Earlier this month, a sudden flash flood left several vehicles stranded in fast-moving water, cutting them off from emergency services. As the drivers clung to the fleeting hope of dry land, it was quickly washed away before their eyes. In a harrowing incident, a stranded individual managed to escape a semi-truck, only for the torrential water to consume and sweep him further into its murky grasp.
Despite the grim situation, fate favored the semi-truck driver as the Coast Guard helicopter was first on the scene and located him in the nick of time.
Rescue swimmer AST2 Joe Glaser-Reich shared his account in the Coast Guard's Facebook post: "It was truly a roller coaster of emotions… When the Flight Mech spotted the survivor clinging to a bush in the middle of the wash, about 50 yards from dry land on either side, I was pumped - incredibly grateful and excited… It is truly an honor and a privilege to be part of the team that helped him come go home to his family that night," said Glaser-Reich.
The Coast Guard San Diego's Facebook post also reiterated the importance of personal responsibility in the face of danger by urging, "a reminder to never drive your vehicle into a flooded road. You never know how deep or how quickly the water is rising until it is too late!"
