Two firefighters are being hailed as heroes after rescuing a 12-year-old boy at Smith Point Beach.

Kyle Fink was boogie boarding with his friends in the outer beach area when the rip current pulled him in.

"In the matter of seconds we look up and he's way past the break out there with no boogie board or anything," said his father, Jeff Fink.

Justin Owen and Steven Welsh, who were off-duty, sprung into action and helped keep the boy afloat.

They said he was cooperative and kept calm the entire time.

There were others who tried to run out and help the boy, including his father, but the water was too rough.

The two firefighters say they were just focused on saving the boy.

"I got to a point where one wave in particular looked like it was the best one to take out and I told him this might not be great, might not feel good, but we're gonna take this one in and it's our best shot at getting out," says volunteer firefighter Steven Welsh.

Jeff Fink says he educated his son on rip currents so this will never happen again.

The two firefighters want to remind people to stay out of the water if the current is too rough and to swim parallel to the water if one is ever in trouble.

An older man was also rescued Saturday because of the bad rip currents.