It’s unpleasant to think about, but it
happens: Vehicles get submerged in
water. If it happened to you, would
you know what to do?
The City of Phoenix Fire Department
lays out the steps.
First (and most important): Stay
calm and unbuckle your seat belt.
Then: “As soon as you hit the water,
open your window,” the PFD says.
“This is your best chance of escape.
Usually, a car will float for a brief
amount of time, which should give
you enough time to get your seat belt
off and then open a window.”
If you can’t get the car’s window
open, try to break it with your foot,
shoulder or a heavy object such as a
flashlight.
If the window still won’t open,
“you’ll need to wait until the car fills
with water before you can open the
door.”
Why? “This is because the water
pressure pushing on the outside of
the car will be too great until it’s
equalized.”
Learn more about vehicle submersion
at phoenix.gov/fire.
One way to be prepared for this
type of emergency is to purchase a
tool specially designed to help break
your car windows. You can find them
online.
