What led to such active involvement by the Service in the recent flood response efforts in North Dakota?
The answer is airboats. Airboats are unique and powerful watercraft commonly utilized on units of the National Wildlife Refuge System. Airboats provided the Service with an opportunity to lend a helping hand to neighboring communities during recent flood events in the Dakotas. Unlike outboard and jet-powered boats, airboats have no operating parts below the waterline, making it suitable for maneuvering in shallow flooded areas where it also was used to cross roads, golf courses, dikes, and other challenging areas that other boats could not access. As spring water levels rose throughout North and South Dakota, Service crews deployed 25 airboats to flooded areas, safely navigating ice, snow banks, trees, floating branches and other debris to conduct numerous rescues and evacuations of families and pets. Service airboat crews also delivered medication and medical assistance to those in need and conducted welfare checks on people who opted to stay in homes to maintain surrounding sandbag d
