The North Dakota National Guard and North Dakota Department of Emergency Services (DES) are deploying resources to Cass County and the city of LaMoure to assist in flood fighting efforts.
The state Emergency Commission also voted today to release $300,000 in contingency funds to cover immediate costs incurred by the National Guard, DES and other states agencies in response to this year’s flooding.
At Cass County’s request, the National Guard is providing a quick response force of up to 10 soldiers, as well as trucks for hauling sandbags and a light mobility tactical vehicle for evacuation and rescue, to respond to emergency calls if needed starting Saturday through April 14. The DES has supplied Hesco barriers and sandbags to LaMoure to help deal with flooding from the James River as needed.
The assistance comes after Gov. Doug Burgum declared a statewide flood emergency last week and toured flooded areas along the Yellowstone River in McKenzie County. The State Emergency Operations Center continues to work with local officials on assessing and responding to flood conditions as the spring melt progresses and river levels rise.
Burgum and Maj. Gen. Alan Dohrmann, the state’s adjutant general, both cautioned that while melt conditions have been ideal so far, significant risk remains for ice jams, snowmelt and localized thunderstorms to cause major flooding.
“Our intent is to have resources available so we can react very quickly if need be,” Dohrmann told the Emergency Commission, which consists of Burgum as chair, Secretary of State Al Jaeger, House Majority Leader Chet Pollert, Senate Majority Leader Rich Wardner, House Appropriations Chairman Jeff Delzer and Senate Appropriations Chairman Ray Holmberg.
Visit www.ndresponse.gov for more information about flooding in North Dakota, including county, city and tribal flood declarations, flooding preparedness and ways to assist residents in McKenzie County who have been displaced and had property damaged by flooding.