FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. - Forty student candidates and instructors from the 336th Training Group Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape School at Fairchild AFB filled roughly 10,000 sandbags in Pend Oreille County, Wash. on June 9, saving three homes from being flooded and making elderly homeowners extremely grateful and proud of the Air Force Airmen.

Following record rainfall and an above average snowpack throughout the Northwest, the Pend Oreille River, which flows from Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho joining the Columbia River in British Columbia, was flowing at its highest level in 14 years. Near the town of Cusick, Wash., residents who lived on the banks of the river had growing concerns about flooding potential.

"We have lived along this river since 1995 and have seen our share of flooding, but since the beginning of May, the river has risen over 11 feet making us very nervous," said Ken Wendt, affected homeowner. "We're in our mid-70s so when the director of emergency management for Pend Oreille County called us and told us that Airmen from Fairchild had volunteered to help residents, we decided to we needed them."

The SERE instructors and student candidates learned of the need for assistance while they were training in the area.

"The residents who needed help lived across the river from our training area," said Staff Sgt. Brian Tomlinson, 66th Training Squadron SERE specialist and instructor for the Indoctrination Course. "We were scheduled to conduct a team-building exercise on the 9th, which usually includes volunteer work, so this was perfect timing. This was a way for me to indirectly mentor our candidates, allowing them to see how military members can step up and help people in need. The sandbagging operation required not only teamwork but our ability to relate to, and ease the minds of the folks who we were helping. The water at the time was about 5 feet from their house and rising - they needed help first thing in the morning."

The Wendt family was growing anxious as the river was nearing their home.

"The Fairchild Airmen arrived the morning on (June) 9th and spent over two hours filling sandbags for our house alone," said Carol Wendt. "They quickly and efficiently did whatever we asked of them to help us protect our home from flooding. They were professional, courteous and hardworking. Above all - they gave us peace of mind."