DAYTONA BEACH, FLA – Daytona Seashore Mayor Derrick Henry mentioned the flooding from Ian was historic. He hopes town doesn’t expertise it once more however mentioned town shall be extra ready sooner or later.
Metropolis commissioners authorised an emergency buy of a used, high-water rescue car. Emergency crews will use it for evacuations and likewise rescues in flooded areas.
Mayor Henry mentioned crews made a big variety of rescues throughout Ian, however that they had to make use of boats and different automobiles for these rescues. Crews additionally borrowed a high-water car from the Volusia County Sheriff’s Workplace. Mayor Henry mentioned if town had its personal excessive water car on the time, crews would have been capable of get to some folks sooner. He mentioned each minute counts throughout a life-threatening state of affairs.
“I witnessed a household of 9 being rescued. Eight of them had been kids. Two of them had been wrapped as in the event that they had been swaddled, in order that they had been infants. One in every of them was a toddler. One was an grownup. I knew at that second, after I noticed that, that we must have a car,” Mayor Henry mentioned. He mentioned crews rescued the household with a ship.
The high-water car will carry as many as 25 folks and might drive by way of greater than 8 toes of water. Mayor Henry mentioned it value about $55,000 however mentioned there isn’t a price ticket on saving lives.
Town expects the car to be delivered within the subsequent few weeks.
Volusia County Sheriff, Mike Chitwood, mentioned his workplace additionally has two new high-water automobiles on order.
Mayor Henry mentioned Daytona Seashore may also doubtless want extra pumps that may function on turbines for future flooding conditions.