Severe Weather Brings Multiple Water Rescues
 
By Firefighter Randy Green
July 7, 2020
 

On July 6, 2020, members from the Hughesville Volunteer Fire Department staffed the station with three crews not knowing the events to unfold from the weather conditions. Charles County Communications alerted the station at approximately 10:24 pm for Rescue Squad 2 to assist with flooding conditions inside a residential dwelling. While responding to assist with the flooding conditions, Rescue Squad 2 was redirected to one of the seven water rescues that occurred within a two hour time frame. Many of the calls involved rescuing occupants from their vehicles while stranded in standing water due to the severe thunderstorms. At approximately 1:20 am, the station dispatched Rescue Squad 2, Engine 22 along with Chief 2 to Brandywine Road in the area of Prince George's County line for a vehicle over taken by three feet of water. State Highway advised the vehicle had been swept off the road approximately 8 feet with two occupants trapped inside. Rescue Squad 2, Engine 22 and Chief 2 arrived on scene with high water conditions and strong water current. Due to the strong current, Air Boat 8 was requested. They arrived on scene and successfully transported two rescuers across the high standing water allowing a safety boat to be utilized to secure the two stranded occupants. Both occupants were evacuated on scene and one was transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries for being in the water for over two hours. 

All crews continued to provide consistent service to the local community for over ten hours, to include multiple water rescues, an odor of smoke investigation, a shed fire, trees in the roadways and multiple medical calls.