BEDFORD, Va. – A Bedford County man is alive thanks to first responders who saved him from flood waters.
Bedford County’s Special Operations Command crew had to trek in waist deep waters to save this man.
Helmet-cam video shows the man sitting on the roof of his van waiting for crews to help him.
At about 6:40 a.m., the Forest Volunteer Fire Department was called to Otterville Road for a person trapped in water.
Rescue crews told 10 News the man was about 40 to 50 feet above ground.
They said it was dark when he came around the curve and couldn’t see the washed-out bridge.
At one point, rescue crews had a hard time getting to him.
When crews first got there, the creek levels were so high they couldn’t drive the fire truck the rest of the way.
They had to get out, put on their swim gear and push the boats in waist deep waters.
“It was just a little bit more difficult due to the access. Due to multiple creeks, multiple roadways flooded. So, we had to actually take more time to get to him.” Zach Coleman, rescue swimmer, said.
Thanks to a neighbor, the crews were given a ride with their equipment and used their boat the rest of the way.
“Yeah it got a little nerve racking for a little bit because he kept calling back and saying, ‘the road was washing out’ and his vehicle was starting to float. We got a little more curious about what was going to happen there. I mean with the water still rising it’s never a good sign when the vehicle starts to float,” Coleman said.
Rescue crew tells me this was a turnaround don’t drown situation.
And want to remind drivers of that when it's raining so heavy.
There were no reported injuries.