What to do if stuck inside car underwater during a flood; rescuer offers instructions and advice
CARTERET, New Jersey (WABC) -- As the major flooding in New York and New Jersey earlier this month proved, it is important to know exactly what steps to take in order to stay safe in any situation when the weather is at its worst. This includes drivers knowing what steps to take if they become stuck in flood waters with their vehicles submerged.
Sergeant Anthony Buro is part of the New Jersey State Troopers Marine Services Bureau, tasked with rescuing people in that very scenario.
"If you don't take proper measures quickly to get out of the vehicle, anything can happen," Buro said.
He shared advice and instructions for drivers, as knowing what to do immediately can be the difference between life and death.
"The quicker you get out, the higher your chance of survival," Buro said.
He advised drivers to remain calm. He says they should immediately take off their seatbelts, roll down the window, and then do their best to exit that window.
"You have a couple of options," Buro said. "One is to actually get up onto the roof of the vehicle. It will buy you the most time at the highest point of the exterior."
This makes it easier for rescuers to see drivers in peril.
If a driver finds that both the car's window and door are stuck shut, punching through the window with a simple tool is Buro's suggestion for what to try next.
"Seatbelt cutter on a keychain that also doubles as a window punch," Buro said. "Spring action, window punch."
But if a driver does not have a device like that to punch a hole through the window, there are still options.
"Most front seat headrests have metal posts that hold them into the seat," Buro said. "They do not require a tool to be removed. Often times you can pull that out, and the two metal rods on the bottom can be used to try to break the window."
Six inches of standing water is enough to disable a vehicle, so police warn individuals to not even attempt driving into a flood. Police also urge everyone to take weather alerts seriously.
"Those alerts mean something," said Lieutenant Colonel Dave Sierotowicz of the New Jersey State Police Marine Services Bureau. "If we're sending them out to you, please pay attention to them because we're sending them for a reason."
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