OSWESTRY firefighters have pleaded with drivers to not enter floodwater in their vehicles after another person had to be rescued on Monday morning.
Three Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) crews were sent to Edgerley, near Oswestry, at around 5.40am after receiving a report of one driver stranded in floodwater.
This follows the dramatic rescue of another car in Maesbury Marsh at the weekend and a spokesman for Oswestry Fire Station took to social media to remind drivers of the dangers posed by standing water.
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They said: “We are experiencing an increase in calls to vehicles stuck in shallow water.
“Do not enter floodwater in your vehicle.
“(Our advice is) never drive through deep, fast-flowing water and don’t drive through flooded roads if you can avoid them.
“It’s better to add an extra 10-15 minutes to your journey rather than risk your car’s engine and electrics being ruined, or even worse, the vehicle being swept away.
“If you have a pair of wellies handy you could wade into the water to see how deep it is (keep a powerful torch in the glovebox for use after dark), or you could park up nearby and watch other vehicles go through it first.
“Unless you’re driving a high-riding 4x4 or SUV, the maximum depth most experts advise you drive a standard car through is 10cm.
“Modern cars are generally water-tight so they can start to float when driven through water that’s only 30cm deep.”
Other advice given by firefighters includes letting oncoming vehicles pass and also to dry your brakes by testing them once you are through the water.
They added: “Drive through flood water slowly – three to four miles per hour is an adequate speed.
“If you drive too fast you'll not only create a wave that’ll splash other road users, but you’ll also run the risk of your car’s tyres losing their contact with the road.
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“If this happens, don’t brake, just take your foot off the accelerator and keep the steering wheel straight and wait for the grip to return.”
A spokesman for SFRS added that the person managed to get out of the car and firefighters managed to administer first aid while waiting for paramedics.
A stop message was sent to control at around 6.20pm confirming no further assistance was required.
A spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service said: "We were called just before 6am to Edgerley near Oswestry to reports of a patient trapped in his vehicle because of flood water.
"A paramedic officer was sent to the scene where, on arrival, a man was already out of his vehicle.
"He was assessed but was not injured and did not require hospital treatment so was given self-care advice and discharged at the scene."
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