Man Follows in Father's Footsteps, Saves Woman from Drowning
Man rescues woman 30 years after his father drowned during a similar attempt.
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October 6, 2009
Many stories of heroism were reported in connection with last month's floods in Georgia, but none has been so poignant as the feat achieved by a man who rescued a woman 30 years after his father drowned during a similar attempt.
According to CNN, Zack Stephney saved a woman whose car was swept away by rushing floodwaters and who got out of the vehicle only to be pulled by the torrent. Melissa Brooks later recalled hearing Stephney ask her name and tell her that everything was going to be fine. "And I believed him," she told the news source.
The story is all the more inspiring since the man's father died in 1979 trying to rescue canoeists whose boat had flipped over.
As floods kill an average of 140 people in the U.S. each year, safety experts recommend taking precautionary measures, such as moving to higher ground, when a food warning is issued.
If surprised by a flood on the road, it is also important to get out of the car before the doors become stuck, unless the vehicle is in moving water and it is impossible to gauge its depth. In that case, the person should wait for help.
Those who are swept by a torrent should refrain from swimming against it. It is also important to try to keep the head and feet above water since it may carry sharp debris with it.
In the story of Zack Stephney and Melissa Brooks, the key to her survival was staying calm and not panicking.
The website of the Federal Emergency Management Agency contains valuable resources for those who would like to learn more about flood preparedness and survival.
Many stories of heroism were reported in connection with last month's floods in Georgia, but none has been so poignant as the feat achieved by a man who rescued a woman 30 years after his father drowned during a similar attempt.
According to CNN, Zack Stephney saved a woman whose car was swept away by rushing floodwaters and who got out of the vehicle only to be pulled by the torrent. Melissa Brooks later recalled hearing Stephney ask her name and tell her that everything was going to be fine. "And I believed him," she told the news source.
The story is all the more inspiring since the man's father died in 1979 trying to rescue canoeists whose boat had flipped over.
As floods kill an average of 140 people in the U.S. each year, safety experts recommend taking precautionary measures, such as moving to higher ground, when a food warning is issued.
If surprised by a flood on the road, it is also important to get out of the car before the doors become stuck, unless the vehicle is in moving water and it is impossible to gauge its depth. In that case, the person should wait for help.
Those who are swept by a torrent should refrain from swimming against it. It is also important to try to keep the head and feet above water since it may carry sharp debris with it.
In the story of Zack Stephney and Melissa Brooks, the key to her survival was staying calm and not panicking.
The website of the Federal Emergency Management Agency contains valuable resources for those who would like to learn more about flood preparedness and survival.
