Total Suckage...or a lack thereof

So I'm on a call in my basement office and suddenly I hear an unusual alarm go off. Its not a smoke detector, its not my CO detector, not my Radon detector, all of which I have heard go off from time to time. Yep, its the H2O detector I put next to the water heater and sump pump years ago and forgot about. I dont even know when the last time was I replaced that battery. But since apparently the water finishes the electrical circuit, a 9 volt battery last a long time in one of those.
So, I turn the corner and see a 1/2 inch wall of water spreading out quite rapidly from the sump. The pump failed, hence the "lack of suckage" from the title. After jerry rigging the pump to run continously (it was the sensor that failed, so I pulled it apart and hot wired it. I don't recommend doing impromptu wiring on a water submersible pump, but hey, it worked and I didnt die) I ran to the hardware store about 2 miles away and bought a new pump and hurried the hell home. After about 20 minutes I had the old pump out, the new pump in and all was right with the world. Its been raining here almost every day for 5 weeks. Can't wait for monsoon season to be over.....
Makes me want to get a battery backup spare sump pump....