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A family including six children ages 8 to 16 was rescued this morning from the top of an SUV stranded on Linwood Avenue.

At 6:43 a.m., Caddo Deputy Kevin Calhoun was dispatched to Linwood Avenue and Barron Road where the Chevy Tahoe had been pushed off the road by high water into a rain-filled ditch. The occupants climbed out of the vehicle and were on the roof when the driver, age 44, called 911 for help.

Calhoun responded and initially couldn’t see the SUV from his patrol unit’s location on Barron Road, so he put on his boots and walked through the flood waters to where the family was. After confirming that all were safe, Calhoun called for the Caddo Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit and Caddo Fire District #6 to help with the evacuation. The units arrived and provided life jackets for everyone before taking them by boat to safety.

Calhoun said the family was on its way to a school bus stop in Desoto Parish when they got trapped on the flooded roads. They had made it into Desoto when they were turned around because of a minor wreck.

According to the National Weather Service it takes just 12 inches of rushing water to carry away a small car, while two feet of rushing water can carry away most vehicles.

Sheriff Steve Prator is reminding citizens that it is NEVER safe to drive, walk, or swim in flood waters. “In just a few inches of water your vehicle can stall and you can lose control,” he said.

Prator also recommends staying on major roadways that you know are open rather than using shortcuts or backroads that could be flooded. Drivers are urged to pay close attention to barricades and other warnings. “Do not drive around a barricade,” the sheriff warned. “They are there for your protection. Turn around and go another way.”