Although this monsoon season was one of the driest on record, parts of Arizona were pummeled with rain in late September, leading to intense flooding in Apache Junction and other cities.
“I don’t like to over dramatize things when we say rescue,” said Richard Ochs, a longtime member of the Superstition Fire and Medical District. “It’s really more of a citizen-assist call in most cases.”
Apache Junction has mountains on two sides, which increases the runoff that flows down into the city. Ochs said this creates “notorious washes” when water rises, making it easy for residents to get swept up. Superstition Fire was one of several East Valley departments that plucked people from swift waters last month.
Rescues like these potentially could be avoided by using FloodAware, a new system developed by Arizona researchers to monitor rising water levels.