Return to the Flood Home Page


A First Person Perspective
1st Lt Paul Markegard, MN Wing March 30th 2009

Members of St. Paul Composite Squadron again answered the call. This time it was in Fargo North Dakota. The Red river is 22 feet above flood stage and threatening numerous houses and businesses. A call for help went out to all CAP units in MN to assist with everything from sand bagging and dike building to aerial photography. St. Paul responded Wednesday night with a team of 7. Lt. Amy Pahr, Cadets Prestegaard, Pahr, Kirsch, Tunnell and
Schmidt along with two members from other squadrons and myself.

Loaded with gear we launched into the winter night bound for Fargo. Four and a half hours later (around 12am) we rolled into mission base ready to work. We were sent to the Fargo Dome. Told to help make sand bags. Unfortunately the 'dome could not get sand in there fast enough and after an hour it was apparent we would be of little use to them. The decision was made to get some sleep and start up first thing in the morning.

A 2 hour nap later we were back at mission base. After shoveling snow around mission base we were tasked to help with sandbagging in the northern end of Fargo. Upon arrival we grabbed some shovels, a pile of sand and
started to fill sand bags. I have no idea how many we filled, many hundreds. The cadets were outstanding. Some were filling and tying off bags. Others were in the line moving bags from the street into the back yards to build the walls. I would move about checking on my cadets and many times received compliments about how hard they were working and how well they worked. You guys are really what makes CAP stand out.

We worked this area until late afternoon. We were heading back to mission base. The National Guard has road blocks set up. They let us through however. Which was good because I had no clue how to get back to mission
base other than the way I came. The Guard was building large clay dikes to protect the water treatment plant. They waved us on through. Maybe the uniform helped.

Were going to return to the dorms we were staying at for rest and dinner. A call came in to base requesting as many people as we had to go build a secondary wall to help shore up one that was starting to collapse. I asked
our team if we could do it? No one said "no" they really did not say "yes we can" but, they did not say "no". I knew we were tired but the residents needed our help. A total of 19 CAP members from both MN and ND rolled out.
We worked hard and fast to build this wall. Under a deck no less.

After a 12 hour day working on about 2 hours sleep we were sent back to recover, rest and get some chow. We were not due back to mission base until around 0000 hours local. We never made it back. The decision to terminate ground operations was made around 2230 hours. We were loaded up in our trucks and bound for home by 2330 hours. We arrived in St. Paul around 4 in the morning.

This was one of those missions that was non-stop work. Our cadets really stepped up to the challenge. Nothing was easy about this one. From the 4 hour drive being stuck in the back of a truck. To the heavy lifting of 40 pound or worse bags of sand. It was cold and snowing. The wind picked up as the sun set. No one complained. The only complaining I heard was when we told there was nothing to do. The cadets worked and worked and worked. You
all did a fantastic job. Thank You!

This is a presidential declared disaster. St. Paul squadron was there to help. This in not over and the situation continues to be monitored. Be prepared. Make sure your gear is in order and that you have all you need
ready to go.

Thanks again to all of you who jumped up to help. It was no easy task but you all did what was asked of you and you did it well.

Paul Markegard 1st Lt. CAP
Emergency Services Officer St. Paul Composite Squadron
 

Return to the Flood Home Page