Come Flooding Back - 10 years since the flood of 2009 The spring of 2009 for members of Cass County Electric Cooperative (CCEC) and the greater FargoMoorhead area has proved to be a memorable one. Due to the recordbreaking snowfalls and a warmer than average spring the surrounding rivers swelled and began to rise – causing major flooding. Anytime a significant event takes place, as humans we tend to remember it in specific details like where we were and what we did to help. Ten years from the 2009 flood, we wanted to reflect on and remember this significant event. It goes without question throughout history CCEC has survived the elements of Mother Nature.
Once forecasters predicted the flood, CCEC employees began filling sandbags in the Fargo warehouse. The sandbagging process was crucial to protecting the CCEC system and ensuring minimal damage. Engineering Technician, Dee DeGeest, remembers fighting on the front lines of the flood. Employees were paired together to patrol specific areas in the flood zone. “We were checking on members and making sure their electrical and safety needs were met,” DeGeest says, “As the water rose, we continued to inspect everything and deal with trouble spots where equipment was going under water.”
Journeyman Lineworker, Mike Mahlke, had recently been hired as a full-time apprentice lineworker and was still learning the system. Being unfamiliar with CCEC’s equipment as well as being one of the new guys on the crew could have made the situation more difficult for Mahlke, but he said the more experienced lineworkers kept information flowing and let him and the other apprentices know what they could do to help. CCEC crews worked around the clock to stay ahead of any issues that could have occurred because of the flood waters. Mahlke says he worked his regular shift from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and came back at 7 p.m. to start his
CCEC employees: Brent Hodgson, Luke Hagness, Steve Peterson with other agencies who took an airboat to check on downed line.
4 Highline Notes March 2019
www.kwh.com
