Fire officials in Shermans Dale, Perry County, had to rescue 18 people from a trailer park on Creek Road Wednesday morning. Fire Chief Mike Minich says dispatchers received a 9-1-1 call from a resident around 4:45 a.m..

"Gentleman had called 9-1-1, needed evacuated," Minich said.  "He had awoken with a thunderstorm and noticed his trailer was surrounded by water."

Firefighters tried to respond to the scene, but found they were unable to get close to the park.  They called Company 40 out of Carlisle, who in turn responded to the scene with two rescue boats.

Using those boats, crews were able to evacuate all 18 people and their pets. 

Minich says the residents had very little warning.

"Apparently this thing just crept up," he said.  "There was no warning and nobody realized it was going to come and go that quick."

Other residents on Creek Road were also caught by surprise.  Jeromy Baum's grandmother had a foot of water in her basement.

"We don't keep much in the basement," Baum said.  "We sort of open the doors, let it come in, open the other door, let it go out."

Residents of the trailer park were taken to the Fire Department, where they were given hot soup and coffee.  All are staying with family or friends.

They should be allowed back in their homes Thursday morning.