Arizona rescue crew warns of flash flood dangers
Flash flood risks: Arizona crews urge caution
Arizona's deadly flash flood history has rescue crews warning of rapid, dangerous changes. They cite past tragedies like the 2017 Payson flood that killed 10 and the 2019 Tonto Basin incident claiming three children. FOX 10's Kenzie Beach has this story.
PHOENIX - Arizona, no stranger to deadly flash floods, continues to see rescue crews stressing the rapid and unpredictable nature of these events.
What we know:
This comes after past tragedies, including a 2017 incident where 10 family members died in Payson and a 2019 event where three children were swept away in the Tonto Basin.
Warning signs line Houston Mesa Road, marking canyons as flash flood areas. Rescue crews emphasize that clear skies overhead can be deceptive, as distant storms can trigger dense flash floods without immediate warning.
At the Verde River, near the Water Wheel Recreation Center — a site of one of Arizona’s most deadly flash floods — calm waters can quickly turn deadly. This remote area lacks early warning systems and flood gauges, and dense debris from past floods still litters the creek banks eight years later.
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What they're saying:
The Tonto Rim Search and Rescue team says they never stop looking for victims, prioritizing bringing them home.
"You know, we have to be ready," said Ken Flickinger, vice commander of Tonto Rim Search and Rescue. "I have crates that are marked rope rescue, swift water, helicopter, all the teams that I'm involved in and then our every day, you know, just get out onto the trails. Bring somebody home. That's the most important thing."
Bill Pitterle, commander of Tonto Rim Search and Rescue, described the speed of the water.
"Maybe they saw that tongue, and maybe they started running, but they just can't outrun it. It comes up too fast," he said. "It would be in probably 60 seconds, it'd be five, six, seven feet deep in here. That fast."
Pitterle reiterated the team's unwavering commitment: "Bring them home. That's all we care about. Bring them home."
According to the commander, many remote areas lack effective early warning systems because the rushing water in canyons would drown out any alarms.
What you can do:
Click here to learn more about staying safe during a flash flood.
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