Flash flood season is just ramping up, but already vehicles have been washed away with people trapped inside. Sometimes it's easy to see the water raging, but other times it looks calm enough to drive right through.
Jim Douglas, an instructor with Raven Rescue, told TODAY national investigative correspondent Jeff Rossen that "not even a foot" of water is enough to make a car float. And SUVs and 4x4s are not immune: "Those big tires will make a truck float even easier," Douglas said. "They are like big buoys. They'll float even faster."
On a special training course in Whistler, British Columbia, the Rossen Reports team staged a dramatic demonstration of just how quickly a pickup truck can be swept away in a flash flood — and how to survive such a situation.
Critical tips:
- Roll the window down the second the water rises: It is your only way out.
- Get on the roof of the vehicle.
- Stay low and hang on. Stay stable: A car can flip in 6 feet of water. "At least being on the roof you've got a fighting chance," Douglas said. "If you are inside and that car flips over, you've got no chance."
But the simplest advice from experts is: Stay out of flooded areas all together, even if the water looks calm. Not only is it dangerous for you: It's also dangerous for the rescuers who have to go in after you.
To suggest a topic for an upcoming investigation, visit the Rossen Reports Facebook page.