WATCH: Hero cop rescued from Hurricane Helene flash flood, immediately helps injured man: ‘It’s what we do’

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Video shows state trooper rescued after being swept up by Hurricane Helene floodwaters

Tennessee State Trooper Hannah Smathers jumped back into work after being rescued from Hurricane Helene flooding. (Credit: Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security)

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Video captured a Tennessee state trooper’s heroic rescue during Hurricane Helene flooding after she was rescued and went straight back to work to help another stranded person.

Jason Pack, a retired FBI special agent and director of communications for the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, shared with Fox News Digital the bravery Trooper Hannah Smathers displayed during the Hurricane Helene disaster.

Pack said Smathers was finishing a crash report from the previous shift when dispatch received a call to assist with checking flood-prone roadways.

“I was actually in the office, finishing a crash report from the previous day, when we got a call to assist Unicoi with checking the roadway for flooding,” Smathers recalled during an interview on the “Hurricane Helene Heroes” series. “That’s a pretty common call when there’s bad weather. They wanted me to check Spivey Mountain Road, so I headed out. It didn’t take long to get there.” 

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Tennessee State Trooper Hannah Smathers is being hailed as a hero for jumping right back into work after she was rescued from Hurricane Helene floodwaters.  (The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security)

While the conditions initially looked manageable, Smathers said they quickly changed. 

“I was seeing it firsthand,” she said. “The creek had started rising and was quickly moving onto the roadway.” 

But as floodwaters from Hurricane Helene rose around her patrol vehicle, Pack said Smathers didn’t panic. 

“She radioed in, waited for help, and once she was safe, she went right back to work,” Pack shared. 

Pack said Smathers became trapped by rising water just after she helped two pedestrians get out of the area and offered help to a stranded driver. However, minutes later, Pack said she realized she couldn’t get out.

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Dashcam video shows the rescue of Tennessee State Trooper Hannah Smathers during Hurricane Helene flooding.   (The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security)

“There was no way forward and no way back,” Smathers recalled. “I called it in and waited.”

The water rescue team had Smathers remove her ballistic vest and duty belt and tossed her a rope to pull her out of her stranded vehicle.

“I had to take off my vest, my belt—everything,” Smathers said. “They threw me a lifejacket and a rope. But there was no harness. If I let go of that rope, I was going with the water.” 

Smathers exited her car and within seconds, the current swept her legs out from under her. 

“The second I stepped away from my car, my feet were swept out from under me,” she said. “I went underwater, but I held onto the rope. That was my only chance.” 

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Newport, Tennessee was one of many communities impacted by Hurricane Helene flooding.   (Snowbird Mountain Coffee Co.)

Once Smathers gathered herself and was safe, she quickly jumped back into action, soaked and covered in mud.

“Once I got out, I saw another driver had broken his ankle,” Smathers explained. “So I helped carry him to safety too.”

Smathers stayed on shift for the next 18 hours, despite being trapped earlier and still filthy from her own rescue, saying she did it “because it’s what we do.” 

“What I went through was nothing compared to what some people lost that day,” Smathers said.

“I know sometimes it sounds cliché when people say they just want to help others,” she continued. “But that’s really what this job is about. Helping people. Making sure they’re safe. That’s all I was trying to do that day.” 

Col. Matt Perry of the Tennessee Highway Patrol said her actions that day represent all troopers.

Video

“Trooper Smathers showed exactly what we expect from the Highway Patrol troopers – calm under pressure and a heart for service,” Perry said. “She didn’t ask for attention. She just got the job done.”

Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security Commissioner Jeff Long also praised Smathers and said “her actions are a reflection of what our troopers do every day, often without recognition.” 

“What Trooper Smathers did that day exemplifies the dedication our state troopers bring to their communities,” Long said. “She showed courage, humility, and heart. Whether in a flood, a crash scene, or a routine patrol, our troopers are out there every day making Tennessee safer.” 

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Hurricane Helene created billions of dollars worth of damage when it destroyed homes, farms and critical infrastructure like roads, bridges and power lines. Parts of highways connecting North Carolina and Tennessee have been closed since late September.

More than 100 people died as a result of the hurricane in North Carolina alone, and the total death count is more than 230 across six states, including South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Georgia and Florida. 

Fox News Digital’s Audrey Conklin contributed to this report. 

Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com