Off-Duty Fort Lauderdale Fire-Rescue Personnel Rescues Drowning Motorist from Vehicle

Shannon Vezina, Public Information Specialist
(954) 828-4743 or svezina@fortlauderdale.gov

Fort Lauderdale - At approximately 12:00 a.m. on Monday, February 19, City of Fort Lauderdale Fire-Rescue Driver Engineer Greg Snyder pulled a drowning motorist from the Loxahatchee River. 

Greg Snyder was on his way home, traveling northbound on I-95, when he saw numerous cars pulled over on the side of the road at the Palm Beach/Martin County line.  Snyder stopped his vehicle and saw a car submerged in the water along side the Interstate. 

Snyder gathered a rope and pocketknife from his car and approached the sinking vehicle.  He saw that the driver of the vehicle, Michael Quigley, was trapped inside.  The air bag had been deployed and Quigley was wearing his seatbelt.   

Snyder used his pocketknife to cut the convertible top from the car to gain access to the driver.  For approximately 15 minutes, Snyder worked to free Quigley from the car, during which time Snyder held Quigley’s head above water to prevent him from drowning.  Local fire-rescue personnel arrived on the scene and helped Snyder pull Quigley from the vehicle. 

Michael Quigley was flown to St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach, where he was treated and released. 

Greg Snyder is a Driver Engineer for the City of Fort Lauderdale.  He has worked in the City’s Fire-Rescue Department since April 4, 1994.