Designated driver recounts getting trapped in Wisconsin flood, calling 911
By Derrick Rose
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WAUKESHA COUNTY, Wis. (WISN) — Panic and fear surged Saturday night into Sunday as fast as the rising water across Waukesha County and Southeast Wisconsin, leaving several drivers stranded and calling 911 for help.
“I don’t know how to swim. We’re on Bulter; if somebody could please — I know they’re helping other people, but I’ve got a 1-year-old and I’ve got a 5-year-old in the car,” one woman exclaimed, according to the audio recording of her 911 call.
Another woman called for help after escaping her car through the sunroof.
“I’m on top of my car. My car is completely flooded,” she told the dispatcher.
“You did the right thing,” the dispatcher replied, according to the recording.
Mason Burg was another person who called 911 that night.
“Yeah, I’m pretty much trapped,” Burg said in the recording.
That night, he was the designated driver for two of his friends.
“It was a late Saturday night, and my friends needed a ride from the bars. So, you know, me being a good friend, I just went out and was going to go pick them up,” Burg said.
The trio had to move fast. The water left them little time.
“You’ve got the doors open,” the dispatcher asked Burg.
“Car door’s open, yep, go, go, go, go, go,” he said.
“After she told us to get out of the car, water rushes into the car. We’re freaking out like we don’t want to fall into the, like, body of water that’s right next to the side of the road,” Burg said in an interview Thursday.
Carefully, the three made it to somewhat safer ground where they waited for a friend who Burg had dropped off much earlier to pick them up.
He left his car behind, but was grateful to leave with his life.
“I’ve got really good friends and hopefully just, you know, saving up enough money to buy a new car and maybe the exact same one and definitely just not going out and flash flood warnings anymore,” he said.
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