Sedona AZ (October 6, 2015) – On October 5, 2015 at 4:30 in the afternoon, approximately sixteen Coconino County Sheriff’s deputies, Search and Rescue team members, and U.S. Forest Service responders were forced to higher ground during a flash flood in Oak Creek Canyon, north of the Sedona city limits.
The responders were conducting a body recovery after a jumper committed suicide off the canyon’s Midgely Bridge. Due to an area storm with heavy rains, hail and lightning, rescuers had to delay removal of the body. After the storm subsided, rescuers entered the canyon.
While conducting the recovery, CCSO personnel reported a flash flood in Oak Creek Canyon from heavy rainfall over Wilson Mountain. Rescuers were in the process of hoisting the body to the bridge platform when the flash flood occurred. The body was already above flood waters; however, responders below the bridge had to retreat quickly uphill away from rising waters.
With several feet of fast moving water going through the canyon, three of the responders became briefly stranded on one side of the canyon. They were not in danger and waited for about an hour to ensure storm cells had cleared and the water safely receded before they recrossed.
The recovery proceeded without further incident. Watch the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office video of the beginning flood waters here.
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Bless all our first responders and their dedication!
And our leaders still think a creek side park and pathway is a good idea? NOT!
@E. Maddock In reading your comment about the suicide on Midgely Bridge the other day and how you turned that horrible situation into some City issue is really disgusting and offensive. Causes me to doubt the rest of your posts.
@Phill, I guess I’m not seeing what you’re seeing.
Of course, any untimely death is terrible. That goes without saying. There’s been MANY deaths off the bridge, and as we know, crystals have a way of keeping a memory. If you wonder what a negative vortex is, look no further – holds the energy of sad events.
It’s even worse when others take what we say and mean and twist those words to meet their own deceptive expectations. I’m not sticking up for E Maddock as much as I’m sticking up for myself in the same situation.
It is wonderful that we have wonderful first responders, but knowing how volatile the creek can be, it would be awful to develop a park where tourist could be placed directly in harm’s way. I don’t think you can argue with that Phil.
@Phill, and since when aren’t we all entitled to opinions, as you just shared your own, taking exception to my objection about the city’s continued endeavor to create a public park and creek walk in a flood plane. Apparently you think it’s a stellar idea to knowingly encourage perilous situations that are factually dangerous. That includes gathering places which will exacerbate current traffic gridlock, subjecting the public in general to the possibility of being trapped in either flooding conditions or wild fires. It’s amazing that you don’t find that, in itself, rather disgusting and offensive. But again, it’s differences of opinions that provide food for thought and offer opportunities for discussion.
E. Maddock is right the leaders should be addressing the REAL issues at hand the lives of those here.
Historically, suicide rates rise during times of financial stress and economic setbacks.[1] In 2009 it was the 7th leading cause of death for males, and the 16th leading cause of death for females. Suicide was the third leading cause of death for young people ages 15 to 24.[2] From 1999 to 2010, the suicide rate among Americans, aged – 35 to 64 increased nearly 30 percent. The largest increases were among men in their 50s, a rates rising near 50 percent, or 30 per 100,000. For women, this was for women 60 to 64, whose rates rose 60 percent, to 7.0 per 100,000.[1] In 2008, it was observed that U.S. suicide rates, particularly among middle-aged white women, had increased, although the causes were unclear.[ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_in_the_United_States
Yavapai Regional Medical Center
7. High suicide rate (per 100,000)
• Yavapai County 29.3 compared to AZ 16.1 & HP 2020 10.2
http://www.yrmc.org/docs/default-source/default-document-library/prioritization-of-community-needs.pdf?sfvrsn=0
Read for yourself Our area is the highest! Instead of feeding the chamber $$$ the city should use the funding to make this place a better place, LEADERS get REAL we don’t want you funding millions to business memberships. WE are the PEOPLE are the people. With rates this high it reaches you also.
Have a heart do the right thing.
@phil
I agree…..
You bring up a great point @ Phill Sedona City Council has for the last two elected council has forgotten what they were elected to do. They blatantly abused the residents and businesses. They tell them all the time they don’t matter as the tourists contribute more. They have no compassion. Egos feeding egos.
I agree with E. Maddock They need to change priorities as they are destroying the community. Who cares about a creek walk when we have a young healthy person feeling like he has no choice rather than kill himself. Please think about it.
Look around what does this area have to offer?
Depressing…..What jobs do you offer? What growth? How about for families? What entertainment? How much money does it take to live here? What does this area offer? Suppression with the leaders leading the pack. Only the entitled gain anything by living here.
Depressing……. I want to kill myself every time I watch a city council meeting. Sedona big egos no compassion. Backwards, old…..depressing…
Of course it’s a tragedy to learn of yet another suicide in Sedona. However, if there’s a lesson to be learned by our city administrators then they should take heed. How much worse would it have been if rising Oak Creek had taken the lives of the responders? The El Nino is presently on track to be the most severe in 50 years. Check out the video for another example of raging Oak Creek and then still maintain that City Council(s) have made wise choices with their high-density meeting places, including anything in the path of flooding Oak Creek.
http://www.sedona.biz/national/forest-service/little-brooks-make-great-rivers/
Too little caring by person given a divine life and to little by those surrounding that person….
Wow! Please take time to watch the video then make all the snide remarks you want. The first responders for sure were damn lucky to be trained properly to react to a similar situation. Just doing their job, to save another tortured Sedona soul with a broken heart because this special place on earth has fallen into careless hands, all to satisfy a greedy few that could care less about those who take their own lives or the endangerment being faced by those attempting to assist. And what about the 19 firefighters trapped and killed during the Prescott fire? That could well happen to a string of clogged automobiles, unable to go anyplace because of the asinine list of priorities identified by those who just don’t get it!
Self centered bastards. Maybe all of you who find it more important to chase windmills and seek ego-satisfying legacies might want to join the first responders on one of their missions. I think NOT!
Somebody said elsewhere and why not Listen??”Interesting that the candidates who did mention the “Creekwalk” as having been discussed and rejected previously neglected to mention the reason. It was determined to be too great of an engineering challenge as well as too much of a risk from the flash flooding. Next idea . . .” And the 10k question is why not? Besides being an idiots dream it’s not even needed – hike a trail people !!!
Sad three suicides off the bridge this year, not including those in other places
Thank you @Public Service Announcement We do have the highest rates in the verde valley of people killing themselves.
What does that mean? Sedona Verde Valley is not a place to be. Watch and listen.
Self centered and too little caring for sure @Vera K. Lilly @Fed Up
It is all about the dollar and yes egos @FYI @Sedonan
Does Sedona have a heart? No the SCC gifted it to the Chamber, Film Fest, Mainstreet, Red Theater, and other beggars. instead of doing the right thing. They gave it away at the cost of beautiful loving caring people.
The old tired SCC thinks they know best and are creating a socialist sanctuary city. They don’t care what you think and do whatever they please. By cutting off Sedonas potential to grow neutrally they make the playing field and uphill battle. If you don’t grow and move forward positive, you die.
Lesson? To late?
WAKE UP another shooting! This time NAU.
LEADERS stop the BS and pay attention!
Yes, Leaders wake up. There’s one thing in common with ALL mass shootings — and it isn’t guns. ALL of the shooters were taking SSRI-type drugs. Even the guy who ran his car into a car full of tourist killing 3, himself and his dog was taking SSRI drugs.
THERE IS THE LINK – pharmaceuticals are responsible!
http://www.naturalnews.com/039752_mass_shootings_psychiatric_drugs_antidepressants.html
Wake up!
Too many with Phill and West Sedona Resident mentalities. And they, unfortunately, seem to be the ones calling the shots.
Our culture is under attack by low life’s trying to make a name for themselves and fromparents who abdicated responsibility to raise decent human beings and adults – from birth I heard the Thou Shall Nots by parents who threatened to rearrange my planets if I didn’t do the right thing for the right reasons !!! They cared and it showed and they loved us and it showed.
What a bunch of blanking crybabies…. Poor guy jumps off a bridge and all you think about is yourselves…
You selfish self centered people are the ones suffering from a case of “I got mine…screw you”
And who’s to say publicity from the first unfortunate incident didn’t send the message to the other two – that Midgely Bridge is the current going place to commit suicide. As ADOT has responded when asked about higher barriers, from experience they know it won’t really be much of a deterrent because those determined will jump anyhow. Look at Golden Gate and Bay Bridges in California. Much more of a challenge than little Midgely Bridge here, but suicides still happen.
Also, every time this occurs the highway is closed down, if not entirely, at least partially, again backing up traffic.
And what would our “leaders” suggest? That ADOT make Midgely Bridge 4-lanes as well as 89A all the way to Flagstaff? Brilliant spelled S T U P I D!
@West Sedona Resident the only whiner I see is you. You have no compassion for anyone. Rather then give in the the #1 whiner Jennifer Chamber and other business groups like Mainstreet Why don’t you take that 2.5 million in freebies and try and help create a better Sedona? Create support groups education and things that make Sedona better.
The only ones I hear say “I got mine…screw you” is you! SCC, Chamber, Film festival If you done such a great job the young man who work in Sedona maybe would have had other options. Suicide is forever. But the greedy retirees city council dictates to the whole verde valley. GODS they are! Mean and dumb.
@west Sedona Resident
You just can’t help thinking about yourself …. Can you?
Nice….
Blame a kid jumping off a bridge on City government ..
Your sick..
Boy I am glad to prove you are blind and can’t read. JW.
Waste not. Save a life, protect a life aint gonna happen with mean old ways.
Did any of you look at the Suicide rates? Yavapai County is 29.3% compared to state AZ 16.1%
We have a problem. Finger point all you want but we have a problem.
It is not going away.
“sharlett says: Bless all our first responders and their dedication!”
I made a simple and heart felt comment regarding the suicide situation and our great responders.
That comment has been twisted and turned in so many – no essential – ways that it is really very sad and off point.
This was never intended to be a city issue – just a respectful thanks to our great people who had to recover the body.
Evaluating and studying behavior and mental processes is very fascinating. The process of not respecting others has an effect. The invasion into personal lifestyles in order to limit and control is the issue at hand. Think about what that says about the value of human life.
It appears that those in control are enjoying the power and treatment of Sedonans like they are garbage and relished and enjoyed the experience,
When you suppress anyone, eventually they will fight back.
@sharlett – what a joke you are. Since when have ya become so concerned. Your better at you rude crude bullying. Out of character here
@sharlett
The post above was not posted by me…
Fyi
@ Sharlett
The above post was not me….actually good to see you praising first responders FYI
Thank you, Paul dr. Your points are excellent. It appears to me that a good deal of frustration and anxiety is being expressed in the line-up of comments. And apparently Phill, West Sedona Resident, and now Sharlett don’t believe others have the right to share related thoughts. Unless I missed something none of the comments made have reflected disrespect to the unfortunate young man that made the ultimate choice.
As this incident coincides with a flash flood, probably but one of many in store, what’s so wrong in pointing that out, and in conjunction with a proposed creek walk?
Lighten up folks.
What? The title is “Oak Creek Canyon Suicide Recovery” but, of course, it contains information about the first responders’ rescue attempt being interrupted by a flash flood.
So it’s appropriate to bring up First Responders but off topic to bring up the FACT that their rescue attempts were interrupted by a flash flood?
Get a grip, @Sharlett and others who prefer to spin and deny the flash flood disruption wasn’t an important part of the article and more significantly the tie in with the prediction of a severe El Nino, the worst in possibly 50 years, and proposal of a future creek walk and park in a flood plain.
@Sharlett I believe the reason is the same as the road 89A issue. The city is not behaving fair minded and not looking out for the best interest of the residents. IMO
The residents didn’t want the city to own 89A. It is the same issue as the National Monument. But the CC does as they please without giving the residents or businesses that collect sales tax a voice. The city is an incorporation with city limits. Small town of 10,000. City Councilors are the same as any other resident and elected to do a job. Health Welfare and safety for the incorporated Sedona City limits.
By continuous comments made at CC meetings , disrespectful comments such as “the residents don’t pay enough” “The tourists are the ones paying the sales tax, the residents don’t contribute” And then the whopper of sales tax and bed taxes being gifted to regional special interest groups with the residents and businesses collecting those taxes no voice or say so. So it boils down to the same issue.
You can’t move forward when you continue to move in archaic ways. Health Welfare and Safety. The 27-year-old man committing suicide falls under this. This young man from I what I understand worked, shopped and played in Sedona. Part of our community. I wish the community could have done something to save a life. Our suicide rates are much higher in Sedona than anywhere. There is a reason why and this needs to be addressed.
Sedona has changed over the twenty something years that I lived here. It’s not so pretty. Those benefitting from the taxpayers money via any of the portals the city gifts are most unkind of them all. Life in Sedona has become about the dollar.
If the lodging and tourist industry business were world class then they could not have their hand out for city taxpayers money. They would in fact invest in their future , their employees who work long hours without recognition or enough pay. The city should not be paying for their advertising. Most of them are corporations making millions. Instead they should be focus on the people that clean their rooms, wait their tables, answers the phones and make their bookings. Can those people working for us afford to live in Sedona? No. He worked in our town. Give back, build a future for the future.
Recently I saw on facebook a councilor talking up certain items like taxes, property owners charging to much rent in a very negative way. Ridiculous statements.
Here is one example of what she said “Yes, property owners charge what they can get for their property. Supply and demand, doncha know.” Then someone commented “Greed that grows each year, and knows no limits!” Then this Sedona city councilor engage the person in hate by responding “yup”
If you rent out a house that cost 350k for the mortgage, property taxes and insurance your at 2,000 a month. Can a waiter afford this? no. Is it the property owners fault? no.
One sided economics doesn’t work.
You can’t move forward when you continue to move in archaic ways. Old out dated, Give back instead of taking and do so in sustainable programs that help our community. Make sure they are fair and not for just a selected few. Track and monitor these programs on a continuous basis. Incorporated Sedona for the incorporated city limits health welfare and safety.
IMO
OMG @sharlett your a he/she
@ Donna Varney
Why must you turn every posting into something against the city or c of c???
How does anything in your posting relate to: Oak Creek Canyon Suicide Recovery??
You can really stop now, we all know of your distaste for the city, the councilors, the staff, the janitorial staff, the maintenance people and lets not forget the c of c.
We should all work together on this site to see what we can do to get ADOT to put better fencing at the bridge. We should be talking about how sad that someone had to jump from that bridge instead of enjoying the beauty that the area holds. Mental health is only talked about after someone has taken their life and not talked about enough to help them through their demons so that they won’t feel helpless enough to jump. So Donna, give it a rest already.
Thank you, JD, for connecting the dots that in addition to the tragic suicide of a young man, the article also includes information about our brave first responders and the increased peril they faced due to rapidly rising Oak Creek.
Maybe those criticizing the comments made by others with concerns about the city spending thousands, maybe even millions of dollars, on the impractical notion of a park and pathway on the banks of a designated protected waterway, which Oak Creek is, wouldn’t be so critical if they, themselves, had ever personally been subjected to flooding conditions.
It’s no fun. Especially if the source of the flooding was created by a stupid mistake made by city staff that approving a fence, in spite of a permit clearly stating that fence was not allowed to obstruct an existing waterway, was overlooked. Adding insult to injury, they then attempted to make the “mistake” a “civil” matter between neighbors. That, incidentally, did not work out well for the city.
Acts of nature are bad enough, but when it’s clearly evident this city has acted carelessly in the past and is presently headed in a direction very likely to result in major liability problems by moving forward with a creek walk and accompanying park, the writing is on the wall. And those having a problem with this are asked to shut up?
Concerns about frivolous spending are real. With admittedly the number one issue being traffic control (or lack thereof) it simply isn’t prudent to spend millions of dollars to add to the problem by attracting even more tourists to compound the traffic. That money would be far better spent on parking areas and other amenities to assist in easing the situation and not by adding to it, with more congestion attracting projects.
Sedona wildfires and flooding will occur. The question remains “When?”
But clearly many in Sedona couldn’t care less – about the young man that drowned or the flash flood endangering the first responders or potential patrons to the “must have” creek path and park. They lack foresight in regard to the pending El Nino and resulting snow pack from Flagstaff – a warm spring rain and sudden thaw – VOILA – flooding. Is the drainage system in Sedona adequate to deal with that? Who cares?
They are more concerned that people would dare post comments with which they don’t agree.
In my previous comment I erroneously made reference to “the young man that drowned.” Clearly that was a careless oversight and I apologize for not properly acknowledging his demise was due to suicide as was appropriately addressed at the beginning of my statement.
As for the remark made by “Enough Already” ADOT’s response to enhance the barriers over Midgely Bridge is that it would not prevent suicides. As someone else commented, bridges such as San Francisco’s Bay and Golden Gate, both having substantially higher barricades, do not prevent suicides.
Eddie S. Maddock
Not true @Enough Already. My post was directed to Sharlett BTW. The city was incorporate for the area of incorporation.
I do actually like most of the councilors. There is one that appears to have her own agenda and it appears she does not like any of the people. She remarks quite openly about it. She stirs the pot of getting people to fight. IMO that is completely inappropriate. Others have notice her behavior also. I was told about her facebook posts by a friend who felt a Sedona City Councilor should not be behaving this way. So I will wait and ponder how I feel about this one. I will base it on her proformance.
I haven’t meet on city employee that I didn’t like. I find them all professional staff . I have complimented many of the city workers I been in contact with. Don’t confuse the issues. The city employees do as they are directed. They do the best they can. You like playing the blame game again, stirring the pot.
Your statement are completely untrue.
The real issue is for some reason you feel that city council job is to dictate to the entire Verde Valley what to do. The tasks at hand are simple, the incorporated city Health welfare and safety. Watch the vision statement. When we elect city councilors it is non-partisan.
Health welfare and safety, fairly equally. Under this umbrella this enables the city to work on issues such as suicides, and make Sedona a better place.
Once you take the emotion out of it then you can move forward. Until then you’re in your own negative spin. You seem to only like those that go along with your crazy socialist ideas. The city is here for everyone not a selected few special groups. The 3Ps – Process, Product and People.
Define the process so that the product of the Sedona can be done with transparency. Then the people can work with clarity on the tasks on hand. The city empoyees would love this BTW. They become enpowered.
Get out of the emotion it is an incorporated city. It is not your personal department to do what is best for you. @At Enough call me if you want to discuss you got my number.
What am I missing? Having carefully read through all comments, beginning with the one from Sharlett and down to her second entry, I do not find even one single post that makes reference to “sharlett says: Bless all our first responders and their dedication!”
And yet she is claiming her initial post was the lightening rod that started the controversy? Huh? I don’t get it. Does anyone else?
ESM
Oh thank you oh wise one…. For once again enlightening us less intelligent sedona residents…. Oh how would the city survive without you…ad naseum …
Woozers!
I just LOVE Sedona and the clowns that criticize and tell others what to do when they don’t use their REAL names.
Hey there those that do use your real names.You ROCK!!!!!!
Love LOVE LOVE Sedona! You’re getting to them :) :)!!!! Keep up the good work.
I agree with Enough Already and the statement ” We should all work together on this site to see what we can do to get ADOT to put better fencing at the bridge. We should be talking about how sad that someone had to jump from that bridge instead of enjoying the beauty that the area holds.”
Something needs to be done to convince ADOT that special fencing needs to be installed to make it more difficult for those individuals wanting to jump off the bridge. When approached by the City of Sedona and the Sedona Red Rock News reporter covering the story, ADOT’s official position was that the fencing would not be a deterrent for people to jump. It might not be a 100% effective, but it would definitely make it more difficult for those wanting to end their lives.All they are willing to do at this time is install signs for people in crisis to call a special number. We all know that those individuals serious about taking their own lives, who went through the effort of wanting to jump off the bridge, will not even look at the signs. Pressure needs to be applied to ADOT and the Governor’s Office to make this a priority.After all, the State of AZ is benefitting from the taxes being collected in our city.and contributing to ADOT’s budget. How many more suicides/attempted suicides will it take before something is done?
I am going to say – One more time – that my response to this article was simply to praise and give credit to our first Responders! How those grateful words got taken so far off track is just so wrong and self serving – on all responders posts…and I believe all should hang your heads and pray for forgiveness’.
How simple is it to thank the responders who had to deal with the jumper…..and at the same time I feel very sorry for the guy who jumped. Is it wrong to do either?
And how right would it be to not interject personal political attacks when a man took his own life?
In my opinion it is sad that his death is a means to continue some sort of political crap for your own benefits.
Unfortunately Sedona is too politically charged.
Your delicate agendas have blocked your ability to see things undoubtedly. Look at the posts judging and attempting to control others. Then you do so under bogus names, who can take you serious?
Sedona political climate is transferred here with pseudonym people telling others what to think and how to feel.
@Sharlett over 100 Bible verses for you about judging others: http://www.openbible.info/topics/judging_others
Maybe you should practice what you preach @Sharett. Matthew 7:1-5 “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
Zechariah 7:9-10 “This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Judge fairly, and show mercy and kindness to one another. Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor. And do not scheme against each other.
This is why Sedona is difunctional and will remain politically charged. You are personally benefiting and judging others. While the rest are oppressed, just like the poor man this article was written about.
Dear Heavenly Father,
God bless his soul and help his family heal as much as possible. Show mercy and kindness dear Lord. Amen.
Glory Be & Hallelujah! It’s been a while since I’ve made comment on this site but – again – Glory Be & Hallelujah! Man – Ahm Insparhed!
With shame now bestowed on all you sinners from Sharlett and an unknown number of residents in West Sedona, maybe there is actually hope for those who would dare express opinions that disagree with the wise, know-it-all sages providing you pray, Sinners. Pray for forgiveness and salvation from your wanton ways.
Except, of course, “ESM'” according to @West sedona resident October 10, 2015 at 6:32 PM.
Sorry ESM, it seems you just cannot be forced to see the light and somehow remain but another tortured Sedona soul that went astray.
So sad, too bad. Win some lose some –
Pray, you sinners, pray for redemption before it’s too late.
Amen
Lord have mercy sharlett has spoken.
Read bond was set at $2 million for NAU shooter & he’s been charged with murder. Suicides don’t hurt others, guess that’s a little something to appreciate in the long run?
The Sedona Faith And Family Film Festival in partnership with the Sedona International Film Festival Presents:
Visit us at: http://www.FB.com/FaithAndFamilySedona
Based on a true story. A man was in a car crash and was in the car, without a pulse for an hour and a half, while EMT’s and police waited for the coroner to pronounce him dead before he can be moved. A man comes along, who feels led to pray for the victim, gets in the car and starts to pray while singing praise songs. The ‘dead’ man starts singing along and EMT’s confirm he now has a pulse. The victim fights his recovery, as he is angry that he was in heaven, only to have God bring him back in incredible pain. Was there a purpose to his return to earth?
Rated PG-13
SHOWTIMES:
SUNDAY – October 11th, 2015
2:00 PM and 4:30 PM
Mary D. Fisher Theater
2030 W. State Route 89A, Suite A3
in West Sedona
Ticket Cost $6.00 per ticket in advance, $12.00 per ticket at the door – Please call or text 928-300-1477 or email (below) for advance tickets!
Email: FaithAndFamilySedona@gmail.com
OR PastorLaura@outlook.com
I would be more interested in reading these comments, including the slings and arrows, if real names were required from the submitter.
Lin, In all honesty what’s it matter? It shouldn’t. Words are the point & not the name & besides when a person knows a name it signals slants with reader & writer opinions. Maybe anonymously is best in short & long run? Point is that comments speak to us even if we don’t know the person commenting. I like to see a person’s name but honestly I’m a busy woman & know few beyond work relationships in the area. Doesn’t matter what name is on the comment, I read it.