Erie 1 BOCES Student Credited with Heroic Rescue

The quick thinking and emergency preparedness training of Erie 1 BOCES student Brody Kaufman made all of the difference as he stepped up to help save the life of a kayaker in distress while traveling with family in Florida. 

“Focusing on the end goal, it just made you keep going,” said Brody, a student in the Emergency Medical and Fire Services program at the Kenton Career & Technical Education Center. “That sense of pride, it's immense.” 

Brody, a junior at Clarence High School, had stayed in the car as his family parked in the area of Marathon and Duck Key on April 19 so his parents could look at tarpon feeding. While there, his mother texted Brody about seeing an overturned kayaker in a fast-moving current.  

“I had a feeling I should check it out, and I'm glad I did,” Brody said. 

Using a rope borrowed from a nearby fisherman, Brody and other people on an overlooking bridge were able to lower a rope to the kayaker to secure himself, eventually getting three ropes down to help secure the man. Brody had one of the ropes wrapped around himself to ensure the kayaker’s safety. 

“Brody was at the helm of that rope, and he wasn't going to let go,” said his mother, Kathleen Kaufman, a special education teacher in the Clarence Central School District. 

After first attempting to drag the kayaker to the shore, Brody and other responders then decided the kayaker’s fatigue and ill-fitting life jacket made it too risky to continue that approach. They would have to lift him up by rope about 50 feet vertically to the bridge.  

“Even with the adrenaline and emotion, it was still very difficult,” Brody said. “We got him to the edge of the bridge, and he was still really slippery.” 

The group worked together to pull the kayaker to safety, and the kayaker was safely taken to the hospital by ambulance. 

The remarkable water rescue was actually Brody’s second emergency intervention during emergencies he encountered during his family travels during the school break. While traveling through the Atlanta airport, Brody provided first aid to a man that had fainted at a restaurant until paramedics could arrive.  

Brody's heroic actions were not a surprise to coaches and teachers those who knew him through his school and extracurricular activities.  

“It's one thing to prepare to jump into an emergency situation, and it's another thing to actually do it,” said Joshua Lembke, who instructs the Erie 1 BOCES Emergency Medical and Fire Services program. “It shows his commitment to others.” 

Lembke described Brody as energetic about his studies in the program. 

“Brody's always excited and ready to go,” he said. “He has a passion for everything we do.” 

In addition to being a multisport athlete at Clarence, Brody has spent two years as a junior member of the Harris Hill Volunteer Fire Company, where he was recognized as the department’s junior member of the year in January. 

Steven J. Pollard, the department’s chief, described Brody as an “outstanding kid” who assists the department in recruiting other junior members. Though Pollard said pulling people from rushing waters from a bridge is not a typical scenario that junior members train for, he said he was not surprised that Brody was willing to help at the scene.  

“Some would've just stood there and filmed it,” Pollard said. “He went there and made a difference.” 

Brody thanked his instructors and those at the fire department who have supported his development for preparing him to help when an emergency situation arose. Asked about his studies at Erie 1 BOCES, Brody praised the program and Mr. Lembke’s teaching to other students. 

“Everything we do is super informational, but he makes it fun and interesting,” he said. “The family bond you get being in the class with the same people is unmatched.” 

In addition to pursuing his dreams of playing football collegiately, Brody said he wants to study a field like emergency management to potentially become a professional firefighter. Among his motivations is the ability to help others.  

“The feeling after helping somebody, even if it's somebody having a rough day and being able to talk them through it, is a good feeling,” Brody said. “That's a feeling I want to have for the rest of my life. 

More information about Erie 1 BOCES' Emergency Medical and Fire Services program can be found at https://www.e1b.org/en/k-12-education-programs/emergency-medical-services.aspx.