Narrow Escape at Dunkerhook Park After Teens Get Stranded in Saddle River

Close Call at Dunkerhook Park: Two Youths Stranded in Rain-Swollen Saddle River Trigger Massive Emergency Response

photo courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook page

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Paramus NJ, A Friday afternoon outing nearly turned tragic at a popular Bergen County park. Multiple 911 calls triggered a massive, multi-agency emergency rescue operation at Dunkerhook County Park in Paramus, NJ, after reports emerged of two youths stranded on a log in the middle of the rushing, rain-swollen Saddle River.

The incident, which drew a heavy presence of local first responders, has sparked renewed warnings about the hidden dangers of local waterways following heavy rainfall.

## Multi-Agency Rescue Teams Rush to Paramus Bike Path

Around early Friday afternoon on June 26, emergency dispatchers received urgent calls prompting an immediate deployment to a heavily wooded section of Dunkerhook Park, located just west of the well-traveled bike path.

Recognizing the severe risk posed by the fast-moving river currents, a formidable rescue network mobilized instantly, including:

• Paramus Fire Department (FD)

• Paramus Rescue Squad

• Paramus Police Department’s Emergency Services Unit (ESU)

• Bergen County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division

## A Fortunate Outcome: Self-Extrication and No Injuries

Fortunately, as the wave of emergency vehicles and rescue personnel arrived on the scene, they received relieving news. The two young men managed to successfully self-extricate themselves from the treacherous river currents.

Responders located the teens waiting safely near the park’s playground area. According to officials:

• Both youths were completely uninjured.

• They refused medical attention at the scene.

• A parent arrived shortly afterward to safely transport them home.

## The “Tom Sawyer” Danger: Is a Nearby Rope Swing to Blame?

While this incident ended without injuries, local onlookers pointing to a specific culprit. Witnesses in the park noted that a nearby, old-school “rope swing”—reminiscent of a classic Tom Sawyer adventure—frequently attracts large groups of local teens to the water’s edge daily.

Hypotheses circulating among bystanders suggest the youths may have used the rope swing to plunge into the Saddle River, misjudging just how deep and fast the water was moving after recent rains. Local authorities continue to remind residents that hidden debris, sudden drop-offs, and swift currents make swimming or jumping into the rain-swollen Saddle River incredibly dangerous.

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