Smithtown East Football Coaches Get Stuck 30-Feet in the Air at Rival Team's Homecoming

Two Smithtown High School East football coaches had to be rescued from a bucket truck that was 30-feet in the air at Half Hollow Hills High School East’s the Homecoming game on Saturday afternoon.

Tyler O’Neill and Tim Kopiske got stuck in the truck’s bucket when the hydraulic lift malfunctioned at 4:15 p.m.

Luckily for the coaches, 35 Dix Hills volunteer firefighters quickly arrived to the scene with four fire engines, three ambulances, first responders and paramedics to rescue them. Dix Hills Rescue Squad personnel were also standing by with an ambulance when the incident occurred.

Firefighters Matt Stio and Jacquelyn Stio brought the 75-foot ladder truck onto the field to bring to two coaches back to solid ground.

The rescue was under the command of Assistant Chiefs Alan Berkowitz and Joe Williamson.

Images by Steve Silverman