Round the Clock Teamwork Saves Plant From Damaging Flood Waters

Caves of Faribault sits nestled among picturesque sandstone caves, along the banks of the Straight River.  This scenic landscape is a special place, one that is beautifully illustrated on the packaging of Caves of Faribault’s hand-made, cave-aged cheeses.  But sometimes nature isn’t always beautiful, as was the case on June 21^st of this year when heavy rains caused the river to rise, reaching close to 13 feet, a level that could put the facility in jeopardy.  Thankfully, the quick action by Caves of Faribault employees averted disaster.

Matthew Mueller, Plant Manager, recalls the scene that weekend.  “Luckily, the flooding happened over a non-operating weekend,” he says.  However, an immediate all-hands-on-deck approach with 24-hour coverage was needed to ensure the plant stayed dry and no product was impacted.

Matthew describes all of the measures that were performed to keep the facility and product damage-free.  Temporary walls were erected and lined with sand bags and tarps in certain areas of the factory, storm and waste water drains were plugged, and a sump pump was placed in each manhole with attached hoses draining to the river.  The city officials were also contacted to alert them of the situation so they could assist if necessary.  Eyes were always on the sump pumps to ensure they were working properly.  This emergency action plan remained in place until the water was below 10 feet. 

“The experienced employees such as Tara, Adam W, Adam S, Ken, and Nick W helped the rest of us learn how to keep the factory as dry as possible,” recounts Matthew.  Many hourly employees spent their weekend lending a helping hand as well.  “It was just all around stupendous teamwork.”

Aid was also provided by Al Buscho, a dedicated hauler for Caves of Faribault, who brought in his personal tractor and industrial pump to assist with the efforts.  His equipment allowed the team to remove a significant amount of water that would have otherwise had devastating consequences had it been able to seep into the facility. 

Tara Schaal, Affinage & Warehouse Manager, believes the team’s valiant efforts really made all the difference.  “The synergy that happened during this unfortunate time made me proud to work with these people,” she says.  “Unity is the most important thing in times like these and watching that unfold made me tear up a bit.  We have some amazing employees!”