Sedona couple rescues dog with improvised harness during flood evacuation

Alexander Dale and his wife left their home in Sedona, Arizona, on Sunday with their dog after officials ordered residents near Oak Creek to evacuate. Rapidly rising floodwaters trapped the couple and approximately nine guests on the roof of their property, which sits adjacent to the creek bed. The group waited roughly three hours for a helicopter to extract them.

Dale stated that the rescue crew initially questioned whether they could lift the dog because they lacked a specific K-9 harness. The pilot asked Dale what they intended to do in that situation. Dale responded that they would not leave the animal behind. The couple used three harnesses available in their home and strapped them together to secure the dog for the lift.

"We put like three of them on him and strapped it all together," Dale said. He described sitting in the harness while holding the dog, praying the animal would stay in place during the ascent. The pilot lifted Dale and the dog out of the situation simultaneously.

Other residents in the Sedona area also evacuated as water levels climbed. Cindy Wilmer, a schoolteacher living near Red Rock Crossing, left with only the clothes on her back, her school keys, and her cat. Wilmer noted that the water was roaring down the street when she departed. Fernando Leon, another resident, evacuated his home near Oak Creek after seeing the river through his front door. Leon expressed concern that his home might be a total loss.

"I opened the door and I saw the river, and I said, 'Whoa, I need to get out of here,'" Leon said. He described the feeling of having to leave his belongings behind abruptly as a very sad experience. By Sunday afternoon, the heavy rains had largely stopped in the region.

Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs confirmed that state air rescue crews assisted with rooftop evacuations. State transportation crews worked to clear debris from affected areas. Officials reported no immediate injuries or deaths from the flooding event in the Sedona area.