MINOT, N.D. - Recovery has begun here, North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple said Tuesday.
“The actual management and organization of the recovery – this is something that is going to take a lot more time and effort, but we feel that we are making great progress in this area,” Dalrymple said during a press conference.
In the Minot area, the North Dakota National Guard continues to perform traffic control point missions, sandbag operations, levee patrols and levee monitoring and repair, officials said.
“Right now we have about 850 of our Soldiers and Airmen here in the Minot, Ward County, Souris River valley area,” said Army Maj. Gen. David Sprynczynatyk, North Dakota’s adjutant general. “There are also about 250 Airmen from the Minot Air Force Base working with our [Guard members], bringing totals to about 1,100.”
The state is working a three- to 12-month recovery plan, Dalrymple said. “There are many, many challenges ahead, but I am confident that we have the right people coming together … to meet this challenge.”
“As we are able to transition from our missions as the water recedes, you’ll see fewer and fewer Guardsmen in this area,” Sprynczynatyk said, “but … we will continue to provide all the support that’s requested of us.”
He said the Guard was ready to support the Minot area “for the long haul.”