The Southern Emergency Response Committee (SERC) is keeping on top of things as the threat of possible spring flooding looms.

Emergency Coordinator for SERC, Darin Driedger says for the area they cover, which is the R.M. of Stanley and cities of Winkler and Morden, the situation here is quite a bit different than elsewhere in the province.

Driedger says other than some overland flooding in a few localized areas, it is not the same as the threats being faced elsewhere, the Red River basin, for example.

Despite being in a lower risk area, Driedger says they are definitely staying plugged in with the province and getting regular updates on their flood forecast and analysis.

Driedger notes if a nearby community is in need of assistance, they're a group that's always willing to lend a helping hand. That would include things like helping to register people in the event of an evacuation. "Our group is actually going to be taking part in a training workshop in a couple of weeks put on by the province on the registering process, and how they want to see it done by the municipality."

Meanwhile, Driedger urges extreme caution in areas around water. He pointed out that municipal crews in our area do a pretty good job of putting up signage if there are washed out roads or an area that's maybe not safe. He said the main thing is, people should respect any signage or road closures. "The last thing that we want people to do is put themselves at risk, and then there has to be a rescue operation that first responders then have to put themselves at risk to get at them."

He adds if you live near an area where there is water, use extreme caution, and if you have children, make sure they are not going near it. In the spring especially, the water will be moving quickly and will be very cold. "It can be very dangerous, very quickly if people are to get caught in that."