WOTN Note: What happens when those reporting news become a part of the news? Our own MsMarti has continued to report on the Successes and Generosity of Our Troops, even as the waters rose around her, even as she made time to assist the National Guard help her and her neighbors. It took some poking and prodding but she has agreed to share that story with us, even if she downplays her role in making the news.
MsMarti: I debated about posting more news on what is happening up here in Fargo, North Dakota. It certainly doesn't relate to Iraq, Afghanistan or even the war effort. We are fighting a battle, against a flooded river that is.
What it does relate to is how individuals within a community and within a state make that TWO states have pulled together and how our National Guardsmen and Army Corps of Engineers helped us as we turned the odds in our favor.
Here is a short video made last week, before we knew the potential crest had been raised up to 42 feet. It pretty much says it all.
When the City of Fargo asked its residents to stay off the streets, it wasn't because they were shutting the town down and giving up or quitting (as was reported on the national news). It was to get the sandbags delivered faster! Traffic was slowing down deliveries.
We are now in a different phases of the flooding. High alert with all eyes on the dikes in town! The city has been divided into sections. Each section has its own engineer, supply of emergency use sandbags, drivers, trucks, equipment ready to respond to any leaks or breeches in the dikes in their section. Citizens are walking the patrols alongside guardsmen and city workers, looking for any water that might be getting through.
Fargo, North Dakota and Moorhead, Minnesota learned from the floods of '97. One thing people outside of this area might not realize is that the thousands of volunteers were happy to come help out their neighbors, friends and others. They would finish up, and when a call went out for
Nearly 7,000 people showed up in an hour when a Code RED call went out for another emergency push of making sandbags, and building dikes. Sand bag production was halted Friday night, and the total was said to be at 3 million. I earlier did a story and wondered how long it would take to make up 1.5 million sandbags that they thought we would need. You can find that story here where I wrote about how "Every little bit DOES help!"
We didn't panic. [I wanted to give in to it.....I admit, I was scared. But how could I give in to my fears when all around me there were people who weren't giving in!] Entire neighborhoods were protected as lines of people formed to sandbag off huge areas instead of each thinking only of their own property. People didn't sandbag their own homes and ignore their neighbors. They knew what needed to be done, and pushed forward.
The people of North Dakota and Minnesota aren't much different then those living in other parts of the country. Perhaps they are a bit more self-reliant. Perhaps they know that it is a "one for all and all for one" attitude that carries them through a blizzard or flood. In this case, all would be lost if one dike anywhere in the city breeched! Pretty scary thought when you think of all the dikes we have in place that weren't there 2 weeks ago. They closed down Interstate 94 going eastbound between Jamestown and Fargo. Why? Because they were prepared to start a full evacuation and would use both sides of the Interstate to get us out of town faster and smoother. We didn't need it, so the lanes have reopened with the knowledge they will be shut down to eastbound travel if the need should arise here in the next few days!
I want to thank all of those volunteers, all of the National Guardsmen (many who had to leave the sandbagging of their own homes in other parts of the state to come help out at Fargo) and the people of North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota. Volunteers went back and forth between Fargo and Moorhead, it didn't matter which state you lived in, you went where the help was needed.
As the river peaks, the National Guardsmen will move north and help those communities upstream from us. Yes folks, the Red River flows north into Canada.
We are not free and clear yet. Dikes will become less stable the longer they are needed to hold back the tremendous pressure of the water, as the frost leaves the soil it becomes more susceptible to leaking, cracks are always a worry. One man went to check the dike behind his house a few days ago, and discovered water leaking through. Had he gone to bed without doing so, the dike would most likely have breached and we would be practicing our backstroke. One can "What if" themselves into a full blown panic. However, vigilance is the key and that, along with our faith, will protect us.
God has certainly stood by our side and answered many prayers for strong dikes, strong backs and lower crest levels. One has to remember that when we ask God for protection, he always answers our prayers. However, he does not always give us the answer we were expecting!
Related articles
North Dakota National Guard Soldiers, Airmen Work Side-by-Side With Civilian Volunteers to Save Fargo
The human sandbag chain in north Fargo on March 26 was evenly represented by civilian and military volunteers.
03.26.09, Story by Sgt. 1st Class David Dodds
Deployment-hardened Soldiers, Airmen Use Familiar Barriers to Dam Rising Floodwaters
While deployed in Iraq, Spc. Ryan L. Karsky got quite used to the towering HESCO barriers that ringed his base.
03.25.09, Story by Sgt. 1st Class David Dodds
800 Guardsmen on Duty to Fight Flood in Eastern North Dakota
With the crest prediction coming faster and bigger, the North Dakota National Guard has stepped up efforts in the Red River Valley. About 800 Guardsmen should be on duty in the eastern part of the state by the end of today. The Soldiers and Airmen are based heavily in Fargo and Wahpeton, although contingents have been assisting other towns in need. Additional Soldiers are responding in the Bismarck-Mandan area other western North Dakota communities.
03.24.09, Courtesy Story
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