ROSS COUNTY, Ohio — A woman and her two children are okay after first responders helped pull them from frigid floodwaters on Friday.
The woman, her young daughter, and an infant were in a vehicle that was submerged by floodwaters on Francis Lane in Ross County shortly before 7 a.m. The water had risen over the roadway from nearby Salt Creek and was approximately three feet deep.
Ross County Sheriff’s Deputy Blake Weaver and Lieutenant Mike Hawkins from Liberty Township Fire and Rescue were first on the scene. The two rushed to the aid of the trapped family. Captured in photos by the Guardian, the two men are seen wading through freezing waters.
Hawkins told the Guardian he was on his way home from work when he heard the call and immediately responded to the scene in Jefferson Township. Weaver and Hawkins are being hailed as heroes by the family.
Multiple water rescues have occurred over the last 24 hours, including ones near Bainbridge, Waverly, and Kingston. According to the county, several area roads are closed because of flooding.
