Fox News Correspondent Steve Harrigan Saves Man Trapped in Hurricane Ian Floodwaters

By A.J. Katz 

Journalists are trained to observe and report, even when finding themselves in chaotic circumstances. However, desperate times sometimes call for desperate measures—and Steve Harrigan played hero on Friday; and he should be praised for doing so.

The longtime Fox News correspondent carried an elderly man from a Hurricane Ian-soaked street to less treacherous land nearby.

Harrigan was reporting from a flooded-out neighborhood in North Port, Fla.—near Sarasota—on the west coast of the state, an area that has experienced a significant amount of damage by Ian.

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Guest-anchoring the network’s 3 p.m. ET hour, Fox News anchor Trace Gallagher brought Harrigan on to speak about the continuing effort by locals to help people escape the horrific flood waters.

“It’s a real mix of professionals and amateurs here … We’ve got family members here waiting, waiting for help to get to their homes,” reported Harrigan. “They’re worried about their parents, they’re worried about people with children and they’re worried about people with health difficulties who are still stuck in these houses—about chest-high deep water back there and still rising.”

Gallagher then asked Harrigan about a unique situation he found himself in earlier in the day.

“Steve, I want to play some video of you carrying a person out, if you can explain this for us while we play it, we appreciate some context. What exactly happened here?”

The network then aired footage of Harrigan carrying a man from a boat to a street away from the flooding.

“Well, you know, it’s a mishmash here really of public and private, of state and volunteers,” Harrigan reported while video was being shown. “Everyone is just sort of pitching in to try and get people out of water. So, everyone is lending a hand and people need help. A lot of people can’t walk that well.”

Harrigan added that most of the people struggling to find dry land are seniors.

“My mom is old,” he said. “I would hope someone would help her.”

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