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Pregnant woman pulled from sinking car
Palm Bay police officers rescued a pregnant woman from a submerged car after responding to reports of downed powerlines.
PALM BAY, Fla. - Newly released officer worn body camera video shows Palm Bay police officers rescuing a pregnant woman from a submerged vehicle in a canal off of Bayside Lakes Blvd. on Dec. 26.
According to the Palm Bay Police Department, officers were responding to reports of downed powerlines when they heard banging coming from the canal and found a car upside down, submerged in the water, with a pregnant woman inside.
"Thank God the lady is safe," said former sheriff’s deputy and iInvestigator Jamie Copenhaver.
After reviewing the body camera video, Copenhaver said he knew exactly what was going through the officers’ minds.
"They didn’t think," said Copenhaver. "They literally went into a live saving mode for this pregnant woman."
The video shows one officer grabbing a baseball bat from his patrol car and running to the water. Moments later officers are seen pulling the pregnant woman from what appears to be the back of the vehicle. Copenhaver said in these moments every second counts.
"Just think if that was dispatched five minutes later or he was hung up in traffic an extra three, four, or five minutes. That outcome could have been different," said Copenhaver. "We could have had a fatality or tragedy on our hands."
'Have a plan' if your car becomes submerged
Why you should care:
Copenhaver highlighted the importance of acting quickly if you find yourself in such emergencies, emphasizing steps to escape a sinking car:
- Unbuckle your seatbelt.
- Use the buckle or other tools like a headrest, screwdriver, or pocket knife to break a window.
- Remaining calm and working efficiently can be critical in such life-threatening situations.
"If that buckle doesn’t work, and you can’t negotiate your way out of the car, for goodness’ sake use your feet and kick that car window, door window, out so you can escape out of that flooding car," Copenhaver explained. "Have a plan in mind no matter what you’re doing."
Officials urge the public to call 911 immediately if they encounter a sinking car, keep an eye on the vehicle, and assist the occupant only if it is safe to do so.
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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Palm Bay Police Department, and Jamie Copenhaver, a former sheriff’s detective.