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FLOOD NEWS: Guard's Nighttime Dike Patrols Allow Harwood Residents to Rest

By SSGT Amy Wieser Willson, North Dakota National Guard / Published March 25, 2010

Senior Airman Nathanael Baardson, of the 119th Wing, uses a night-vision lens to videotape a pair of North Dakota National Guard quick response force (QRF) team members March 24 as they monitor floodwater along levees in Harwood, N.D. Baardson is a member of the N.D. National Guard public affairs team documenting the activities of the military flood mission for historical, internal Department of Defense briefings and civilian media relations purposes. (DoD photo by Senior Master Sgt. David H. Lipp) (Released)
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Senior Airman Nathanael Baardson, of the 119th Wing, uses a night-vision lens to videotape a pair of North Dakota National Guard quick response force (QRF) team members March 24 as they monitor floodwater along levees in Harwood, N.D. Baardson is a member of the N.D. National Guard public affairs team documenting the activities of the military flood mission for historical, internal Department of Defense briefings and civilian media relations purposes. (DoD photo by Senior Master Sgt. David H. Lipp) (Released)

Senior Airman Anthony Rezac, of the 119th Civil Engineer Squadron, (left) and Spc. Nick Strom, of the 815th Engineer Company (Wishek, N.D.), walk along an earthen levee using flashlights during the evening hours of March 24 in Harwood, N.D. The pair of North Dakota National Guard members are part of a quick reaction force (QRF) team staging out of the Harwood Community Center who take a turn monitoring the floodwater as residents sleep. The residents of Harwood are able to monitor the levees themselves during the daylight hours. The nighttime levee walking is one the remaining tasks for the QRF teams as much of the floodwater in the area begins to recede. (DoD photo by Senior Master Sgt. David H. Lipp) (Released)
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Senior Airman Anthony Rezac, of the 119th Civil Engineer Squadron, (left) and Spc. Nick Strom, of the 815th Engineer Company (Wishek, N.D.), walk along an earthen levee using flashlights during the evening hours of March 24 in Harwood, N.D. The pair of North Dakota National Guard members are part of a quick reaction force (QRF) team staging out of the Harwood Community Center who take a turn monitoring the floodwater as residents sleep. The residents of Harwood are able to monitor the levees themselves during the daylight hours. The nighttime levee walking is one the remaining tasks for the QRF teams as much of the floodwater in the area begins to recede. (DoD photo by Senior Master Sgt. David H. Lipp) (Released)

Senior Airman Anthony Rezac, of the 119th Civil Engineer Squadron, (left) and Spc. Nick Strom, of the 815th Engineer Company (Wishek, N.D.), walk along an earthen levee using flashlights during the evening hours of March 24 in Harwood, N.D. The pair of North Dakota National Guard members are part of a quick reaction force (QRF) team staging out of the Harwood Community Center who take a turn monitoring the floodwater as residents sleep. The residents of Harwood are able to monitor the levees themselves during the daylight hours. The nighttime levee walking is one the remaining tasks for the QRF teams as much of the floodwater in the area begins to recede. (DoD photo by Senior Master Sgt. David H. Lipp) (Released)
PHOTO DETAILS  /   DOWNLOAD HI-RES 3 of 4

Senior Airman Anthony Rezac, of the 119th Civil Engineer Squadron, (left) and Spc. Nick Strom, of the 815th Engineer Company (Wishek, N.D.), walk along an earthen levee using flashlights during the evening hours of March 24 in Harwood, N.D. The pair of North Dakota National Guard members are part of a quick reaction force (QRF) team staging out of the Harwood Community Center who take a turn monitoring the floodwater as residents sleep. The residents of Harwood are able to monitor the levees themselves during the daylight hours. The nighttime levee walking is one the remaining tasks for the QRF teams as much of the floodwater in the area begins to recede. (DoD photo by Senior Master Sgt. David H. Lipp) (Released)

Senior Airman Anthony Rezac, of the 119th Civil Engineer Squadron, (left) and Spc. Nick Strom, of the 815th Engineer Company (Wishek, N.D.), walk along an earthen levee using flashlights during the evening hours of March 24 in Harwood, N.D. The pair of North Dakota National Guard members are part of a quick reaction force (QRF) team staging out of the Harwood Community Center who take a turn monitoring the floodwater as residents sleep. The residents of Harwood are able to monitor the levees themselves during the daylight hours. The nighttime levee walking is one the remaining tasks for the QRF teams as much of the floodwater in the area begins to recede. (DoD photo by Senior Master Sgt. David H. Lipp) (Released)
PHOTO DETAILS  /   DOWNLOAD HI-RES 4 of 4

Senior Airman Anthony Rezac, of the 119th Civil Engineer Squadron, (left) and Spc. Nick Strom, of the 815th Engineer Company (Wishek, N.D.), walk along an earthen levee using flashlights during the evening hours of March 24 in Harwood, N.D. The pair of North Dakota National Guard members are part of a quick reaction force (QRF) team staging out of the Harwood Community Center who take a turn monitoring the floodwater as residents sleep. The residents of Harwood are able to monitor the levees themselves during the daylight hours. The nighttime levee walking is one the remaining tasks for the QRF teams as much of the floodwater in the area begins to recede. (DoD photo by Senior Master Sgt. David H. Lipp) (Released)

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Harwood, N.D. -- As bigger cities safely lessen their focus on floodwaters, the threat -- and the North Dakota National Guard's presence -- in outlying areas remains. Harwood, N.D., just north of Fargo, is one of those areas. Overland flooding continues, and the town's 600 or so residents, along with North Dakota Soldiers and Airmen, remain vigilant.

During the day, Guard members stand ready in a quick response force situated at the Harwood Community Center. The team of 19 Guardsmen, who split their force into two for rotating 24-hour shifts, have dump trucks filled with sandbags, as well as a skid-steer loader and high-wheeled vehicles. They're ready to move out quickly when a call for help comes in.

At night, the quick response team shifts to dike patrols, looking for signs of leaks or seepage in the clay line of protection. It gives residents, who are responsible for monitoring the dike situation during the day, a chance for some peaceful rest.

"We do regular checks throughout the night at a few different locations to see if the dikes are eroding in the dark," said Senior Airman Anthony Rezac, of the 119th Civil Engineer Squadron, North Dakota Air National Guard.

The same situation has been playing out near Kindred with the Guard's quick reaction force that's stationed there.

"It was colder last night than it has been -- the windchill dropped it below 0 -- but the Guardsmen we talked to who were patrolling the dikes near Harwood were still upbeat. They were glad to be able to help out and give the homeowners a break from the stress they've been under lately," said Senior Master Sgt. David H. Lipp, multimedia manager for the 119th Wing, North Dakota Air National Guard. Lipp was on site to document the Guardsmen's efforts last night through photographs.

As the flood threat lessens, the quick response force teams have been called out less, with no calls having come in for a couple of days. The Guard expects the teams, as well as the dike patrol efforts, will be able to safely end their mission soon.

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Video

Video to accompany this release can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dFDcjtpCX8 .

For high-resolution video, contact the Public Affairs Office or download it at this FTP site: ftp://ftp.state.nd.us

ID: ndngftp
Password: PIO2493 (case-sensitive)
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