Neighbors work together to escape rising floodwaters

OMAHA, Neb. —

Isaac Guzman said he woke up around midnight to his dad banging on the door, with water already flooding their home.

“I had gotten up, I had put my feet on the floor and, like, the water was already up to, like, my ankles,” Guzman said.

As the water continued to rise, Guzman said his family decided to move to a neighbor’s house.

“The water on the inside was, like, coming up to our knees. So, we decided, like, it would be best if we walked up to the neighbor’s house,” he said.

The family had to move again as the water kept rising, carrying what they could, including their dogs.

“By then the water was probably, like, up to, ran into my nose. So, my dad was struggling with, like, the dogs, keeping them up as they were setting up the backpack. So, I had swam back in, like, picked both of the dogs up,” Guzman said.

Firefighters eventually encountered the family and helped them make their way out.

“Firefighters use the tools that we have and the experience that they have to do the best job possible and, you know, try to help the citizens that need it,” firefighter Trevor Towey said.

While firefighters were conducting rescues, neighbors also stepped in to help. Jeffrey Jimerson said he came to the area after his mom called for help.

“I came down here to rescue her. And then after I got her out, I figured I might as well just try to get a couple other people out,” Jimerson said.

Jimerson said he helped a family with two young girls and a dog, placing them in a kayak and pushing them through the water.

“They would just sit in it, and I’d just push behind it. Water was, like, up to my chin,” he said.

Firefighters eventually helped get those people out of the kayak. They said rescues in water like this are dangerous, even for trained crews.

“The main thing is ropes. That helps secure us to make sure that we don’t get washed away and keep us safe,” Towey said.