Lincoln Fire and Rescue crews rescued two people from flooded vehicles by boat and helped approximately 20 people leave businesses near 11th Street and Cornhusker Highway during Wednesday night’s heavy rain.
LFR’s MJ Lierman told KLIN News Thursday morning that crews handled about a dozen vehicle-related calls between roughly 9:00 p.m. Wednesday and 2:00 a.m. Thursday. Those included stalled and flooded vehicles and reports of people trapped inside.
“There were two people rescued with using our boat with the water rescue team from vehicles,” Lierman said. The flooding responses were part of a busy evening for firefighters. As rain moved into Lincoln, crews also responded to crashes involving hydroplaning vehicles and reports of smoking cars, Lierman said.
“We also helped evacuate some of the businesses in the area of 11th and Cornhusker,” Lierman tells KLIN News. She estimated approximately 20 people were assisted out of that area as businesses closed and roadways were blocked.
Where people could be walked to safety, firefighters helped them using personal life vests. Lierman said LFR’s water rescue team responded to several locations as crews deployed resources across Lincoln.
“Obviously we didn’t want people driving into any more of the flooding and into the area,” she says. The overnight responses also brought a warning for drivers: respect road barricades and do not assume a flooded road is safe because the water appears shallow.
Lierman said floodwater can damage the roadway underneath, particularly on county roads, and referenced washed-out roads during the rain event. “It may look like it’s not very much water, but you don’t know what’s under there,” she said.
She urged people to avoid unnecessary travel during flooding and pay attention to warnings delivered by phone and radio.