FireTruckBlog.com has pictures of fire apparatus that had problems with Irene
On board these New Jersey National Guard vehicles Sunday morning were five soldiers, a police officer and New Jersey Star-Ledger photographer Tony Kurdzuk. According to the Star-Ledger, they were on a mission to aid law enforcement when they were diverted to the town of Manville. This is where South Main Street and Kennedy Boulevard intersect. Chief Warrant Officer Patrick Daugherty told the paper as they tried to make their way down the flooded roadway the vehicles soon shut down.
Here's more from the Star-Ledger's Eunice Lee:
"At the time they entered the water, they believed they were fine until everything turned off. At that time they panicked a little bit," he said.
The video above is shot shortly after the first video and shows the photographers calling help.
"The chain of command is taking the incident seriously," Daugherty said. "They know the soldiers went in with the best intentions. They were perhaps a bit too confident."
Seven people were inside the two Light Medium Tactical Vehicles, which are capable of driving through 46 inches of water, Daugherty said.
The Manville Fire Department assisted in the rescue.
Click the image to see photos of the incident from the photographer who was on board, Tony Kurdzuk.
The military publication Stripes Central has the story under the headline National Guardsmen heckled after nearly drowning in floodwaters. Here's an excerpt from the article by Steve Schogol:
An onlooker with a camera proceeds to heckle the guardsmen.
“Are you guys that stupid?”
“Why would you take a guy that can’t swim?”
“You guys are stupid.”
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Patrick Daugherty, a spokesman for the New Jersey National Guard, said it was an ambitious effort that took an unexpected turn.
"In many cases, soldiers, fireman, policeman, they overcome the impossible," he said. "Sometimes, they enter the darkest places that people would never enter. Those soldiers were there to search for and assist residents of New Jersey who needed help. … Unfortunately, things didn't work out right."
Also on STATter911 …
- Helmet-cam: House fire in Windber, PA with evacuation ordered due to water supply issues. – April 12, 2013
- ‘Death Race 2012′ & 2010: Public does photo enforcement of New Jersey State Police & there are lessons for everyone. – April 24, 2012
- Hopelawn VFD Firefighter Bruce Turcotte dies at Woodridge, NJ house fire. Collapses while stretching hose. Civilian found dead in home. – January 19, 2012
- Early video: House fire in Somerville, NJ with man burned. – February 3, 2013
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I think the guy taping this summed it up. Stupid! I’ve driven LMTVs and I don’t know why they thought for a second they could drive through that! They are great trucks but they are not amphibious! Trying to be heroes.
Uh, I'm thinking I would be swimming out the door once the entire windshield was submerged.
In the "It's the thought that counts" department – enthusiastic young men in over their heads!
Litterally in over they're heads.
Didn't realize the National Guard had Submarines.
Just keep pushing. Dont stop. HAHAHA
Several soldiers were killed in Iraq on different incidents when they tried going through swift water or small rivers in Humvees. Flotation tires and high ground clearance does not mean amphibious.
They were just confused about which branch of the service they had signed up for, that is all. Although, one might think that the absence of a periscope would have given them pause before they continued on their appointed course…
That said, I am impressed by how far they made it before the trucks did stall out. Before they pass under the bridge you can see the intake snorkle behind the cab is just above the water but I never would have expected the trucks to keep running with everything else submerged to that extent. Of course once they got to the other side of the bridge even the intake snorkle got submerged which ended their submersible excursion.
I also wonder what a crew resource management perspective would find about this incident: Were all the crew members on board with this course of action and was anyone suggesting that this might not be the best plan ever conceived? It would certainly be interesting to hear what those involved have to say about the incident now that they have had time to dry out.
I am glad to hear that they all made it out safely, because looking at the video in my mind there was some question whether that would be the case or not for a while there.
Momma said Stupid is as Stupid does!
My first thought was "How the hell can they see where they're going in that muddy water"…then I saw the second rig just miss the bridge support after it made a significant veer to its left driving down a straight street. Another foot to the left and the situation would have been even worse. Underwater extrication anyone??
Just an assumption, but at some point in their training, the "46 inches of water" thing was probably mentioned…maybe they need to put one of the convenience store height sticks on the front of the rigs. We had to rescue 2 geniuses in a civilian H1 during Floyd who discovered that 6+ feet of swiftwater is somewhat different than the 3 foot of still water their hummer was rated for.
In the 2nd video @1:20, is the numbnuts wearing a red shirt taking a photo of himself?
Both videos were very frustrating to watch.
A handful of rescue vehicles down for maintenance and a number of NG almost drowned.
Morons! Our tax dollars being wasted!
i wonder how many are going to get an article 15 over this?
I love the candy ass remarks about our service men these posters couldn't spend 1 day over seas without pissing in their pants and crying for mommy.
Try to remember that you have no idea who among these posters has also worn the uniform in defense of our country.
Thinking and reasoning like was demonstrated here when done in combat produces one thing – dead soldiers.
I've been to a Picnic, One World's Fair and a Rodeo and that's the 'Stupidest thing'"…
Slim Pickins, as "Major Kong" in "Dr. Strangelove the Movie"
So, who failed to brief the crews of the vehicle that they're not amphibious?
They were really lucky, that their was not a sudden water surge that could have really swamped their vehicles.
One of my favorite lines of all time. My family joined me in watching Dr. Strangelove this summer. Great movie.
Statter
Major "King" Kong, no less!
And that's a young James Earl Jones in the crew.
Yes it was.
Rebuild two light medium tactical vehicle engines: $ 25,000
Replace damaged N.J. State Police radio: $ 1,100
Replace damaged Glock Pistol: $ 600.00
The cameraman calling them stupid “PRICELESS”
I hop ethey take the $$$ for repairs outta these morons paychecks. Just as 42" does not eaqual 8 feet, that 4" isn't 12" either so they should stand a little closer to the urinal.
All involved should be demoted, in real combat they will get their men killed with decision making skills like these demonstrated here.
LMAO 4" isn't 12", just ruined a keyboard.
lets look over the the real mission as to why they were sent in the first place
as bad as it appears there may have been a good reason for trying like attempting a rescue . I have no clue why they were there nor does anyone else except them
First rule of rescuers?
Don't become a victim yourself. Because at that point you just created a bigger problem.
There's a virtual laundry list of reasons given for driving into this flood. But yet Joe Public is told to never drive into water if pavement is not visible. Seems obvious why.
What would have happened if they capsized? (Not sure overturn is the right term, could be though) If the water is a foot or two under a bridge that says 12'3" clearance, you don't drive under it. If the phone lines are touching the water, you don't drive a truck into it.
Sure, there heart was in the right place, but there they were sitting on their brains.
If your gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough.
I am so tired hearing the argument of: "Well atleast they are serving their country! What the hell are you doing?". I have seen this on several message boards and it speaks of the authors ignorance. This was down right stupid. Those trucks have reverse and that gear selection should have been made well before the bridge. That fact that these guys made a deliberate decision to endanger lives is a loud statment of their arrogance, ignorance and foolishness. Like a previous poster noted, if these guys were in combat, then they would no doubt be jepordizing countless lives with their "bravery" (to be read: foolishness).
That was not a smart move at all, the NCOIC and/or OIC are in some trouble! ORM was non-existant in this operation.
I served in the Army National Guard and drove Humvees through floodwater. When the flood water became too deep, we backed out, not kept going to flood out.
I could not believe what they did in the video. If they could not navigate in such deep water, they should have stopped and radioed in for further directions. Requested a boat or something to come in and get them.