When you're trapped and alone during an emergency, every minute feels long and scary. That’s only made worse when you call for help, only to be told no one's coming. Here’s what happened to a Florida woman who was stuck in a flooded car with no one to help her. Florida Woman Gets Trapped in Flooded Car In a viral video with more than 2.8 million views, content creator Amy (@amyjulissa520) shared the moment when she thought she was going to be stuck in her car forever. "POV: [It] starts storming in FL out of nowhere and my car started drowning in the flood," Amy explains in the text overlay. In the video, Amy is in her car, sobbing and struggling to catch her breath as a torrential downpour happens outside. "Happy Sunday. I'm stuck in my car, the water is flooded literally so close to my window, and I'm literally stuck,” she says between tears. “I called 911, and they're not coming, and the rain, the flooding isn't going to stop for an hour.” Amy explains that there's nothing she can do at this point since her car won't turn on or back up. "I'm not a Floridian. I literally live in Connecticut, and this never happens," Amy says through tears. In a clip from the next day, Amy appears to be in much better spirits as she goes to check if her car, which she had to abandon in the middle of the street, will turn on. But the caption reveals something unfortunate: "So my car is totaled…" Storm Storytime In a follow-up video, Amy explained that she was driving home from work, just five minutes away, when disaster struck. Amy knew the street was prone to flooding, but she'd driven through it before without issue; however, this time was different. The rain was so heavy that she couldn't see anything. "I didn't even realize that I was, like, hitting the water until I just heard, like, a splash because, again, I can't see, like, … I couldn't see anything. I literally couldn't see anything, and by the time I realized, it was too late. Trying to back up, my car just shut off," she explained. Her car's lights and seats were still working, but the battery died, and she couldn't roll down her window to get out. The fire department did eventually come (despite 911 telling her she was on her own), and they had to manually roll down her window so she could crawl out and they could carry her through the floodwater to safety. She ended up in the backseat of the fire truck, soaking wet. The Boca Fire Rescue team gave her a free shirt since her clothes were drenched—a shirt she says she'll treasure because of the story behind it. She adds that the water would have come up to her chest if she'd been standing, and to make matters worse, she was on her period during the entire ordeal. Her beloved Lincoln MKS was being towed and declared totaled. Amy was understandably devastated but grateful to be alive. What to Do If Your Car Floods The most important thing is maintaining physical safety; your health matters more than your car, Kelley Blue Book states. Don't wade into water deeper than your knees, and remember that even ankle-deep moving water can sweep you off your feet. If you find yourself in a flooded vehicle, the biggest mistake you can make is trying to start the car. AutoZone explains that when water gets into the engine's intake tract and cylinders, attempting to start it causes "hydro-lock," which is catastrophic damage that destroys an engine that might otherwise be repairable. Even cranking the engine can mix water with oil and transmission fluid, creating sludge throughout the system. If your car floods, here's what to do: Don't start the car. This is the number one rule—starting or even cranking a flooded engine can cause irreversible damage. Get the car out of the water quickly. The longer the car sits, especially in muddy or salt water, the worse the damage gets. Disconnect the battery immediately. Many electrical components have constant power running to them, and water mixed with electricity will cause failures. Disconnecting first means you might be able to save parts by simply cleaning and drying them. Look for the high-water mark. Check interior and exterior surfaces to gauge how deep the water got. If it's above the dashboard, you're likely looking at a total loss. In many modern cars, waterlines on the dashboard signal a strong possibility of total loss due to the concentration of sensitive electronic components. Document everything. Take photos and videos from multiple angles showing waterlines before you do anything else. Contact your insurance company right away. Don't delay—flood damage claims are time-sensitive.Never drive through standing water. The federal guidance is clear: "Turn around, Don't drown." Commenters React “Girl I see that sun roof you [k]new what had to be done,” a top comment read. “Wdym you called 911 and [they’re] not coming?” a person said. “We knew you weren’t a [Floridian] the second we saw this,” another wrote. “Florida girlies watching like it’s just another day at the swamp,” a commenter added. Motor1 reached out to Amy via email and TikTok direct message for comment. This story will be updated if she responds. We want your opinion! What would you like to see on Motor1.com? Take our 3 minute survey. - The Motor1.com Team
