Sedona residents wait three hours on roofs for helicopter rescue

Alexander Dale sat on the roof of his Sedona home for three hours on Sunday, waiting for a helicopter to lift him out of the rising Oak Creek floodwaters. He was not alone. His wife and approximately nine guests were also on the roof, trapped by water that had surrounded the property where they manage several short-term rental units. Dale said the group was stuck in place with no clear exit route.

The rescue crew arrived in a helicopter equipped with a long line. A pilot initially questioned whether they could lift the family's dog, noting they did not have a specific harness for the animal. Dale asked what the plan was. The couple decided not to leave the pet behind. They retrieved three harnesses from inside the house and strapped them all onto the dog to secure it for the lift.

Dale described the lift as a precarious moment. He sat in the harness, holding the dog tightly, hoping the animal would not slip away during the ascent. The pilot lowered the line, and the pair was hoisted up together to safety.

Other residents in the Red Rock Crossing and Oak Creek areas faced similar conditions. Cindy Wilmer, a schoolteacher, evacuated with minimal belongings. She said the water was roaring down the street when she left. She took only the shirt she was wearing, her school keys, and her cat. Wilmer expressed concern about the condition of her house after the evacuation.

Fernando Leon was also forced to leave his home near Oak Creek. He opened his front door and saw the river had reached his property. Leon said the sudden transition from being at home to needing to leave everything behind created a sad feeling. He feared his home might sustain total damage from the flood.

State air rescue crews assisted with the rooftop evacuations, and state transportation crews worked to clear debris from the area. Governor Katie Hobbs confirmed the deployment of these state resources to aid local efforts.

The heavy rains that triggered the flooding largely subsided by Sunday afternoon. Officials did not immediately report any injuries or deaths from the event.