2 officers rescue elderly woman from pond on Northampton County

LEHIGH TWP., Pa. (WPVI) -- Two police officers in Northampton County are being hailed as heroes after saving an elderly woman from a pond in freezing weather.

It happened around 2:30 p.m. on Sunday on the 3400 block of W. Walker Drive in Lehigh Township.

Officers Elias Batihk and Anthony Stinemire say they arrived to find the woman waving her arms in the air, stuck waist-deep in the pond.

"If it was about 20 minutes longer, she likely would have passed out from severe hypothermia," said Officer Batihk.

A neighbor helped the officers get her inside until EMS officials arrived.

"I ended up carrying her into the house with a blanket he found," said Officer Stinemire. "And then we wrapped her up near a heater."

The woman told officers she was cleaning her pond pump when she accidentally fell in.

Luckily, she was wearing a medical pendant, which allowed her to call for help.

Officers credit that device with saving her life.