MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – A dramatic water rescue mission was successful due to the teamwork of the Myrtle Beach Fire Department.
On Saturday the Myrtle Beach Fire Department was called to Radar Road after car and it’s driver were fully submerged in a nearby pond.
Lt. Jonathon Evans says the area is used for Uber and Lyft drivers to wait on calls for airport riders.
While answering a call the driver accidentally stepped on the gas pedal instead of the break, launching his car into the middle of the pond.
“I was able to see that the vehicle was submerged out into the center of the pond. And I immediately saw that the windows were up,” said Lt. Scott Ordway, firefighter and water rescuer.
Ordway and Engineer Gary Duesler dove into action.
“As I was running barefoot across the pavement and as I was running down the embankment I didn’t feel the pain of stepping on stones or anything like that,” said Ordway, “You’re really just focused on doing your job and what you are trained to do and that’s basically helping someone.”
The goal was to get the driver out and fast.
“The two of us were communicating relatively quiet to each other saying ‘We’re not going to let this guy go,'” said Ordway.
Treading in well over six feet of water Ordway and Duesler found a partially open window.
“He was a relatively large man going through a small area and his body moved like silly putty,” said Ordway.
The driver survived. He was breathing and talking as soon as he was pulled to shore.
He was sent to the hospital for further treatment.
Swift work for a rescue crew that has been in the department for only a few years.
“Five years ago when our policy was “stand on the side of the shore for police to come” – that didn’t sit right with a lot of us. So I’m glad to see for situations like this we can act quickly and get out there and save this person’s life. Because who knows what could have happened if we hadn’t been out there,” said Evans.
