PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Driver Rescued from High Water near Gunn City
Public Information Officer:
January 20th, 2022
Major Kevin Tieman,
Cass County Sheriff’s Office
816-380-8615
Cass County Sheriff Office D.E.R.T. (Disaster Emergency Response Team) assisted the East Lynne and Harrisonville Fire Departments after receiving a call of motorist stranded in high water.
Around 9:00 am today, the Sheriff’s Office received a call from a delivery company dispatcher that the driver of a van was stuck in high water on E. 239th and S. Old Drum Road east of Gunn City.
Deputies and fire crews responded however were delayed due to the numerous roads in the area covered with floodwater. When deputies arrived, a local resident with a large tractor had reached the driver and drove her to safety.
The Sheriff’s Office DERT Team stood by while recovery teams removed the vehicle from the rising floodwaters. There were no reported injuries.
“It is never safe to drive into flood waters. The power of water can easily sweep a vehicle off the road or collapse a road without warning,” said Sheriff Jeff Weber.
The Sheriff’s Office developed a response team for disasters following the Joplin Tornado in 2011. The team’s search and rescue boat was purchased with funds from the Law Enforcement Restitution Fund Board in 2014. Team members receive boat operations training from the Missouri State Highway Patrol.