Thank you firemanfred for your information! This is interesting, and definately helpful. Hopefully I won't ever have to use it, but I will keep it in mind pass it on to others in case. I find it very annoying when people publish "factual" information, as apparently is the case in this article. Thank you for clearing it up.
firemanfred:In the article on sinking cars your expert has given some seriously erroneous advice regarding the electrical devices on vehicles including power door locks, windows etc failing soon after a vehicle enters the water. Nothing could be further from the truth. I am a professional rescue diver and had the good fortune to be involved with the Michigan State Police Dive Team. They conducted one of the most extensive vehicle submersion studies to date on Lake Charlevoix involving over 21 different makes and models of vehicles. The study was called Project Star and is available on the internet or contacting the Michigan State Police. They even have a video of the whole thing including methods of testing etc. There were a number of significant findings in the study. One of them being that electrical devices in vehicles including such things as power accessories, door locks, windows, windshield wipers and headlights can continue to operate for up to 20 minutes after a vehicle submerges in fresh water. Another significant finding is that if the water which the vehicle enters is 12 ft in depth or shallower and the vehicle enters the water upright it will always land on its wheels. If the water is deeper than 15 feet they will always land on the roof or turn turtle as it were because the weight of the engine causes the car to assume a nose under orientation as it sinks. If the bottom is mucky and the vehicle lands on its roof the likely hood of escape via the opening door technique is quite slim the door posts and frame itself will likely be buried in the muck. You are far better off trying to escape before the water reaches over the A- pillar...the point on the vehicle where the passenger windows (bottom forward most corner) meet the front roof pillar. Because the car will already have assumed a nose down orientation in the water this actually makes it easier to exit via the side windows. Electrically operated windows take only a few seconds to lower and the vehicles even heavy ones usually remain above the surface long enough to safely exit. But do not delay your exit for any reason just like in a fire. Time is very short and it is your enemy in water immersion situations as it is with fire. Once you have exited the vehicle do not attempt to go back. If someone else was in the vehicle with you do not waste time trying to attempt a rescue yourself. Establish a last seen point....the point at which you last saw the vehicle...pick a spot on the bank, a tree, a building for a land mark anything on shore. This will help divers locate the vehicle quickly to effect a rescue of the trapped victims. The sooner 9-1-1 is called the sooner help is on the way. If you parish or become too exhausted to go for help then you have lost precious time that the fire department or dive team could have been using to get your loved one to safety. Remember time is the enemy in this situation act quickly, think smart, be safe not sorry.
