Fire crews rescue Tucson family during monsoon storm
TUCSON, Ariz. - A man and his two daughters are safe, after they were caught in the water during the early morning hours of July 14.
The Golder Ranch Fire District received a 911 call from the man who was driving a Jeep. Captain Adam Jarrold with the department says they found them in an off-road area near the town of Catalina, about 30 minutes north of Tucson.
"Found him and his two daughters on the roof of the vehicle. We were able to get the rescue going and we had them out of the water within another 10 minutes of us arriving on scene," said Jarrold.
Fire crews tried to use a latter truck, but was too dangerous.
"When our crews arrived, they were coming up with different plans of how to get everybody, and they noticed the vehicle was still a little unstable and moving a little bit in the water, so they felt that the fastest way to get them out was to get in the water and pull them out." said Jarrold.
Captain Jarrold encourages people to be patient ,and says people need to heed the phrase 'turn around, don't drown,' as something like this can happen in seconds with just inches of water.
"Find another way around, because water comes up pretty quickly and it comes down really quickly, and just waiting it out for just half an hour, water will be gone and you can go about your way and we're not putting anyone's lives at risk," said Jarrold.
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More Arizona News:
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Rain/flood safety tips
The American Red Cross' tips for heavy rain situations and flood safety:
- Turnaround don’t drown! If you must drive and you encounter a flooded roadway, turn around and go another way.
- If you are caught on a flooded road and waters are rising rapidly around you, get out of the car quickly and move to higher ground.
- Tune in to your local radio, NOAA radio, or news channels for the latest updates.
- If your neighborhood is prone to flooding, be prepared to evacuate quickly.
- Follow evacuation orders and do not attempt to return until officials say it is safe.
- If power lines are down, do not step in puddles or standing water.
- If power is out, use a flashlight. Do not use any open flame as alternate lighting.