ORLANDO, Fla. – A group of Orange County firefighters were honored Friday after a dramatic rescue was caught on camera last month.
It shows crews from Orange County Fire Rescue Station 42 jumping into a retention pond to save a woman from a sinking SUV.
According to firefighters, the whole situation lasted just a few minutes.
“The entire call from the time we heard it go out to the time the car disappeared was less than five minutes so it was very quick,” Lt. Amber Lugo explained.
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It just so happens the retention pond is located right next to Fire Station 42 and it was firefighter Daniel Diaz who was outside on April 10th when he saw the crash and alerted his team.
“As soon as I saw that I just ran into the station and everyone was sitting at the table and let them know what was going on,” Diaz said.
According to OCFR, the victim was trying to make a U-turn on Silver Star Road when somehow, she lost control of her car and ran right through a fence and into the pond.
The woman was rescued and was able to walk out of the water without any injuries.
“The crew worked together very quickly very swiftly we were able to save that woman. If we weren’t you know things would’ve gone differently it could’ve been a different outcome for her, so we are grateful that we were here and that we were able to respond quickly as possible,” Diaz said.
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