A 72-year-old man and 62-year-old female, thought to have drowned in flood water at Big Hill as heavy rain fell across the area, were rescued in an amazing act of bravery.
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Both paramedics and NSW State Emergency Service volunteers raced to reports of a drowning at about 7pm on Saturday, February 15.
However, on arrival, they found locals had pulled the couple from the flood water they attempted to drive through.
"The couple was very shaken up when we got there," NSW SES manager of operational response and Southern Highlands local commander, Chief Inspector Warren Turner said.
It was easier for the NSW SES Wingecarribee Unit to respond to the call for help from Big Hill, located in the Upper Lachlan Shire between Marulan and Taralga, than the SES Crookwell Unit.
The unit's community first responders carried out welfare checks on the elderly couple until NSW Ambulance paramedics arrived, Chief Inspector Warren Turner said.
Other volunteers headed back to the flood water to check no one else was missing.
The two crews of paramedics treated the couple for bruises and abrasions at the scene and decided to take them to Goulburn Hospital after one patient complained of a tight chest, a NSW Ambulance media spokesperson said.
They arrived at the hospital in a serious but stable condition, the spokesperson said.
The couple had attempted to drive through fast flowing flood water in an automatic vehicle, Chief Inspector Turner said.
"While going through, the car tried to change gear and the engine cut out. The water lifted the car and took them down stream," he said.
Locals spotted the couple's car bobbing down the water and managed to pull them out, Chief Inspector Turner said.
"It wasn't a small car either."
The Post has spoken to one of the rescuers who wasn't comfortable to talk about the ordeal.
Chief Inspector Turner had already been out until 4am that morning at a similar flood rescue in Wombeyan Caves, which required a helicopter to lift people out.
"There's a specific reason why we tell people not to drive through flood water. There is a lot of power in swift moving water," Chief Inspector Turner said
He understood the couple had been isolated in the area for a couple of days due to the heavy rain and was trying to get out.
