Guard Committed to Souris River Flood Fight

| |

Airman 1st Class Lilisa Reese, of the 219th Security Forces Squadron, signals to vehicles at a traffic control point June 23, on Broadway, which is the main north and south arterial route running through Minot, N.D. Broadway in Minot has been closed to all vehicles except flood fighting equipment in an effort to keep the road open as Souris River flood water threatens to cut north Minot off from south Minot. North Dakota National Guard Soldiers and Airmen are stopping civilian traffic from accessing the road, which allows the dump trucks hauling the critical dike building material quick access to the front line of the flood fight. (DoD photo by Senior Master Sgt. David H. Lipp)

MINOT, N.D. — Nearly 900 North Dakota National Guard Soldiers and Airmen are on the ground and in the air in Ward County, fighting alongside the community with their skills and equipment to battle the ever-rising Souris River that has today reached a historic height of 1559.69, beating the 1881 record height of 1558.

“The North Dakota National Guard remains committed with personnel and resources to the flood fight as we support our communities in Ward and McHenry Counties that are impacted by the Souris River flooding,” said Maj. Gen. David Sprynczynatyk, North Dakota adjutant general. “I continue to be impressed by the cooperation and hard work of the residents we are supporting. Your Guardsmen are dedicated to this fight.”

In the Minot and Burlington areas, the NDNG is conducting levee patrols, two Quick Reaction Forces (QRFs), Traffic Control Points, TrapBag and Hesco installation, dike building, security patrols, evacuation support, air boat evacuation, rescue support team and have four humvee ambulances and medical personnel responding, and a fire truck loaded on a tractor-trailer for high-water emergency response. Two NDNG UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters are operating and two UH-1 Huey helicopters are supporting the area stationed at the Minot Air Force Base. Nearly 150 Airmen from the Minot Air Force Base are working in close coordination with the NDNG to support the city of Minot and Ward County.

The North Dakota National Guard is highly experienced in conducting flood operations to mitigate the loss of life and property. The Guard has been serving on flood duty in North Dakota’s central region since May 24, and expects to remain in the fight until at least mid-August. Earlier this spring, the NDNG spent 32 days on flood operations across the state, with 1,486 Guardsmen contributing to the effort at some point during the mission. Approximately 37,000 Guard member days have been contributed to flood operations in 2011.

——
Since the 2001 terrorist attacks on America, the North Dakota National Guard has mobilized more than 3,500 Soldiers and more than 1,800 Airmen in support of the Global War on Terrorism. Currently, about a dozen North Dakota Guardsmen are serving overseas while more than 4,000 remain in the state for emergency response and national defense. For every 10,000 citizens in North Dakota, 65 serve in the North Dakota National Guard, a rate that’s more than four times the national average.

Additional flood relaterd photos on Flickr:

Guard Keeping Critical Route Open

One Ton Sandbag Emplacement

Minot Flood Ops-June 23

Minot Flood Ops Set 2-June 23

Minot Emergency Workers patch Broadway Levee

Sandbag Transport

Bismarck Joint Security Patrol

Videos:

Highlights of NDNG Operations in Minot (June 24, 2011)

Joint Security Patrol in Bismarck (June 23, 2011)

Guard places “TrapBags” in Minot flood fight (June 23, 2011)

Aerial Souris River (June 23, 2011)

ND Gov on Souris River Flooding (June 22, 2011)

Sgt. Cody Chick, of the 219th Security Forces Squadron, signals to vehicles at a traffic control point June 23, on Broadway, which is the main north and south arterial route running through Minot, N.D. Broadway in Minot has been closed to all vehicles except flood fighting equipment in an effort to keep the road open as Souris River flood water threatens to cut north Minot off from south Minot. North Dakota National Guard Soldiers and Airmen are stopping civilian traffic from accessing the road, which allows the dump trucks hauling the critical dike building material quick access to the front line of the flood fight. (DoD photo by Senior Master Sgt. David H. Lipp)

2. North Dakota National Guard Soldier's Spc. Danielle Thompson, Grand Forks Air Force Base, assists local law enforcement by providing traffic control in Burlington, N.D. June 23, 2011. Thompson is assigned to the Grafton, N.D. based 133th Quartermaster Detachment. (photo by Sgt. Brett Miller, N.D. National Guard Visual Information)