Sedona pair saves dog during flood rescue

Alexander Dale held his dog tightly in his lap while a helicopter lowered a thick rope to the roof of their Sedona home on Sunday. The couple had been trapped there for three hours after Oak Creek rose quickly, forcing them and nine guests to climb up from the waterlogged ground. They managed to keep the dog with them during the evacuation by using gear they already had inside the house.

Dale and his wife operate a residence and several rental units on a property adjacent to the creek bed. When the water began to climb, they had no immediate exit. Dale described the initial uncertainty of the situation, stating, "We didn’t know what to do. We couldn’t go anywhere." The group waited on the roof until rescue crews arrived. A helicopter pilot initially questioned whether the animal could be safely lifted, telling Dale, "Well, we don’t have a harness for a K-9, so I don’t know if we can take him."

Dale asked what the alternative was and decided to secure the dog with three harnesses from their home inventory. He strapped them together to create a stable hold. During the lift, Dale sat in the harness, gripping the dog and hoping the animal would stay put. He described the moment as a prayer that his dog would not slip away. The pilot lifted Dale and the dog out of the floodwaters together.

The flooding affected multiple communities across Arizona, prompting officials to order immediate evacuations for residents near Oak Creek. Cindy Wilmer, a schoolteacher living at Red Rock Crossing, left with minimal belongings. She recalled the water roaring down the street and said she departed with only a shirt, her school keys, and her cat. Wilmer expressed concern for the condition of her house after the storm.

Fernando Leon also evacuated his home in Oak Creek. He feared the property might sustain total damage. Leon described opening his front door to see the river and deciding to leave immediately. He noted the sadness of having to abandon personal items so quickly after moving in. He said, "From one day to the next you’re at your place and then you have to evacuate and leave all your things behind. It’s just a very sad feeling."

By Sunday afternoon, the heavy rains had mostly stopped in the Sedona area. Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs confirmed that state air rescue teams assisted with rooftop evacuations while state transportation crews worked to clear debris from roads. No injuries or deaths were reported immediately following the flooding event.