Chattanooga firefighters conducted water rescues Thursday afternoon in a flooded creek near the intersection of Quinn Adams Street and E 42nd Street. Several people and multiple animals were trapped by rising waters in a large homeless encampment on 2/13/25 around 12 PM. Chattanooga Fire responded with our Swiftwater Rescue Team. Firefighters were in the flood waters for hours searching individual camps and bringing people and their pets out on boats. Many of our partner agencies assisted the CFD in this operation: Hamilton County EMS, CPD, McKamey Animal Center, the Hamilton County Health Department and officials with the city’s Office of Homeless & Supportive Housing. CFD units on scene: Squad 1, Engine 1, Engine 14, Squad 13, Battalion 1, Battalion 3, Special Operations, Drone Unit and command staff.
For safety reasons, the CFD will be denying any further entry back into this floodplain area because water levels will continue to rise with approaching rainfall.
By 3:30 PM, rescues were complete. Five people walked out of the flood waters on the Workman Road side of the flooded creek. CFD personnel rescued ten people and 14 dogs by boat on the other side off Quinn Adams. One dog was deceased. Public Works then blocked off this floodplain area to prevent anyone else from entering for their safety.
