Tech. Sgt. Paul Burns, 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron element leader, deployed to Joint Base Balad, Iraq, from Grand Forks, N.D., shortly after going home during training to care for his family after a record-breaking flood started June 23. The Burns' Family, who reside in Minot, N.D., is fine, but their house will need to be renovated, similar to the 4,100 other homes that were lost in Minot. Photo by Senior Airman Amber Kelly-Herard

On July 2, a 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron element leader was in Grand Forks, N.D. preparing for his deployment to Joint Base Balad, Iraq, when he was allowed to return home to Minot, N.D.

Sending an airman home during predeployment training is not typical protocol, but it was a necessity for Tech. Sgt. Paul Burns as more than 4,100 homes were lost in Minot due to a record-breaking flood beginning June 23.

“It was pretty bad, I had to see my house by boat,” said Burns, who is deployed from Grand Forks, N.D. “We have a split-level home and the lower level and most of the main level was flooded, there were some homes that you could barely see the roof.”

“Our yard became a collection point and we had a shed float over and other property from blocks and blocks away,” he continued. “12,000 people were without a home and were living in shelters or with friends, two weeks later there were only 280 who were still living in shelters, that speaks volumes about the city which opened its doors to others. Also there were no causalities or looting.”

Burns, who is originally from Buffalo, N.Y., first arrived at Minot Air Force Base in 1986 as a security forces airman. Later, he transitioned into the Air Force Reserves and remained a cop.

He also works for the Minot Police Department.

“The Minot Police Department was put on 12-hour shifts,” said Burns. “I’ve worked there for 16 years and have never seen us on 12-hour shifts for emergency situations, but everything was bad.”

Minot already had a housing shortage due to a recently found large oil reserve in the western part of North Dakota that has brought many workers to the area.

The Burns’ family, which includes Mrs. Burns and their 11-year-old daughter, were fortunate, because they were among the less than 10 percent of homeowners in the area who had flood insurance.

“Since we had insurance our house will be completely redone, but after that we will either sell or rent our home because we can’t go through this again,” said Burns. “It was hard looking at my daughter’s room where she used to play and seeing it covered with mold.”

The Burns’ house is scheduled to be renovated by December.

“It’s hard to find a contractor because most have been hired by the city to rebuild and clean up,” said Burns. “Luckily I have some contractor friends who will help, but there is still a four to five month wait.”

Meanwhile, his wife and daughter are living with friends, most of their belongings are in storage.

One-third of the population in Minot had to evacuate their homes due to the flood.

“We lived in a beautiful house in a new neighborhood, but now everything is grey and most people aren’t coming back, all because of water,” he continued. “Mostly we’ll miss our friends.”

Although more than 7,000 miles away, Burns is still trying to help Minot.

“I spoke at a 5/6 meeting to give perspective about the airmen at Minot Air Force Base who have lost everything and really need all the donations they can get,” said Burns. “Depending on where you lived in the city, some had to evacuate immediately while others had two days notice, so few people got everything out.”

The Joint Base Balad 5/6 Council is hosting two fundraisers at JBB for airmen at Minot.

Story by Senior Airman Amber Kelly-Herard
DVIDS

Soldiers from the Minnesota National Guard assist in clearing levees from Third Street in Minot, N.D., on July 8. This action will enable the Third Street Bridge to reopen. One hundred and twenty soldiers from the Minnesota Guard are assisting the North Dakota National Guard in the Minot area with their efforts fighting against the flood waters of the Souris River through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact.

The assistance provided by the Minnesota National Guard during the 2011 flood fight in Minot has been an invaluable asset to the North Dakota National Guard, who has been engaged in flood response operations in the central region of the state for almost 50 days. Minnesota has deployed 120 soldiers to assist in the Minot area in the first of two rotations.

The Minnesota Guard became engaged in the flood fight through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact. They are assisting with the removal of sandbags and levees, operating traffic control points and conducting security patrols in evacuated areas.

“The Minn. Guard soldiers have displayed an excellent attitude while assisting Minot during this disaster”, said Command Sgt. Maj. Norman Deschene, of the Devil Lake based 136th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion. “They are tackling their missions with a commitment to do the right thing, being helpful to citizens and take care of Minot.”

Lt. Nathan Sokolowski, with the Litchfield, Minn., based 849th Mobility Augmentation Company, is the officer in charge of the unit’s engineering operations in Minot.

“Instead of building up defenses against the flood waters, we will begin tearing down, thus helping the community return to normal,” said Sokolowski. “As the flood waters recede, our primary mission will be debris removal.

Sokolowski said that they had cleared out 116 one-ton sandbags in one day as a part of the cleanup mission. Since the Black Hawk helicopters left Minot, there was no reason to keep the large sandbags ready for aerial placement. After disassembling the sandbags, the sand was returned to the city’s public works division.

Soldiers from the Minnesota National Guard assist in clearing levees from Third Street in Minot, N.D., on July 8. This action will enable the Third Street Bridge to reopen. One hundred and twenty soldiers from the Minnesota Guard are assisting the North Dakota National Guard in the Minot area with their efforts fighting against the flood waters of the Souris River through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact. Photo by: Spc. Cassie Simonton

In spite of minor state-to-state differences, Sokolowski found the commonality in the Army bond enabled his unit to work smoothly with the North Dakota Guard.

“We felt like we were North Dakotans ourselves,” said Sokolowski. “I’d like to personally thank the North Dakota engineers and the Guard’s Task Force-Flood for their great support.”

Sgt. First Class Chris Swoboda, a soldier with the Minnesota National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 151st Field Artillery Regiment, serves as the non commissioned officer in charge of that unit’s missions in Minot and agrees with Sokolowski.

“Communication with the North Dakota Guard has been outstanding,” Swoboda said. “It seems like we’ve been working together for years.”

The initial group of Minnesota soldiers is scheduled to be in Minot for two weeks, making it easier for civilian employers and family back home. This first group of soldiers will be replaced by a follow-on contingent in mid-July.

“This is my fifth tour of state active duty this year,” said Slobodan. “The flooding here is one of the worst disasters I’ve seen but I’m glad I could come to North Dakota and help.”

Slobodan also commented on the accommodations at the Minot High School’s Magic City Campus.

“This is one of the nicest working and sleeping facilities I’ve stayed on any active duty,” said Slobodan. “We’ve received great community support during this duty.”

He cited the small things that really make a difference making the Minnesotans feel welcome. For example, community members constantly restock the common areas near their sleeping quarters with snacks and drinks for the Minnesota Guard soldiers to make their stay as comfortable as possible as they assist Minot in its flood fight.

DVIDS
Story by: Spc. Cassie Simonton
116th Public Affairs Detachment

North Dakota National Guard troops are receiving some relief after assisting state and local authorities with flood mitigation and disaster relief efforts for some 75 days so far in 2011. About 120 soldiers from the Minnesota National Guard will be arriving in Minot and assuming some of the duties now being performed by their North Dakota counterparts.

Guardsmen continue patrols in the flooded areas of the city as well as patrolling the many dikes and levees. If weaknesses are discovered, the Guard is responding with heavy equipment and sandbags to shore up the threatened dike.

816th Engineer Company loads sand removed from HESCO barriers taken down south of the river in Minot, N.D. July 1, 2011. Photo by Sgt. Jesica Geffre, 116th Public Affairs Detachment

Some of the temporary barriers are coming down. HESCO barriers in parts of the downtown Minot are being removed by the National Guard. These barriers consist of cardboard and wire mesh holding dirt so removal is easy though a bit messy.

HESCO barriers emptied in downtown Minot, N.D. July 1, 2011. Photo by Sgt. Jesica Geffre, 116th Public Affairs Detachment

The flooding from the Souris River in Minot, North Dakota, is slowing subsiding. At the Minot 4NW river gauge, also known as the Boy Scout Bridge, the water is eight feet above flood stage but down over two feet in the last week. At the Broadway Bridge river gauge the water is also eight feet above flood stage but down over two feet from its record crest.

Downtown Minot, N.D. July 1, 2011. Photo by Sgt. Jesica Geffre, 116th Public Affairs Detachment

By Friday, the water level is projected to reach 1,555 feet which would put the river below the original level of the dikes and levees. The City of Minot has set that level as the criteria for opening much of the evacuation zone to the residents. Some areas are already open for a part of the day.

Former water levels visible on the buildings around East Central Avenue and 2nd Street East in Minot, N.D., July 1, 2011. Photo by Sgt. Jesica Geffre, 116th Public Affairs Detachment

The ACE Hardware in the photo, according to the data on Google Earth, is at 1,560 feet in elevation. The flood water mark is about three feet higher.

The “boil water” order for residents and businesses using municipal water in Minot remains in effect. The water conservation order also continues in effect with loss of pressure and flow being seen in many areas on both North and South Hill. Until the flooding recedes the city cannot locate all the water and sewer breaks and make repairs. The two orders are expected to remain in effect for the indefinite future.

Several water mains have broken in Minot and their storage is down to about 10% of capacity. City water is for essential use only.

Minot Air Force Base is on municipal water. That is difficult to believe. I would have thought that one of America’s prime nuclear defense bases would have some redundancy.

There is only one north / south route open in the city. It can take several hours. This is despite the mayor banning all unnecessary travel.

Here is one of the best illustrations I have seen of the flood issues in Minot.

Looking down on the rooftops of homes from on top of a temporary emergency levee in Minot, N.D., June 26, 2011. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, is assisting the North Dakota communities in the Souris River basin fighting record flooding. USACE photo by Shannon Bauer

Here is another:

A crane was lost to the high water in the process of building a temporary emergency levee in Minot, N.D. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, is assisting the North Dakota communities in the Souris River basin fighting record flooding. USACE photo by Shannon Bauer

The water level continues to drop. Projections show that the Souris River will remain above the old flooding record for over a week. It is still above the main levees. Levee repairs will have to be made before any pumping from flooded areas can be done.

North Dakota National Guard members monitor flood water along the Broadway flood levee as they remain on alert with one-ton sandbags June 24. The one-ton sandbags are at the ready to patch any breaches in the earthen levee should they occur. The flood levee work being done along Broadway in Minot is in hopes of keeping the main arterial road open that connects north Minot to south Minot. DoD photo by Senior Master Sgt. David H. Lipp

You gotta laugh, or you’d cry.

Minot is under water. As I write this piece, the water level at Minot 4W, the Boy Scout bridge, is at 24.12 feet. The record was 23 feet and the projection is for the Souris River to rise to 27.5 feet.

This data needs to be converted to be compared to the gauge at Broadway in Minot. That gauge is measured in feet above sea level, and it is currently showing the Souris River at 1,560.13 feet. That is two feet above the previous record and three feet below the projected crest.

Converting the Minot 4W gauge to feet above sea level gives us a current value of 1,569.87 feet with a projected crest of 1,573.25 feet. There’s ten feet of difference in the two crests. From the 4W gauge to the Broadway gauge, the projected crest drops ten feet. Both the projections and the gauge readings have varied during the flood due to changes in data and the physical condition of the gauge, so take all of this with a grain of salt.

The North Dakota National Guard has activated about 800 troops for duty in Minot and Ward County. They are doing just about everything:

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…

Minot Air Force Base is assisting the Guard and civilian authorities with about 150 airmen and two UH-1 Huey helicopters.