'Incredible Work': Richmond Fire Dept Rescues 19 People from Cars During Flash Floods

Steve Warren
06-12-2021

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The Richmond, Virginia Fire Department rescued 19 people from their vehicles on Wednesday after storms moved through the region causing flash flooding. 

"It's been a busy evening for our WR Team," the department said on Twitter. The tweet said that between 4:27 and 5:22 p.m., the team was dispatched to more than a dozen vehicles in high water calls and rescued 17 people. Then a couple of hours later, at 7:51 p.m., they rescued two more people.

"They have done some incredible work," the tweet said.

Several flood advisories and warnings were issued Wednesday due to slow-moving storms and scattered thunderstorms.

Emergency officials reminded drivers to "turn around and don't drown."

Augustine Doe, Swansboro Civic Association president, told WWBT-TV that flash flooding on Richmond's southside is nothing new but added, "I've noticed that there's been work done on it quite recently so it recedes faster than ever."

Even with the work that has been done on the drainage issues, Doe said the city still has a long way to go toward fixing the problem.

"I'd like to see a warning system that highlights and warns drivers and motorists that when the water reaches a certain level you can not go through," Doe said.

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About The Author

Steve Warren is a senior multimedia producer for CBN News. Warren has worked in the news departments of television stations and cable networks across the country. In addition, he also worked as a producer-director in television production and on-air promotion. A Civil War historian, he authored the book The Second Battle of Cabin Creek: Brilliant Victory. It was the companion book to the television documentary titled Last Raid at Cabin Creek currently streaming on Amazon Prime. He holds an M.A. in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma and a B.A. in Communication from the University of
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