CAPE CORAL, Fla. — Lucky to escape a sinking car alive, a Cape Coral woman drove into a canal and was forced to swim to safety early Thursday morning.
Seven Cape Coral firefighters were diving into the canal at the intersection of Skyline Boulevard and Mohawk Parkway to ensure nobody was trapped inside. Police said the driver got out of the water and ran to a house to call 911.
The Cape Coral Police Department said the caller noticed the woman appeared to be drunk.
By the time officers and first responders arrived, they found the woman six blocks away soaking wet, suffering from a minor head injury. They took her to a nearby hospital to make sure she was okay.
Dive teams said with temperatures below 60 degrees Wednesday night, they had to take extra precautions.
“We use a dry suit; it does a few things it offers thermal protection if you have layers underneath,” said Jacob Kingery, a diver with the Cape Coral Fire Department. “Four hundred miles of canals on average, we run a lot of dive calls so we train like we play, so we are ready to go in any instance.”
There have been 14 canal rescues this year, two just in November. One of which took the life of an elderly couple in northwest Cape Coral.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Two dead after car crashes into Cape Coral canal
Fire officials suggest you keep a life hammer in your car. Use Velcro to stick it to the side of your seat so you can easily find it. This device is the best way to stay safe if you are ever submerged in water while in your vehicle.
NBC2 News
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