First responders were called to a possible water rescue on Tuesday in the 2500 block of North Pennington Road and to people trapped on top of a pickup truck in flood waters the day before at 56th and Pennington roads.
Water levels of Cow Creek and the Arkansas River on Tuesday afternoon showed at least a 2.5-foot drop from the peaks last Thursday. First responders need the levels to drop even further before the damages can be assessed.
Reno County Emergency Management listed 37 road closures on Thursday, but the dangerous situations that led to six water rescue calls last Thursday have diminished. Hutchinson Fire Department chief Steve Beer called the effort of first responders a success. He said the emergency operations center, used during all severe weather dangers, allowed first responders from all Reno County agencies to coordinate together in one room.
The partnership helped navigate first responders around flood waters and to victims.
“The information out of the EOC … proved to be a great benefit during the incident,” Beer said.
(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)