By Bill Carey
SA国际传媒
SHREVEPORT, La. 鈥� Balentine Ambulance EMT Pearce Copeland was in the right place at the right time during his shift when he and his partner encountered three women stranded in floodwaters.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 think anybody was in the cars, and I didn鈥檛 think they would stay in there,鈥� Copeland told . 鈥淚 saw someone鈥檚 hand wave out of the first car to the right, and that鈥檚 when I looked to my partner. I was like, 鈥業 think there鈥檚 somebody in there.鈥欌��
Even though water rescues aren鈥檛 something Copeland usually does, he didn鈥檛 hesitate to take action to get to the first car, reported
Copeland recounted that the woman in the first car told him she couldn鈥檛 swim and couldn鈥檛 open her door. He calmly responded, 鈥溾�極kay, ma鈥檃m, you鈥檙e going to have to go to the window. I鈥檒l help you out.鈥欌��
After rescuing the first woman, Copeland heard yelling from another car. He managed to rescue the driver, who informed him that a passenger, paralyzed on the left side of her body, was drowning.
鈥淪he was able to talk to me, but in between gurgling water,鈥� Copeland said. He told her, 鈥溾�業鈥檓 going to count to three, hold your breath, and I鈥檓 going to help your head under the lip.鈥� I got her in my arms, and I started to carry her to the ambulance.鈥�
After rescuing the women, Copeland gained a new perspective on flooded roads and stressed the importance of avoiding driving through them.