Man saved in swift water rescue in Goodyear
Sep 7, 2012, 6:37 PM | Updated: Sep 10, 2012, 1:12 pm
A man was rescued after driving into a flooded wash near Goodyear.
The man was stuck on top of a utility truck in the middle of a flooded wash at 155th Ave. and Riggs Rd.
While the man was driving, he miscalculated the severity of the conditions ahead of him.
“When he came across there, there were just a few mud puddles. So he went to get across there and said he just got stuck in the mud,” Goodyear Battalion Fire Chief Russ Braden said.
The situation was certainly hazardous, considering the water level.
“At one point, the water was about four feet deep up the side of the vehicle,” Phoenix Fire Cpt. Scott Walker told News/Talk 92.3 KTAR’s Mac & Gaydos.
Goodyear, Phoenix, Avondale and Glendale assisted in the rescue that began at about 4:30 p.m. and took a little over two hours to complete.
Braden said rescuers have to assess any rescue immediately to keep everyone safe.
“At this point we don’t know if they’re good swimmers or not, if they’re afraid of the water,” Braden said. “We really don’t know. Sometimes with the rush of water, it’s hard to talk to them.”
The man was not treated for injuries.
