LVMPD helicopter crew saves two people caught in floodwaters

By Joe Vigil

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    LAS VEGAS, Nevada (KVVU) — A fierce downpour trapped two people in their van on a flooded road in Overton Wednesday morning. That is when an LVMPD Search & Rescue helicopter crew rushed to the scene.

“The water was up to the tops of the windows, had already filled into the van itself,” said LVMPD Search & Rescue Chief Pilot Bryan Woolard.

Woolard, part of the chopper crew of five people, dodged some storms to get to the scene early Wednesday morning. They discovered one problem right away.

“We found out that the female’s leg was stuck between the chair and the door. And we weren’t able to open the door because of the flow of the water. So, the only way we were going to be able to extract her was to get her leg loose and get her through the window up on top,” said Woolard.

He says a rescuer who was lowered to the van on a cable was able to help free the woman’s leg and she, along with the rescuer, were hoisted by the chopper to rescuers on the ground.

The chopper then maneuvered back to the van and was able to attach the man to the cable and lift him to safety as well.

Woolard says the operation took around 40 minutes in all and says the couple had been trapped in the van for at least 45 minutes before they arrived.

“We are really big on prevention, if we can help people not get into those situations, that’s really what’s best for all of us. But just know, if you do find yourself in one of those, somebody’s coming for you,” said Woolard.

Woolard calls the save a team effort with about 30 to 40 people helping in all, including volunteer firefighters on the ground.

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