In June of 2019, rain in Kansas and northern Oklahoma sent floodwaters flowing into Keystone Lake and forced an increased release of water from Keystone Dam.  At the peak of the release, about 2.7 times the combined flow of Niagara Falls rushed through the dam, a rate of roughly 275,000 cubic feet per second, and hit the city of Sand Springs, OK.

Minuteman Disaster Response set up base camp nearby and spent 8 days assisting families in relief and cleanup efforts.  In addition to the relief efforts in Sand Springs, Minuteman also had FAST, their Flood and Swift Water Team, working in nearby Rogers County with the local sheriff's office.

After returning home, volunteer Bill Sommers received an email from one of the families Minuteman had assisted. The email expressed the homeowner's sincere gratitude for coming to their aid. Their friends had scattered back to their own lives when the water receded, but the homeowner's faith had been restored by complete strangers.

Sommers says, “This is what it is all about.  Minuteman has given me a chance to use my skills to give back. I sleep like a baby, knowing I do what I can to help others.”