Fourteen people stranded in two separate cave incidents during Sunday’s flooding in Jackson County were brought to safety without injury, thanks to a coordinated rescue effort involving local and regional emergency responders.
The rescues took place as a major rainfall event dumped more than seven inches of rain in parts of the county, causing rapid rises in creeks, streams, low-water crossings and other flood-prone areas. According to Jackson County Emergency Management Agency Director Joshua Whitcomb, responders were dispatched to incidents at Mother’s Finest Cave near Stevenson and Tumbling Rock Cave near Fackler as conditions deteriorated throughout the afternoon.
While both rescues presented challenges, including flooded roadways and rising water, all 14 individuals were safely removed or assisted to safety by the end of the day, and no injuries were reported.
The first incident involved a person trapped inside Mother’s Finest Cave near Stevenson. Responders from the Scottsboro-Jackson County Rescue Squad reached the area by boat before being joined by Huntsville Cave Rescue. Working together, the teams were able to safely bring the individual out of the cave.
A larger operation unfolded later at Tumbling Rock Cave near Fackler, where 13 people were ultimately rescued or assisted to safety as flooding complicated access to and from the cave area. Responders from the Hollywood Fire Department, Hollywood Police Department and Jackson County Sheriff’s Office were among the first on scene.
As conditions developed, additional help was requested from Jackson County EMA, Hamilton County Cave Rescue in Tennessee and swift-water rescue teams from DeKalb and Marshall counties. Before specialized rescue teams arrived, Hollywood police officers assisted five individuals from the cave area. The remaining individuals were safely removed as additional rescue resources reached the scene.
Several of those rescued were unable to retrieve their vehicles because floodwaters blocked access to the parking area. Jackson County Sheriff Rocky Harnen helped arrange temporary lodging until conditions improved.
The response brought together local law enforcement, fire departments, cave rescue specialists and swift-water rescue teams from across northeast Alabama and neighboring Tennessee, demonstrating the level of coordination required when severe weather and specialized rescue situations occur at the same time.
Whitcomb credited the successful outcome to the training and cooperation of the responders involved.
“The outcome speaks directly to the professionalism, training, and commitment of the responders involved,” Whitcomb said. “We are thankful that no injuries were reported.”
Whitcomb also expressed appreciation for the cooperation between local agencies, regional rescue teams and neighboring jurisdictions that assisted during the flooding event.
Whitcomb also reminded residents that caves, low-water crossings and flood-prone areas can become dangerous within minutes during heavy rainfall events, even after the rain has stopped.
Sherri Blevins is a reporter for 256 Today.
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