Man rescued from SUV as flood waters continue to rise in West Virginia

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Sunday, January 14, 2018
Man rescued from SUV as flood waters continue to rise in West Virginia
Rescue crews saved a driver in West Virginia after he was stranded inside his SUV in high flood waters.

WEST VIRGINIA (KFSN) -- Rescue crews saved a driver in West Virginia after he was stranded inside his SUV in high flood waters.

The man was trying to cross the flooded area and got swept away. He was able to call 911 from inside the SUV. Firefighters say they had just minutes to get him out after the water swept up his vehicle.

Family members watched from the riverbank, terrified, as the water touched the top of his vehicle.

A lieutenant for a volunteer fire department was able to break through the back window of the car and pull the man to a rescue boat. Officials say it was thanks to an experienced crew that the driver is okay.

Chief David Wagoner of the West Virginia Fire Department said, "With the practice, they've had and the training they had -- they were able to come up with the safest way to get the guy out."

The fire chief says they do not think of themselves as heroes, it is just all in a day's work.