CAP: Battle of Fargo continues

March 27, 2009
NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS – The North Dakota and Minnesota wings continue their flood fighting efforts along the Red River as rising waters threaten neighborhoods and towns in both states.

With a deep winter snow pack and 7 inches of fresh snow, working conditions for the relief efforts are dismal at best. High winds are adding to the mix, creating blizzard conditions to contend with as the battle rages.

Throughout the week, area emergency management officials continued pleading for more volunteers. The request was for 2,000 volunteers to place 500,000 sandbags to raise the dikes at least a foot above the expected flood level of 42 feet. At this time, it is not known if the target height of 43 feet has been reached in all the affected areas.

With approximately 200 personnel from both CAP wings and thousands of hours served, the response from CAP members has been outstanding.

“We are continuing the fight; the cadets and staff remain focused on the mission of saving Fargo-Moorehead and the surrounding areas,” North Dakota Wing Commander Col. Karl Altenburg said. “The enthusiasm displayed by our members is a shining example of the true dedication to the mission.”

Operations are continuing on a 24/7 schedule, with the Fargodome being the primary point for building sandbags. 2nd Lt. Donald Raleigh of the Minnesota Wing's Anoka Composite Squadron said, “I worked alongside of college students and World War II veterans. They were people from all walks of life pitching in to help complete strangers and neighbors alike. The experience restored my faith in humanity.”

Raleigh added, “The sandbag assembly effort inside the Fargodome was organized chaos – hundreds of people elbow to elbow, front-end loaders running back and forth, semitrucks delivering sand, forklifts running all over moving filled sandbags. I was amazed by the effort.”

It has now come to light that some other low-lying areas of Minnesota are beginning to flood. With that information in hand, the mission continues.