Camp Verde shifts into recovery mode days after flooding ravages community

CAMP VERDE, Ariz. (NBC, KYMA) - Camp Verde is shifting into recovery mode days after flooding ravaged the community.

"We ended up getting about five feet of water," said Craig Kuchler, who lives in Camp Verde.

Kuchler is assessing the full extent of damage to his property and what's salvageable.

"We're debating whether to demo the whole house or keep it," Kuchler shared.

More than 350 homes in Camp Verde alone were impacted by the storm.

Looking farther out at nearby communities covered by the fire district, that number nearly doubles to around 600 homes.

"The fact that our towns and our counties put the evacuation orders in so early, we did save lives," Chief Danny Johnson with Verde Valley Fire.

Chief Johnson said they responded to more than 50 rescue calls some where several people needed saving.

"We rescued anywhere from a six-week-old baby to 81 or 82-year-old elderly female," Johnson explained.

However, access remains a challenge for first responders.

"There's just a lot of mud, a lot of debris that's limited access to get a touch on each house," Johnson expressed.

They're now going home to home assessing which are worse than the others and bringing supplies to people who were trapped in their homes for days.

"So it's taking some time but I think we've got most of that done over the last three days," said Sgt. Dustin Richardson with the Camp Verde Marshal's Office.

Rebuilding is expected to take weeks if not months.

Kuchler said he's in awe of his community who's stepping up to help them through this tragedy.

"The people stepping up and helping people, boom. I mean, it's just amazing, it's amazing," Kuchler remarked.