5 dramatic rescue moments caught on camera in California

You never know when danger can catch someone off guard. You could be walking on the road or even sleeping at home and unprecedented mishaps can come our way. We might also be bystanders instead of victims, and so being vigilant 24/7 is always encouraged. Just a simple observation, a slight action or even a thoughtful word and gesture can render life-saving in unimaginable ways. Sometimes, these unbelievable acts are caught on camera and become surreal evidence in transforming our mindset as human beings. According to K&K Law, in the state of California alone, around 250,000 accidents are reported each year and include some kind of injury. These are only road accidents. 

There is so much going on in the world and when we're lucky and blessed not to be victims, we should try to be helpers. These five instances from vivid sources capture how strangers have become victims of unfathomable situations and have had dramatic rescues. Stepping in like angels in disguise, people's actions at the nick of time helped turn the life of another around. Right from rescuing a passenger from a burning car to helping a woman trapped in a storm drain, these people have given their very best to save a life and are heroes in the truest sense. 

1. Running into the face of danger to save a life

A video shared by WPLG Local 10 on Facebook revealed how a brave resident, Kerry Campbell, saved a life. The man residing in La Mesa, near San Diego, spotted a car in flames near his home and rushed in to help. The fire was so bad and increasing rapidly that he and his family had to escape from the side. The Ring camera footage captured the man making his way to the car slowly with a fire extinguisher. Thanks to his timely intervention, he was able to save the passenger from the severely damaged vehicle. 

2. A good Samaritan pitches in to help

In a clip shared by ABC 7 LA, a passerby helped save the life of a passenger together with police officers. The driver of the vehicle was reportedly experiencing a medical emergency. He was seen in a car smoking at the side of the road. When the passerby arrived, he saw officers trying their best to break open the car and get the man out. Without further ado, the stranger jumped into action, assisting the officers to successfully break open the window and unlock the door. The driver was out of the vehicle in time and was later transported to the hospital. 

3. Life-saving company

A man was scaling a cliff in Idyllwild, California, when he fell 30 feet and feared the worst, a clip from CBS Mornings revealed. The man was confused and concerned as the blurry video captured him falling down. With a not-so-stable platform to cling to and still very much at a height, the man was worried. His fears subsided thanks to a stranger who was also scaling and got hold of the man. He remained with him and gave him company, something that meant everything in that frantic moment. He reportedly stayed with the man until rescuers arrived and got them both out. 

4. Saved by the minute

A man was trapped in his vehicle after it fell into a California Creek, USA Today shared. With the water flowing strongly and the vehicle caught up in a dangerous position, the man was stuck and couldn't escape. To add to it, it was pouring at the time and he had to rely on timely help from rescuers to save his life. He managed to get out of his car, which was quickly getting submerged and clung to a tree just by the water. Despite the rafters arriving to help, there was no way to get the man out, given the compromising position he was stuck in. At last, the rescuers managed to airlift the man from the tree and saved his life. 

5. Miraculously saved

ABC 7 LA reported the terrifying story of a woman in San Bernardino, California. She was reportedly trapped inside a storm drain for days before rescuers found and saved her. Witnesses recalled the woman crying for help from a narrowing tunnel. The San Bernardino County Fire and other rescue teams quickly responded to the call. It was noted that the woman was around 15 feet inside the drain but was somehow uninjured. In the footage revealed, she is visibly frightened and whimpering, covered in mud and water, as the crew gently gets her out.