Daviess County, KY, on Sunday, faced severe flooding which left several of its roads submerged and the residents stranded. Thanks to the emergency responders who carried out several water rescues leading to the safety of families, their pets, and other motorists who were caught in the rising floodwaters.
Daviess County families rescued with their infants
According to Daviess County Fire Department inspector Keith Hurm, emergency workers made a minimum of eight rescues over the day. One of the more pressing cases was a young family blocked from leaving their house in Philpot.
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Luke Waddel, a local, noted that he woke up to his bedroom being entirely flooded and his entire street completely covered by almost two feet of water. He was mostly focused on saving his two-month-old daughter before the situation worsened.
“I put my foot down and it was ice-cold water,” he said. Waddell noted.
With water rushing into Waddell’s home, he and his fiancée began to dress their baby and put her in a car seat so they could escape. A Daviess County Fire Department boat pulled them, along with their pets, to safety.
Officials urge caution as rescues continue
Throughout the day, emergency services were busy checking any abandoned cars and giving assistance to people stuck in the floods. Deputy Robert Bracelin of the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office has noted that during the course of their patrols, a lot of cars that were submerged in water were removed.
“We are still getting calls and we haven’t been able to check over as many roads as we would prefer to check,” he further noted.
While cautioning the motorists, Inspector Hurm also told them to stay clear of the flooded roads and respect the respective road closure signs. He also added that as a motorist, if you see a white or yellow line on the pavement, it shows it’s safe and you can pass while on the other hand, If the water is more than 6 inches deep then it can move and even wreck your car.
Some residents took it upon themselves to try and paddle through the flood waters on their own which started causing more emergencies. Shannon Budd shared how his daughter managed to use a kayak to reach her elderly mother but fell while doing so and hit her head also requiring help.
While other residents tried to check on their neighbors by wading through water that reached up to their knees, Budd further urged the residents to report any abandoned cars to prevent the responders from endangering themselves unnecessarily while searching for trapped passengers.
As flooding concerns persist, officials continue to emphasize the importance of staying safe, avoiding flooded areas, and heeding official warnings. The rapid response from emergency teams and the community’s resilience highlight the strength of Daviess County in the face of crisis.