On Wednesday (3/15), the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office received a number of calls for help from motorists who had either entered flowing washes or had become stuck between two running washes near Warm Springs Wash on Route 66, just south of Golden Shores. One vehicle was a Grand Jeep Cherokee with four people in it (two adults that were 37-years old, a 4-year-old child and a 9-month old child). They were stuck in the mud, surrounded by water and a cliff to one side of the vehicle. Another call was a Ford Fusion Hybrid that was stuck in the water and could not move forward or backward and the water was over the hood – with a trunk full of groceries. Another call referenced a red Hyundai that called family members indicating they were stuck near Courtwright Mile Post 5 with a bunch of other people from a microburst. There were many calls that came into dispatch requesting help related to the storm that passed through. Our Bullhead and Lake Havasu Search and Rescue swift water teams were activated to assist all these motorists. While these afternoon and early evening rains were not in the forecast, almost every time there is any significant amount of rain accumulation – many of these roads flood out and calls from stranded motorists are received. Some of the calls are life-threatening. Many can be avoided by staying home and waiting for the storms to pass – or turning around. While rescuers were responding, there was an abandoned vehicle in 2-feet of water observed near the Sacramento Wash. Once teams passed that, there were another 15 or so vehicles that were not in immediate danger, but had become stuck between the running washes. Search teams were able to bring those in a position of danger to safety, by assisting them out of the flooded roadway. Another team located two adults that had walked away from their vehicle in the middle of the desert and became lost, who were trying to find their way on foot to Golden Shores and they were escorted back to safety. Another vehicle stuck in the wash was a Mercury Mountaineer. Once the water began to recede, the Mohave County Road Department was able to get heavy equipment into the flooded area and began to clear the roadway – to allow those that had become stuck between the two washes, a path to get to safety. During the rescues, one lady who had become stuck between the washes required critical medication – which she did not have with her. During these rescues, another emergency call came in of a train derailment not far from the location of these swift water rescues – with initial reporting of hazardous materials involved. The urgency only increased these rescue efforts! Emergencies are not planned. The unexpected happens at some of the worst times. Not knowing when a delay in travel may arise and how long that delay may be, it is important to be prepared. Keep plenty of supplies in your vehicle at all times. Some people think they only have a couple miles to go before they are “home” or at work. It is not worth the risk. Look around, if there is running water TURN AROUND – DON’T DROWN!!