Reno County Sheriff Randy Henderson reports that over the past 3-days, emergency services have conducted 4-water rescue events due to person’s vehicles being swept off county roadways.
Officials remind you that the currents are swift in these flood waters and there is massive amounts of debris being pushed through fields, rivers, creeks and across roads.
Emergency Service Agencies agree that it is a very dangerous situation for individuals to be wading, swimming, canoeing etc., during extreme water events as we are seeing all across Reno County.
Reno County Law Enforcement agencies will start enforcing “obstruction” and “criminal trespass” charges, in dealing with persons who are getting into swift moving flood waters. This will pertain to any areas that law enforcement feels the public is placing themselves in harms way.
This decision is based on several factors including the swift moving water, lack of proper equipment and training for swift water rescues, debris in water and location of other hazards such as submerged fences where a person could be trapped.
The authority for this action is based on an emergency declaration, in place due to flooding, and the Reno County Emergency Disaster Plan. This Disaster Plan specifies Law Enforcement’s official duty as public safety and security which includes providing traffic and crowd control and controlling access to operational scenes and evacuated areas.