JENNINGS COUNTY — High and swirling waters on Jennings County roadways last weekend stranded at least seven vehicles that required emergency rescue operations for passengers.
According to Jennings County Sheriff Kenny Freeman, there were several other cars caught in the waters brought by storms on June 18 and 19, but with the help of local law enforcement, including the North Vernon Police Department, those cars were freed without incident.
“Our deputies took care of most of them, but we had to call the water rescue team for three of the seven,” Freeman said.
In one rescue, passengers were forced on top of their vehicle after it started taking water.
“We found three people standing on the top of their car that was surrounded by rapidly moving water when we arrived at a call near Base Road," said Steve Pennycuff, a member of the local water rescue team from the Vernon Fire Department. “It’s a good feeling to know you helped save somebody but working in fast moving water with logs and other debris is one of the most dangerous situations there is.”
The Jennings County Water Rescue Team was officially formed in 2015 to deal with emergencies related to flood situations as well as emergencies on lakes and rivers.
The team is comprised of volunteers from every volunteer fire department in Jennings County. Each member of the team must complete water rescue-related training in addition to their ongoing fire training.
Water rescue training includes special training on how to use ropes, watercraft and other equipment to safely rescue people from water.
“So far, it’s all been happy endings," Pennycuff said. "We have not lost a rescuer or a rescuee but that day will come somewhere sometime. People can help avoid an unhappy ending by heeding flash flood warnings and by not driving into flooded roadways."
Freeman emphasized that it doesn’t take much for a vehicle to be taken away by water.
“The problem is people just do not realize the power of moving water," Freeman said. "People look at what they think is just a little water on the road and think they can make it through. They don’t realize even an inch of water can move a vehicle to the side of the road and a moving current can take even a large truck with."
In rural areas like Jennings County, where roads flood quickly, it can take a long time before volunteers can reach a stranded vehicle.
"You can’t always predict where or when flash flooding will hit," Freeman said. "It was different this time. Most of it hit in the northern part of the county. It’s usually more southwest. Also, just because it has stopped raining doesn’t mean the flooding has stopped."
At this time, motorists that are rescued aren’t ticketed, Freeman said.
The sheriff offered a word of advice to motorists thinking about driving through water.
“Just remember, if you try to fight the force of nature you are probably not going to win," Freeman said. "Regardless of the kind of vehicle you are driving, if you see water on the road, turn around, don’t drown.”
