KINDRED - Cass County's Otter Team officially deployed its two new Panther airboats Thursday afternoon in Red River floodwaters east of here.
The deputies assigned to the search and rescue team practiced with the boats earlier this week, but the boats' public debut came Thursday with rides for Cass County and Fargo officials.
As the Red continues to rise into the upper-30s by today, Sheriff Paul Laney said the boats will be deployed on patrols of area waterways through the height of the flood fight.
Along with Cass County's boats, the U.S. Coast Guard is bringing in two airboats, and Mercer and Burleigh counties in North Dakota each donated one of theirs to assist.
