SOS - GO

As I mentioned in the previous post, the tragic collapse of the bridge in Minneapolis, MN brought to life one of my greatest fears...free falling and ending up submerged in water. The movie "Mothman Prophecies" was the first time the thought of this occuring ever entered my mind. Even after watching it, I dismissed it thinking, "It could never happen; just a movie."

One way that I can alleviate this fear all together is to just friggin' learn to swim. Three quarters of battling this fear would be taken care of if I know how to take care of myself once I land in the water. CNN.com video has a segment from Mobile, AL with police officers giving helpful tips on what to do if you are ever in a car that should plunge into a body of water. The acronym is pretty easy to remember - SOS-GO.

Stay Calm - According to the report, it takes 30 seconds to 4 minutes for a car to become completely submerged in water. This gives plenty of time to escape if you don't spend the entire time paralyzed with fear and panic. (Especially if there are others that you have to help leave the vehicle)

Open Window - Get those windows down immediately. As they mention in the report, there's a common misconception that one should wait until the car is completely submerged before preparing to escape...FALSE. If you have power windows, start letting them down as soon as the car hits water if possible.

Seat Belts - Undo your seat belts (and anyone else in the car who needs help) immediately after at least one window has been opened.

Get Out - Exit the vehicle swiftly. If all of these directions have been followed, escape from the vehicle will be done before the car has submerged completely.

[Source: CNN Video]