MDS prepares for Red River flooding.

As the Red River continues to rise, the MDS Manitoba Unit, with assistance from the MDS extension office (Winnipeg), has been coordinating and sending out volunteers to assist with sandbagging, moving basement belongings to main floors, and diverting water from yards in Winnipeg and surrounding rural areas. The Early Response trailers for Manitoba have been positioned to be ready for clean up efforts and are being stocked with supplies. MDS Unit chairperson, Ben Funk, is helping staff the call center at the Manitoba Emergency Measures Organization along with representatives from other non-government organizations. Currently the river is expected to crest in Winnipeg about April 10, but ice jams can change the forecast on a daily basis.

In North Dakota, where the Red River crested over 40 feet in Fargo, MDS is coordinating with National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) and Lutheran Disaster Response in preparation for possible MDS involvement in clean up and recovery.