RENO COUNTY —A swift water rescue operation on Monday afternoon resulted in three individuals being safely rescued from the Arkansas River in Hutchinson.
According to a press release from the Hutchinson Fire Department, emergency crews were dispatched around 2:30 p.m. to the area behind Hobart-Detter Field at Carey Park. The individuals had become stranded in the river and were clinging to a tree amid rapidly rising water levels and strong currents.
HFD's water rescue team quickly deployed a boat and launched a three-person team upriver to reach the victims. The rescue was completed without incident, and the individuals were brought back upstream to a safe access point, where they were transferred to Reno County EMS for evaluation.
The operation was completed within approximately 30 minutes of the initial call. No injuries were reported among the victims or first responders.
Fire officials reminded the public that a flood warning remains in effect and urged residents to exercise caution. “Never drive through water-covered roads. River currents are swifter than usual, and the river edges are soft,” the release stated.