Firefighter, Police Officer Rescue Trapped Georgia Driver During Heavy Flooding — Watch
Bodycam footage showed a driver being pulled out of a partially submerged vehicle as Atlanta experienced about four inches of rain
A person was rescued from their car by a local police officer and firefighter as heavy rain flooded parts of Atlanta on Thursday.
The Atlanta Police Department shared bodycam footage of the dramatic incident on Facebook the following day, showing how Atlanta Police Officer Rayando Bryan and Atlanta Fire Captain Captain Terrance Simon took action during the storm.
The clip showed Bryan walking through waist-high standing water to a partially submerged sedan on Peachtree Street, near the city’s Public Safety Headquarters. When he reached the car, Simon was already there, trying to free the driver.
“The water was so deep the vehicle was being lifted from the ground and the doors would not open,” police shared on Facebook.
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As seen in the video, Simon shouted to the driver to turn their head, and Bryan took out his baton and smashed the driver's side window of the vehicle.
Simon was then able to pull the driver out through the window. Both Bryan and Simon escorted the driver slowly through the flooded waters until they were able to get the unidentified person safely into a nearby police vehicle.
“We are extremely proud of the actions of Atlanta Fire Rescue Captain Terrance Simon and Atlanta Police Officer Rayando Bryan,” police said. “Their response to this critical incident is yet another example of the commitment our city has made to ensure competent, well-prepared, well-trained first responders are available when needed.”
An Atlanta Police spokesperson told PEOPLE in a statement Tuesday that the driver of the submerged vehicle “was assessed by EMS after the incident, and declined to be transported for further medical assistance.”
Thursday’s storm brought about four inches of rain to the city, causing flash floods throughout the area, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
In a statement about the storm, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said, “Our Department of Watershed Management has reported that intense storm fronts and hail moved through several communities. Preliminary rain gauges have shown three hours’ worth of rain in just 15 minutes in some areas of downtown. While some are still struggling with flooding issues, most flooding areas are receding.”
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Flooding not only impacted the city's streets, but also Clark Atlanta University, forcing 24 students to relocate to another dorm building, per NBC affiliate WXIA-TV.
“Still kind of in disbelief that something like that could happen so quickly,” Ejon Woods, a student whose car was submerged in the water and damaged, told the station.
An emergency fund was established to help the Clark Atlanta University students who were affected by the flooding.
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