Bakersfield, CA - On Friday, March 27, 2009, the Red River, which flows north from Southeast North Dakota into Canada's Lake Winnipeg, reached water levels that hadn’t been seen in 112 years due to rain, snow, and ice that had been collecting in the river. In 1897, the Red River rose to 40.1 feet. Currently it is at 40.63 feet, and was expected to crest to 43 feet on Saturday, March 28, at 24 feet above flood level.

Known throughout the Midwest to be liquid-handling solution experts, Rain for Rent deployed its North Dakota sales representative to the scene of the flood where the Fargo Public Works Director was communicating with the Governor of North Dakota, which resulted in the Governor's request for eight industrial Power Prime pumps to be flown into Fargo, ND, from a Rain for Rent branch in Wyoming.

The pumps originated in Rifle, CO, where two hours from the airport they were challenged by heavy snow and required a police escort and three snow plows to get through snow-covered roads in order to be loaded in Casper, WY. One C-1 30 military plane has been dedicated to make three round trips from Casper, WY, to Fargo, ND. The initial flight arrived at the Fargo airport around 7:00 pm Friday, March 27, with cargo consisting of:

• Eight  12" DV300 Power Prime Pumps to handle 6,500 GPM
• Two Rain for Rent service trucks
• Five Rain for Rent installers and mechanics from Rain for Rent's Rifle, CO branch
• Pipe, hose and fittings

The Rain for Rent crew and National Guard, among others, are scheduled to work in 24-hour shifts installing the pumping systems to help save the city from potential destruction. Skilled and dedicated personnel have been recruited from around Rain for Rent's national locations including their SWAT (Sewer & Water A-Team) division; installers and mechanics from the Rifle, CO, Minot, ND, and Minneapolis, MN branches.