Firefighter Rescues Girl, Her Mom From Flood Waters In Bayonne [See Video]

BAYONNE, NJ — A woman and her young daughter were rescued from their car Thursday after it became trapped in floodwater in Bayonne.

They were rescued by a Bayonne firefighter, and the Bayonne Office of Emergency Management provided two videos below of the rescue, see below.

This happened at approximately 2:40 p.m. Thursday at the railroad underpass on 22nd Street, between Prospect Ave and Avenue E. The woman driving the car tried to drive through the flooded street, and her vehicle became inoperable due to water getting in the engine compartment.

The woman called 911 and Bayonne Police, Fire and employees with the Office of Emergency Management responded. A city employee, with a rope tied around him, entered the floodwater and pulled the child from the stranded car. He had the rope around him in case he fell into a manhole, said Ed 'Junior' Ferrante, Bayonne's OEM coordinator/emergency response specialist. He also used a pole in front of him to make sure he could see where he was walking and to avoid any holes in the ground.

"It's gonna be OK," a man is heard telling the girl.

"We remind everyone to NEVER drive or walk in flooded roadways!" said Ferrante. "The heaviest rains came during high tide, which was 3 p.m. yesterday, and numerous underpasses in the city (and region) flooded. We handled multiple similar calls."

"The Bayonne firefighter suited up to enter the water," he continued. "They used safety rope and he had the pole to feel the ground in front of him, as manhole covers become dislodged during these storms. This is why we stress for people to never walk or drive in flooded roadways. It is especially dangerous and deadly for pedestrians, as an unseen dislodged manhole cover can cause someone to fall in."

Here's video of the rescue Thursday on 22nd Street: