SAND SPRINGS – The fire department responded to water rescue calls mid morning as water flooded the streets of Sand Springs.
On Saturday, June 6, Sand Springs Fire Department received a request for a water rescue at approximately 10:48 a.m. and would go on to receive four more calls until 1:19 p.m. The main neighborhood off Highway 51, Meadow Valley, endured the most flooding that overflowed onto the highway. Another area between Sand Springs and Sapulpa off West 71st Street also suffered from flooding.
In the three-hour window, Fire Chief Jeremy Wade said they had five water rescues – most of which were in the areas that endured the most flooding.
“So, from that point, obviously, it was just more what’s referred to as a flash flood – lots of water in a short amount of time, caused stuff to rapidly accelerate,” Wade said. “And then at that point, you know, nowhere for the water to go and it kind of starts doing what it does in areas that are prone to flooding.”
One of those rescues involved a vehicle reported in rapidly rising floodwaters near 71st Street and 177th West Avenue. According to a Facebook post from Keystone Volunteer Fire Department, firefighters were notified of a possible vehicle in the water with a male occupant trapped inside as floodwaters continued to rise.
After an initial search near 61st Street and 209th West Avenue, Keystone firefighters learned Sand Springs crews had completed a separate water rescue and that Sapulpa firefighters were responding to a stranded vehicle in the flooded area. Upon arriving at a staging area with Sapulpa Fire personnel, firefighters learned from the victim’s wife that her husband had run off the road during the flash flood. Three other men had attempted to help him, and all four became stranded on the roof of the vehicle as water rose around them.
According to Keystone firefighters, Sapulpa Fire launched two boats into the area but faced challenges reaching the victims because of swift water conditions in Rock Creek. Keystone crews launched a rescue boat from 61st Street and were able to make contact with the stranded individuals.
“We were able to evacuate one male, and Sapulpa Fire with their larger boat were able to evacuate the remaining three,” the department stated in its Facebook post. “None of them needed medical attention.”
The department credited the coordinated effort among Keystone, Sapulpa and Sand Springs firefighters for the successful outcome.
As far as Wade understands, there were no reports of major damages to neighborhoods other than vehicles.
“Mostly the flooding was an inconvenience,” said Sand Springs City Manager Mike Carter. “We have some minor sink holes that are already in the process of being repaired, and a few cars were damaged on neighborhood roads. The bridge at 81st and Highway 64 was undercut. ODOT is aware and already working to fix it.”
Carter commented on how the new construction on SH-97 may have helped this weekend's flood from becoming much worse.
“Part of the improvements made to 97 were rain-water management, before the construction was completed, rains like this one where we got 4.5 inches in just a couple hours, would have caused flooding in a much larger area of the city,” Carter said. “We are very happy with how the new system handled itself.”
Meanwhile, the Case Community Center opened as a Red Cross shelter in coordination with the department.
Wade said not many residents went to the shelter, seeing how the water came up fast in a short amount of time, but began to recede just as quickly.
“Most of the people who sheltered at the community center were from Sapulpa, and we were more than glad to help out our neighbors,” Carter said.
Animal Welfare Control Officer Kayla Meredith said all animals were accounted for and that, when necessary, the shelter sets up a space for people to come with their pets through partnerships with nonprofit churches.
Meredith said microchipping and pet-safe markers used to write contact information on collars or ears are ways to ensure animals can be reunited with owners if they become lost.
The department advised people to find shelter around noon, but ultimately it was up to residents if they chose to stay or go.
Although the flooding came and went, there were still rescues to be made as firefighters answered 21 total calls. Some of those additional calls involved vehicle accidents on area highways caused by the heavy rainfall.