigid water to reach the victim, whose leg was reportedly trapped.
Firefighters secured the driver with a flotation device and safety lines before guiding him onto the roof of the vehicle.
Ladder 1 was positioned over the water while crews coordinated a plan to safely remove the man from the river.
Marine 1 was then deployed, and the driver was transferred to the rescue boat and brought to shore, where HUMC EMS evaluated and treated him.
Officials noted that many of the firefighters involved in the rescue had received specialized water-rescue training in 2025 through a FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant. 
Mutual-aid support was also provided by the Oradell Fire Department, which responded with a rescue boat.
Once the victim was removed, crews worked with Five Star Towing to recover the vehicle from the river. Bergen County Hazmat and Hackensack Police also assisted at the scene.
The incident remains under review.