Cochise County emergency officials warn of multi-day heavy rain tied to Tropical Storm Priscilla; sign up for alerts

Cochise County Emergency Management warned Friday that Tropical Storm Priscilla’s remnants were likely to bring multi‑day, widespread heavy rain across the county and urged residents to sign up for emergency alerts and prepare to evacuate if ordered.

Dan Dushawn, Cochise County emergency services director, said the storm differs from typical monsoon activity because it can produce steady rain over saturated areas and lead to longer‑duration flooding. "Turn around, don't drown," Dushawn said, repeating the county's life‑safety slogan for motorists and residents.

The National Weather Service partners in Tucson forecast a multi‑day event beginning Saturday and likely continuing through Monday. Dushawn said model consensus pointed to most likely totals near 1.8–2.0 inches in many locations, with a credible high‑end of about 2.5 inches and a roughly 1‑in‑10 chance of totals exceeding 3–3.5 inches in localized spots.

That rainfall, combined with saturated soils, raises the risk of both flash flooding and longer‑duration inundation, Dushawn said. He cited recent local and statewide fatalities tied to flooding — including a death in Benson last month and multiple deaths near Globe in recent weeks — to underscore the hazard and to press the message that most flooding deaths occur in vehicles.

Dushawn described the county’s layered alerting system: television scrolling banners, radio break‑ins, Wireless Emergency Alerts sent to cell phones that are geo‑targeted, and county sign‑up alerts that let users tie a phone number to a home address so they receive notifications even when away. "If you sign up and tie them together, you can get that alert for an emergency at your home even if you're in town or in Tucson or out of state," he said.

The county recommends residents register in advance at cochise.myfreealerts.com and follow official Cochise County social channels, the sheriff's office, or local city pages for verified information. Dushawn urged households to prepare an emergency kit, plan for pets and people who need assistance, and to treat "set" messages as a cue to be ready and "go" messages as a direct order to evacuate.

Dushawn also asked residents who would need assistance (for example, disabled people or those with large animals) to call the county in advance if they receive a "set" notification so authorities can plan support before an evacuation order becomes necessary.

With the storm projected to be long‑lasting and widespread rather than highly localized, the county emphasized that flash‑flood and inundation risks vary by terrain and drainage, and that residents should not treat the forecast probabilities as guarantees but as a reason to prepare.

For official alerts and to register addresses and phone numbers, Cochise County Emergency Management directs residents to cochise.myfreealerts.com and to follow Cochise County social media accounts for up‑to‑date instructions.