A man has been airlifted to safety from a raging, flooded creek near Kangaroo Valley in NSW's Southern Highlands after his car was washed off a causeway.
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However, the water was moving too quickly for a rescue of five dogs which were also trapped in the car, they have since been rescued.
Emergency Services were called to a property off Walkers Lane, east of Kangaroo Valley around 11.20am after reports of a car stuck in a creek, with a person inside.
NSW Ambulance Inspector Faye Stockman said a NSW Rural Fire Service helicopter, tasked by the State Emergency Service, was used to winch the man to safety.
"Luckily, the vehicle became wedged on a tree and came to a stop."
She said due the speed of the water, which rose quickly, the man was unable to get out of the vehicle.
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Emergency services, which included members of the NSW Fire and Rescue Swift Water crew and NSW Ambulance Rescue Paramedics were preparing to perform a rescue from the ground, but Inspector Stockman said it wasn't possible due to the how quickly the water was flowing.
This is the fourth rescue of people from flood waters I have been to today, Please if you don't have to go out on the roads today, don't. Stay home and stay safe. And please do not drive or attempt to drive through flood waters.
- NSW Ambulance Inspector Faye Stockman
"The SES tasked the RFS helicopter and it airlifted the man to safety and dry land," she said.
"He was assessed by waiting ambulance crews and didn't require treatment or transportation.
"In the end this worked out well but could easily have been a tragic situation."
Inspector Stockman said while the man was rescued, the water was moving too quickly to be able to mount a rescue effort for the dogs at the time.
"The water was just running too quickly to be able to launch any sort of rescue from the land," she said.
The situation was monitored and when the water levels subsided the dogs were rescued from the stranded vehicle.
Insp Stockman again reiterated calls for people not to drive into flood waters.
"This is the fourth rescue of people from flood waters I have been to today," she said.
"Please if you don't have to go out on the roads today, don't. Stay home and stay safe.
"And please do not drive or attempt to drive through flood waters."