[Press Release] : Flooded roadways believed to have claimed one life

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Contact: Battalion Chief Steven Sapp, PIO - (573) 499-7035 

Flooded roadways believed to have claimed one life 

COLUMBIA, MO (September 14, 2008) - Columbia firefighters responded to
two water rescue calls overnight where people drove vehicles across
flooded roadways or people attempted to cross roads on foot with water
flowing over them. 

At 11:31 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13, firefighters responded to the 3200
block of Creasy Springs Road where two vehicles were stranded in water
over the roadway. Firefighters using the departments Zodiak® boat
removed the drivers from each vehicle and brought them to safe ground.
No injuries to the driver were reported. 

At 2:53 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 14, firefighters were called to Clark
Lane at the Hominy Creek where a 9-1-1 report of a male in the water was
received. Firefighters arrived and found a male clinging to a bridge
structure. Firefighters were told that a 21 year-old female had entered
the water on foot and was then not seen again. 

The man in the water was clinging to a golf cart bridge; part of the
golf course associated with The Links, and was suffering from
hypothermia and exhaustion. It is unknown how long he was in the water
before emergency crews were called. Columbia firefighters launched the
Zodiak® boat from Clark Lane but the extremely swift current forced them
downstream. Firefighters in the boat then launched from a location
further to the south of the victim and were able to reach the victim and
remove him from the water. The man was transported to University
Hospital for treatment. His condition is thought to be non-life
threatening.

The male who was rescued was driving a Ford Mustang and attempted to
cross the swift moving, rapidly rising creek in the construction area
when it was swept off of the road. The driver was able to remove himself
from the vehicle and was swept away in the current but managed to grab
onto the bridge from which he was later rescued. The vehicle is
completely submerged and not visible to rescuers.

The 21 year-old female who is believed to have been swept downstream
and presumed drowned, was with the driver of the vehicle who discovered
the man in the water. The driver and the female were going east on Clark
Lane from Route PP where the driver was to drop the female off at her
residence. They encountered the water over the road and saw the man
clinging to the bridge. The driver and passenger exited their vehicle
where the driver called 9-1-1 from his cell phone. While on the line
with 9-1-1 the driver saw the female entering the water on foot. The
driver called to the female to stop and not go into the water. The
driver completed the 9-1-1 call and when he looked up he stated the
female was not in sight. 

Emergency crews working in heavy rain, darkness and rising and
debris-filled waters searched for the female for over two hours after
rescuing the man from the bridge. Rescuers have notified the State
Highway Patrol, the Water Patrol and other local and adjoining county
emergency services of the incident. In addition, fire units were
stationed on I-70 at the Hominy Creek bridge and on Keene Street at the
Hominy Creek bridge in the event the female had been carried down stream
and may have be able to get to shore or grab onto something. Those
rescuers reported very high and swift moving water. 

Due to the poor conditions, including darkness, the swift and rapidly
rising water and large amounts of debris in the water, the search for
the woman was suspended around 5:30 a.m. and will resume at sunrise. 

Precipitation totals at Sanborn Field according to the Web site as of
6:30 a.m. today was 4.32 inches. Moderate, and at times, heavy rain
continues to fall and is expected to continue through at least midday.
Creeks and streams will continue to rise even after the rainfall ends. 

Emergency services and public works officials in Columbia and Boone
County urge motorist to heed the advice - Turn Around - Don't Drown!

Never attempt to drive across a flooded road in a vehicle or cross on
foot. You cannot tell how deep the water is. Nor can you tell where the
roadway is or if the roadway has been washed out and is not there at
all. In addition, flowing water has much more power then we give it
credit for and can easily float and move vehicles off the roadway and
rapidly downstream. 

- 30 -
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