Nearly half dozen credit union offices were closed down Friday as the flooding Red River threatened downtown areas of Fargo and scores of employees, volunteers and managers joined city residents doing sandbag duty to protect North Dakota's largest city.

"Out of 100 employees, I think we have 40 out of our 45 in our Fargo branches helping out with sandbagging today," said Patty Pretzer, vice president of marketing of the $200 million Town and Country CU, which closed three of its branches in the flood zone keeping open its West Fargo site with a skeleton crew.

T&C, headquartered in Minot with eight branches statewide, said its Fargo offices would remain closed on Saturday following evacuation orders from the mayor and law enforcement.

"The mayor has ordered all non-essential personnel to be off the streets and so we've just shut down our Dilworth office this morning and we have our Amber Valley that will close, too," said Gloria Schmunk, president/CEO of the $31 million United Savings CU of Fargo. She will also operate the CU out of a West Fargo office on high ground.

Like other Fargo residents, she is hoping the dikes hold tonight "and I think we'll be ok," said Schmunk.