Soldiers of the North Dakota National Guard's Dickinson based 816th Engineer Company -Horizontal- responded to a call June 14 to perform a sandbagging mission raising the levee in Brooks Addition, near Burlington, N.D. Due to the heavy amounts of rain the state received, the 816th was tasked to raise several low spots on levees throughout their area. Photo by Spc. Cassandra Simonton

The North Dakota National Guard’s Dickinson based 816th Horizontal Engineer Battalion has been acting as a 24-hour-a-day Quick Reactionary Force for rapid response to any levee leaks or breaches in the Minot and Burlington area.

Having a QRF available is an essential part of leading a successful flood fight. QRFs are accountable for responding in the event of a levee incident such as seepage or erosion. They have also been assisting the city and the Corps of Engineers in raising the levees as necessary to compensate for rising waters.

“The Quick Reaction Force exists to respond to any recognized problems with the levees,” said Master Sgt. Barry Trottier, a member of the 164th Engineer Battalion who works in the operations center. “Right now, the Souris River is at an increased flow rate, and it is lasting for an extended period.”

The 816th have been part of many missions since they began flood duty in Minot, to include a 36-hour operation behind the Dakota Rose Bed and Breakfast when they worked to raise and repair the levee.

“If they hadn’t raised that up, the water could have flooded into the city,” said Trottier.

They also assembled 1,500 feet of HESCO barriers in Burlington after the Corps of Engineers determined that the 6,000 sandbags they had laid the previous day would not be ample to compensate for the rising waters.

Most recently the 816th has been working with the city and the Corps to raise the levees throughout the area. The combined effort is to ensure that the levees are at an appropriate level to handle the increased flow rate.

Soldiers have mobilized on several missions to apply plastic to the levees to make them less susceptible to erosion from rain or swift currents.

“QRF is important, so if there are any issues, we’re ready,” said Spc. Brandon Stewart of the 816th Horizontal Engineer Battalion. “First thing every morning, we check our equipment so we’re ready to go.”

Stewart said that a lot of what he has been doing has involved preventative maintenance such as repairing and raising levees and sandbagging around trouble areas.

“We’re trying to make sure everything is up to standard,” said Stewart.

Stewart, who is from Fargo, finished with advanced individual training in April so this is his first flood fight. “At the time, it’s hard work, and it’s stressful being away from home,” said Stewart. “But there is a lot of job satisfaction and people are very thankful when we help rescue their homes.”

Thus far in the Ward County area, the QRF has responded to about five events that required immediate response, which addressed issues that require immediate assistance. In the last 96 hours they have assisted in 8 planned missions that assisted the city and Corps to raise levels and apply poly.

“The National Guard will be here until the city and Corps is comfortable with the flow rate in Minot,” said Trottier.

DVIDS

Homes in the Bismarck - Mandan area are surrounded by water as the Missouri River continues to rise. On June 3, about 2000 North Dakota National Guard Airmen and Soldiers are working to prevent harm to people and property across the state. Photo by Spc. Jess Raasch, 116th Public Affairs Detachment

By Army Sgt. Darron Salzer
National Guard Bureau

In the aftermath of severe storms that have brought devastating tornadoes to areas of Missouri and Massachusetts and major flooding across the Midwest and other parts of the U.S., the number of Citizen-Soldiers who are answering the call for help has risen to about 5,000.

Guard members are performing domestic operations for flood relief support in the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Vermont and Wyoming.

Operations in these states include transportation and aviation support, levee patrols and security, assisting local and federal civilian emergency management agencies, evacuation support, search and rescue operations and sandbag operations.

In areas of Montana, Vermont and Wyoming, heavy rains mixed with the melting of larger-than-usual snow packs, has created a recipe for rising waters to occur and the evacuation of citizens in Washington County, Vermont.

North and South Dakota have about 3,000 Guard members who are still battling flood waters after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opened oversaturated up-river dams earlier this week along the Missouri River.

Louisiana and Mississippi Guard members remain vigilant in their battle against the waters of the Mississippi River after severe storms swelled the river earlier this year. Operations continue in both states, where about 1,200 Guard members are currently operating.

Tornados have been another part of these heavy storms recently, and parts of Massachusetts and Missouri have both seen unbelievable damage.

About 450 Citizen-Soldiers and -Airmen were on duty the morning after tornadoes tore across the Massachusetts area on June 1, and currently about 675 are on state active duty.

Officials have confirmed three deaths from the storms and said a fourth death, an elderly man who died of apparent cardiac arrest, may not have been tornado-related, said a Reuters report

Dozens were also injured and damage hit 19 Massachusetts communities and tens of thousands of residents were without power after the severe weather, according to civilian media reports.

The Missouri National Guard has about 275 Missouri Guard members performing various domestic operations in the Joplin area after a major twister leveled large portions of that city May 22, which resulted in the deaths of about 140 Citizens and devastated the local hospital.

Operations in both Missouri and Massachusetts include search and rescue, debris removal and cleanup, health and wellness checks, assisting local and federal emergency responders and damage assessment, said Guard officials.

Fighting floods:

Illinois Guard assists with South Dakota flooding

Illinois National Guard report

SPRINGFIELD, IL (6/3/11) – The Illinois National Guard sent one CH-47 Chinook helicopter with five crew members from Company B, 2nd Battalion 238th Aviation based in Peoria to help the South Dakota National Guard battle flood waters today.

“Our Soldiers and Airmen are always prepared and willing to help our neighbors,” said Army Maj. Gen. William L. Enyart, adjutant general of the Illinois National Guard. “Rising floodwater is something that we completely understand here in Illinois.”

Approximately 1,000 South Dakota National Guard Soldiers and Airmen have been helping to hold back the flood waters in the upper plains state for nearly a week.

The Illinois National Guard Aircraft and crew will sling load one-ton sandbags to secure the levy along the Missouri River near Sioux City, Iowa.

Soldiers from Company B, 2nd Battalion 238th Aviation were among the 550 Illinois National Guard Soldiers and Airmen who helped to battle the floods in southern Illinois in April and May of this year.

National Guard helps South Dakota city prep for flooding

By Army Spc. Manda Walters
South Dakota National Guard

PIERRE, S.D. (6/3/11) – Pierre city workers from the fire, water, and electrical departments gathered at Steamboat Memorial Park’s Well House 1 on Thursday morning to test a generator that will be activated should flood waters surpass a levee that South Dakota National Guard Soldiers are reinforcing just 35 feet away.

Rex Newling, a City of Pierre electrician, other city workers, and SDNG service members have spent many hours preparing the city, their friends and neighbors for the impending rising flood waters.

“I wish the high water would get here, then the anticipation would be over with,” said Newling, “but if normal power goes out, this generator will keep the well going.”

The well is one of several which provide water to the city’s potable water reservoirs.

Army Sgt. Michael H. Ordal, a heavy equipment operator with Bravo Battery, 1st Battalion, 147th Field Artillery said he is doing his best to keep the city and residents from experiencing a power outage.

Ordal and fellow service members are reinforcing the existing levee at Steamboat Park with the help of a crane, 4,000-pound sand bags, and guidance from the Army Corps of Engineers.

“The Army Corps of Engineers places fill and cut line markers to aid in the construction of levees,” said Ordal.  These markers are used to designate how much dirt is needed to hold back the projected water levels, he said.

The levee, measuring more than 12 feet across, approximately 5 feet in height and stretching the length of the park, is expected to keep water away from area structures. A fill line marker near the levee and well house shows that its current height will be more than adequate if projected water levels are accurate, Ordal said.

The Army Corps of Engineers plans to release water from the Oahe Reservoir beginning at 8 a.m. today. If the levee is successful, there will be no need for the generator to pump water from Well House 1 to one of the city’s water reservoirs because the power will remain on.

North Dakota Guard helps neighborhoods with levee systems

North Dakota Guard report

BISMARCK, N.D. (6/3/11) – North Dakota National Guard members that are part of Civil Military Assistance Teams are hard at work building levee systems throughout the Bismarck-Mandan and Morton and Burleigh county areas.

Army 1st Lt. Matthew Voeller, with Battery A of the 1st Battalion,  188th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, is the officer-in-charge of a CMAT constructing a levee system north of Memorial Bridge on the Mandan side of the Missouri River.

The objective of the CMAT here is to keep back overland flooding by building a levee system that spans the entire neighborhood to the north. The south part of the levee links in with HESCO barriers placed by contractors that will buttress the bridge.

“The majority of residents already had some type of existing structure,” Voeller said. “However many were inadequate and needed strengthening.”

Those dikes that were not up to standard were re-enforced by Guard members with the guidance of the U.S. Army Engineer Corps and the civil engineers from Morton County.

Voeller said that while some people did a very good job of building their structures to protect their homes, his team needs to ensure that they meet the height and width requirements necessary to hold back the anticipated floodwaters, as well as keep the integrity of the system throughout the length of the area.

This will protect the residents’ homes and keep the water from coming overland and flowing further south. Voeller said this particular mission is close to completion and that the locals have been extremely supportive and expressed their gratitude for the help of the National Guard.

Mike Aubol, Morton County civil engineer, is working along with the National Guard and going through the whole development doing what he hopes will be a final inspection. Aubol will be giving recommendations to the crew as to what needs to be improved upon and taking measurements to ensure the levee is constructed to the correct level.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Bill Kilmer is a platoon sergeant in the North Dakota National Guard but says that he’s had many different jobs while working flood duty so far.

“I’ve done traffic control points, filled sandbags and now building this levee system,” Kilmer said.

Kilmer has served on flood duty previously in Valley City in 2009. He says quite a few of his crew has a decent amount of experience on flood duty.

“They’ve been doing a good job, and staying motivated,” Kilmer said.

CMATs have also had a lot of support from the residents that they are helping protect.

“The people have been great, very appreciative and bringing us water and snacks,” Kilmer said. “They’re very grateful to have the security from the structures that we’ve been putting up.”

North Dakota Air Guard patrols evacuated areas

North Dakota Guard report

MINOT, N.D. (6/3/11) – Members of the North Dakota Air National Guard’s 219th Security Forces Squadron began a new mission Thursday as they continued with flood operations here.

About 50 Guard members began providing presence patrols in the city’s nine evacuated zones.

The Guard members’ presence will help deter possible theft or vandalism while the homeowners are away. The Guard members also are tracking residents who did not evacuate after the mayor issued the order to do so.

“A lot of people are excited we’re here,” said Air Force Staff Sgt. Brandan Ressler, a member of the 219th SFS. “There’s a sigh of relief that the Guard is here to help with things.”

Ressler is serving his third consecutive year on flood duty. Today, he was watching for suspicious personnel in Minot’s evacuated areas and recording license plate numbers and locations to report to the authorities.

“It’s a definite hometown mission,” said the Minot native. “It feels really good to help out my home. Our main purpose here is to prevent looting. We’re trying to protect the people who have followed orders and left.”

As they checked in with folks, they visited with Mike Neva, a homeowner in one of the evacuated areas who had returned home for some last-minute waterproofing. He said with the work the North Dakota National Guard has done, he feels 95 percent confident that his home will be saved. He won’t, however, build a house with an 8-foot-deep basement again, he says.

“I’m glad you guys are doing this,” Neva said. “I feel secure with them being here. They’re here for our protection and people sometimes don’t give them the credit they’re due.”

Simply being visible in the community goes a long way toward preventing looting, said Air Force Master Sgt. Nathan Anderson, with the 219th SFS.

“I think it’s good that we’re out here deterring events,” he said. “The public likes to see us out here and know that we’re around. For the situation they’re in, the public seems pretty upbeat. They’re just doing what they have to do.”

All together, about 600 North Dakota National Guardsmen are serving on flood duty in the Minot area, with nearly 1,400 more serving in Bismarck and Mandan, N.D.

Residents, Soldiers, Airmen come together to provide Missouri River flood relief

By Air Force Capt. Michael Frye
114th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

PIERRE, S.D. (6/3/11) – Deloren Krieger isn’t taking any chances. By 7 a.m. Tuesday, he was already picking up more sandbags. As the waters began to encroach on the local golf course near his home, this Pierre resident continued to build the berm that surrounds his residence.

Krieger said although there is some distance that separates his home from the river, he feels that with the golf course so close, his home may be in danger.

“I don’t have that big of a house,” said Krieger. “But even a 1,000-square-foot house with a 5-foot berm surrounding it takes a lot of sandbags.”

Sandbagging efforts continue as many volunteers have answered the call for protecting homes like Krieger’s, even though their own homes aren’t in harm’s way.

Local residents like Donna Brown-Glow and her husband share their time between Wood and Fort Pierre. Although Brown-Glow’s homes aren’t in danger, she feels it’s important to help those in need.

“South Dakota is a great state,” said Brown-Glow. “We are all neighbors throughout South Dakota, and I want to help my neighbors out.”

She also said she is grateful for the Airmen and Soldiers who are in the communities helping with the sandbagging efforts in this historic flooding event.

“I’m an Army brat and have a great respect for the military,” Brown-Glow added. “I am very pleased to see them here. They are who we depend on.”

Lindsey Rogers, a Fort Pierre resident, shared Brown-Glow’s same sentiment. She said the Fort Pierre Pool, where she has been the manager the past two years, has already been closed indefinitely. Since her summer plans changed, she has taken that turn of events to help support the Soldiers and Airmen who have been called to support the flood fighting efforts along the Missouri River.

Rogers has been spending her time at the Expo Center sandbagging with volunteers and South Dakota National Guard members.

“We are spending a lot of our time laughing and telling funny stories to keep our minds off sand,” said Rogers with a smile.

Rogers has also brought her management skills to the fight. As food donations come in from the community, she’s making sure that food reaches the Guard members and volunteers who have come out to work.  She said her personal goal is to aid the Soldiers and Airmen as much as possible, as without their support, helping the community would be more difficult.

“It’s unbelievable,” adds Rogers. “You hear of these Guardsmen going overseas and supporting our country, but when small communities like Pierre and Fort Pierre are in trouble, being able to see these guys come in and give up their summers to help us like this, you can’t be thankful enough that they are here.”

Pierre resident Mark Barnett has felt the need to step up to the sandbagging challenge, as well. His home isn’t in the flood zone, but he has picked up loads of sandbags throughout the past five days.

When asked where the sandbags were going while picking up his third load on Wednesday, he simply answered, “Friends.”

Barnett echoed the common theme amongst Pierre and Fort Pierre residents, “We’re glad to see the National Guard here. We need their help.”

Sgt. Jordan Osowski and Spc. Jacob Weible, both with the 1st Battalion, 188th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, patrol a dike in Neche, N.D., April 21, 2011. About a dozen North Dakota National Guardsmen are on flood duty in Neche.

On one end of the Red River Valley, Wahpeton and Fargo have breathed sighs of relief at surviving another flood. The northern end of the valley is just bracing for their crests, though, and the North Dakota National Guard is there to help in Walhalla, Pembina, Drayton and Neche, N.D.

Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 188th Air Defense Artillery Regiment have been placed in these towns to monitor dikes and respond to emergency situations, such as leaks and breaches in dikes. They also have equipment available should anyone need to be evacuated.

Twelve soldiers are stationed in Neche, their primary role being dike patrolling. Six soldiers patrol during the day and six patrol at night.

Southwest of town, there is a road that acts as a dam holding back a large amount of water. Two soldiers are stationed to watch the road at night to monitor any possible breaks in the road.

“We are here to help the people,” said Sgt. 1st Class Terry Stickel, of Lehr, N.D. “If the road holding back all the water breaks, the people may be in trouble without us.”

In Walhalla, 24 soldiers alternate 12-hour shifts, ensuring a dozen soldiers are available at any given time of the day as a quick response force, or QRF. The team stands ready to respond to emergencies in Neche, Pembina and Walhalla.

In Drayton, another dozen Guardsmen continue to patrol levees and monitor pumps. The city has had the longest running Guard presence in the northern Red River Valley, with Guard members beginning their mission there on April 11.

In Pembina, Guardsmen work closely with community volunteers to patrol the dikes. Four Guardsmen help community members during the day, and seven are on duty at night.

Capt. Walyn Vannurden, of Cavalier, N.D., serves as the liaison officer for Pembina County. He expressed confidence in how the situation looks in those areas.

“We brought up a lot of soldiers, a lot of support, a lot of assets and vehicles to support the communities,” he said. “If there’s an emergency situation, we’re here to help. We’re ready to respond at a moment’s notice.”

DVIDS
Story by Pfc. Jessica Raasch

Farmland near Valley City, N.D., April 23. About 140 National Guard members are fighting the flood here patrolling dikes, checking pumps and conducting Quick Reaction Force operations. Photo by Sgt. Jesica Geffre

Staff Sgt. Marie Hovrud, from Bismarck, N.D., North Dakota National Guard is a crew chief with 2/285th Helicopter Assault Battalion currently supporting the flood fight here. She and more than 400 fellow Guardsmen are serving on flood duty through the Easter weekend, some of them serving with the Guard for the second and even third year in a row.

Part of Hovrud’s job is to direct the helicopters when they have a load to bring in on a long-line, a long cable that holds cargo that needs to be placed somewhere specific. The crew is also trained on hoist missions, which involves lowering a basket that a rescuer rides down in to pick up a passenger that is stranded.

Hovrud says the benefit of being close by is that they can react quickly in an emergency.

“My mother lives in an area that was affected by the flood in previous years and she said she feels better knowing the National Guard is close by,” Havrud said. “If something happens, we’re right here when they need us.”

This will be her third Easter away from home due to military obligations, last year she was deployed to Iraq and in 2009 she was in North Dakota fighting the floods in several locations.

Hovrud said the ’09 experience was extremely beneficial to this year’s effort.

“We dropped so many sandbags that year, we really got it down.”

Chief Warrant Officer 2 David Kilber, 1/112th Headquarters and Headquarters Company, a pilot on the Quick Reaction Force here, said he is happy to be participating in the flood fight.

“I love it,” Kilber said. “I volunteered for this; it’s a great way to get real-world experience.”

Kilber flies the Utility Helicopter 60 Black Hawk that is being used in the flood fight to conduct reconnaissance missions, help in emergency rescues and assist the Quick Reaction Force in placing the large one-ton sandbags to re-enforce the levee system when necessary.

Spc. Shane Leingang, an Aviation Operations Specialist with C Company 2/285th AHB, has been on the flood fight since the beginning of April. Leingang is the communication link between the Joint Operations Center and 2/285th AHB.

His job focuses on the logistical aspect of moving aircraft and personnel related to the mission in Cass County.

The unit is part of the Quick Reaction Force that would respond to overland flooding by hoisting the one-ton sandbags into places difficult to reach by land.

“In 2009 we did a lot and it worked well,” Leingang said. “So they wanted us on standby again this year.”

Currently, the NDNG has about 150 Guardsmen in Valley City. They are conducting Quick Reaction Force missions, dike patrols, and running a Tactical Operations Center. One Black Hawk helicopter is on hand to assist with sandbag placement or search and rescue missions if needed.

DVIDS
Story by Sgt. Jesica Geffre

Maj. Brock Larson, the N.D. National Guard state partnership program director, right, discusses flood protection measures, April 14, with Ghanaian Dignitary Col. Isaac Mensah Tetteh near the Red River in Fargo, N.D. Col. Isaac Mensah Tetteh serves as the director of land operations at the General Headquarters for the Ghana, Africa, army. Photo by Senior Master Sgt. David Lipp

The 91-degrees-and-humid African country of Ghana and the snow-still-falling-in-April state of North Dakota may, at first blush, seem to have very little in common. There’s more to the partnership between the two entities than one might imagine, though.

“Ghana has the same kind of disasters we have in North Dakota. They have floods, drought and windstorms, but, in addition to that, they also have pestilence, avian flu, those types of things that they worry about,” said Doug Friez, a retired North Dakota Guardsman who has worked closely with Ghana. “Ghana’s climate is a little different, but their disasters are very similar.”

Through the Department of Defense-sponsored State Partnership Program, Ghana and North Dakota have been exchanging information and guidance since 2003. Although the partnership’s primary relationship has been between the North Dakota National Guard and Ghana Armed Forces, civilians, educators and disaster-management experts have all benefited from the ties in recent years. This week is the first time that disaster management information could be tied into the program during an actual natural disaster.

“I think this is the best opportune time to come around. In fact, the day we were landing in Bismarck, we saw a lot from the air. And what we have seen (in Fargo) really goes a long way to tell us a lot,” said Col. Isaac Mensah Tetteh, director of land operations at the General Headquarters for the Ghana Army.

Both Tetteh and Kofi Portuphy, the national coordinator for Ghana’s National Disaster Management Agency, or NADMO, spent this week touring and meeting with officials in all levels of disaster management. They also explored how the use of GIS, or geospatial information systems, could benefit their natural disaster response.

As in North Dakota, the military works closely with government agencies in disaster management.

“The armed forces support NADMO. We are the civil sector and they are the military sector, so (we) bring military resources to bear on our planning, our training, our response, our recovery programs,” Portuphy said. “And, this principally is an invitation by our partners, the National Guard, to expose us to the use of the GIS system, the WebEOC and what support the National Guard air, land, sea (and) Coast Guard are giving to the flood response.”

They spent yesterday in Fargo, starting the morning with a briefing at Joint Task Force-East (JTFE), where the North Dakota National Guard manages their flood operations for eastern North Dakota.

“My intent … was just to show them how we’re actually managing all of the information and leveraging technology to help us manage our Common Operating Picture,” said Col. Steve Tabor, JTFE commander. “We walked them through a lot of the info that we’re leveraging from other agencies. We’ve got data from DoT, we have some of the city’s data that we’ve incorporated into GIS, we’ve actually walked them through the National Guard Mapper GIS program that we have.”

The use of GIS is one aspect Tetteh is anxious to share with his counterparts when he returns home.

“Info sharing through the GIS system is perfect, and it goes a long way in trying to develop a very rapid response to issues, and I think that it’s one of the issues, that among others, that we have in Ghana,” he said.

From right to left Col. Ron Solberg, the N.D. National Guard JTFE vice-commander, Col. Steve Tabor, the N.D. National Guard Joint Task Force East commander, Kofi Portuphy, the Ghana national coordinator for the National Disaster Management Agency, or NADMO, and Col. Isaac Mensah Tetteh, director of land operations at the General Headquarters for the Ghana Army, tour flood protection measure, April 14, along the Red River, Fargo, N.D. Kofi Portuphy serves as the Ghana national coordinator for the National Disaster Management Agency, or NADMO. Photo by Senior Master Sgt. David Lipp

After seeing how operations are managed, the Ghanaians took to the streets of Fargo on a tour led by Tabor to see the various flood products employed by the city, such as sandbags, Trap Bags, permanent flood walls, Big Bag systems, permanent earthen dikes, temporary clay levees, Hesco barriers and the AquaFence

North Dakota National Guard Joint Task Force East leaders and visiting Ghanaian dignitaries tour flood protection measures, April 14, including this aqua fence in Fargo, N.D. The Ghanaian dignitaries are visiting the North Dakota National Guard as part of a state partnership program between the African country of Ghana and the North Dakota National Guard. Since 2003, the North Dakota National Guard has developed a professional relationship with Ghana as part of the Department of Defense's State Partnership Program. This program aligns states with partner countries to encourage the development of economic, political and military ties.

“We had a good opportunity to show them a lot of different methods that the City of Fargo is using to help them protect the citizens of the community from the flood,” Tabor said. “I think they were duly impressed. … Once they got on top of the levees we pointed out where the river channel is normally versus today. That certainly put it into perspective for them, and they realized just how big of a flood event is going on here.”

As the entourage looked at the backyard of a home using a sandbag dike and the Big Bag system, Col. Ron Solberg, deputy commander for JTFE, commented on the water level.
“It’s usually down about 24 feet,” he said.

“24 feet? Really?” asked Portuphy in amazement.

Portuphy has seen a lot of disasters over the years. Friez referred to him as “the father of disaster management in Ghana,” also saying that “he’s the Craig Fugate of the United States; he’s the director of their FEMA.”

Indeed, Portuphy, who founded NADMO, has even trained with FEMA. Despite his wealth of experience, he still was impressed with operations in Fargo.

“We have seen since we arrived here on Sunday the EOCs for the National Guard, the national EOC centers, the state EOC centers in Bismarck and in Fargo here. We’ve seen the EOC centers also set up by the joint task force here …,” Portuphy said. “And what we have seen is overwhelming in terms of preparedness, in terms of response, in terms of coordination between the city EOC, the Joint Task Force EOC, the National Guard EOC; it’s worth emulating because we have learned a lot about what to do in terms of coordination.”

Besides coordination, the tools used in the flood were another key takeaway for the men.

“They were telling us today that Ghana actually has a lot of similar areas,” Tabor said. “When they get flood events happening, one of the reasons they get as severe as they do or as widespread is because they happen in areas where the terrain is very flat. So, I’m hoping today that some of the stuff we were able to show them will maybe provide some food for thought to help them deal with and mitigate some of the flood events that they experience over there, as well.”

There’s little doubt that the trip was valuable to both partners.

“It’s fantastic. I can’t believe what I’m seeing,” Tetteh said. “I believe that there’s a lot to learn and a lot to take home. Right on from the joint operations center, right on from the emergency operations center, both at the state level and the county level, we have seen a lot that we think we can take back home.”

Their trip ends today with a bit of North Dakota culture and history during a tour of the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center. Before seeing it, Tetteh was already convinced during this, his first trip to North Dakota, that it’s a “very beautiful place (with) very hard-working people.”

Maj. Brock Larson, the North Dakota National Guard’s State Partnership Program director, summed up this week’s trip and the next step it took in the eight-year-old relationship between the partners.

“It was an incredible opportunity to be able to host Col. Tetteh and Mr. Portuphy, who represent Ghana’s military and the National Disaster Management Organization, here both at the same time to experience first-hand how our National Guard integrates with our Civil Services not only with manpower and equipment, but also technologically during emergency management operations,” he said.

“During the week we were able to visit all levels of emergency operation centers within the state and supporting agencies to gain their perspectives. This visit will only strengthen our already mature relationship with Ghana and help us focus our efforts during our future exchanges with Ghana.

DVIDS