It was a late December night when Jesse Robinson’s cell phone rang. Robinson is the Search and Rescue (SAR) and Warning Coordinator for the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs (DEMA). He answered the call from the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC) about a missing aircraft from Scottsdale airport.

Arizona City sits in the Santa Cruz River Basin in south-central Arizona. It is an area that floods when monsoon or winter rains pour from the sky. With more than 24 significant floods in the past 100 years, and various levels of flooding every year, Arizona City and its residents must deal with water on their streets, and sometimes in their homes.

Mohave County is located in the northwestern part of Arizona. Like many other parts of the state, Mohave County has small to significant flooding events throughout the year. Many communities in the county are located on (or near) a floodplain, meaning they have higher levels of flood risk.