Rescuing the Marooned
By Dan Gunderson
April 7, 1997

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Rising water now covers miles of farmland in the Red River Valley. Even though preparations have been going on for weeks, the flooding is so severe many rural residents have been cut off by rising water and unable to escape. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Gunderson spent some time with Clay County deputies fighting the elements to rescue marooned families.

The rain is just changing to ice as Clay County Deputy Todd Taylor heads his four wheel drive with a boat in tow down a muddy county road. the road soon disappears under water. About a mile away from this temporary lakeshore, an elderly couple are stranded in their farm house.

SFX: LAUNCHING A BOAT..

As two deputies crawl into a boat and head off across the flooded fields, rain and sleet driven by 40-mile-per-hour winds bounce off rain gear and bite into exposed skin. In about 20 minutes they return with 78-year-old Murrel Jahr..she smiles with relief as she's helped into a waiting squad car.

I DON'T WANT TO STAY THERE..(KINDA SCARY) OH, IS IT EVER. MY HUSBAND IS SO STUPID YOU KNOW. . . I COULDN'T MAKE HIM COME OUT. THE FURNACE WENT OUT ABOUT 10:30. (I BET YOU WERE GLAD TO SEE THESE GUYS COME IN THE BOAT.) OH, JUST A WONDERFUL THING.

Deputy Todd Taylor returns a few minutes later with 82-year-old Ralph Jahr.

THEY TOLD US AT FIRST THE OLDER GENTLEMAN DIDN'T WANT TO GO BUT HE LOOKED HAPPY WE WERE THERE. I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS HER OR US THAT MADE HIM COME ALONG, BUT HE DIDN'T GIVE US ANY PROBLEM. (LAUGHS) SOME OF 'EM CAN BE PRETTY STUBBORN, ESPECIALLY THE MEN. THEY WANT TO HANG IN TILL THE LAST MINUTE. IT'S THEIR HOUSE WITH ALL THEIR POSSESSIONS. I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY THEY DON'T WANT TO LEAVE. YEAH SOME OF 'EM DON'T

After getting out of his rain gear and tying down the boat, Taylor crawls back into his warm four-wheel drive to catch his breath.

IT WAS VERY WINDY. VERY COLD. THERE WERE WHITECAPS. HARD TO KEEP THE BOAT GOING IN A STRAIGHT LINE. CLOSEST TO THIS I'VE COME IS DUCK HUNTING. (LAUGHS)

After a quick cup of coffee at a small town fire hall its off to answer another call.

WE GOT A FAMILY OF THREE IN A HOUSE SURROUNDED BY WATER. WE'RE GONNA LAUNCH A COUPLE OF BOATS AND GET UP TO THEIR HOUSE AND GET 'EM OUT.

SFX

DROPS OFF FAST HERE, GUYS. REALLY GETS DEEP HERE.

The family is brought out with only the clothes they have on. And the family dog. They tried to hold off the rising floodwaters. Virginia Moon says the water came up so fast she knew they had to leave.

THE HOUSE IS SURROUNDED, THE BASEMENT IS FLOODED, THE POWER WAS FLICKERING. IT WAS TIME TO LEAVE. WE FOUGHT IT AS LONG AS WE COULD. WE TRIED REINFORCING IT WITH A DIKE, BUT THAT DIDN'T HOLD ANY LONGER, SO. . .

Virginia Moon doesn't know how long it will be before the water recedes and they can return to their home

SFX

Clay County Sheriff Larry Costello is nervous as he watches the daylight begin to fade and the rain slowly turn to snow. He knows it's going to be a long night.

A LOT OF THE COUNTY ROADS ARE STARTING TO WASH OUT AND WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE. ITS VERY DANGEROUS TO TRAVEL AFTER DARK. I ANTICIPATE AS PEOPLE SEE NIGHT COMING AND THEY SEE WHITECAPS AROUND THEIR HOUSE WE'LL GET MORE CALLS.

Costello says there are hundreds of rural homes cut off by rising water. Many are now without electricity; Some have lost phone service. Costello expects more rescues through water and snow over the next few days.

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