MOUND CITY, Ill. � As the Ohio River creeps toward a projected crest of 54 feet, the Mound City Emergency Management Agency is teaming up with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Red Cross, and local volunteers to stay ahead of potential flooding.
Students from Shawnee Community College’s Highway Construction Careers Training Program stepped up to help fill and load sandbags—many of them residents of Pulaski or Alexander County, who said they felt a responsibility to protect their communities.
The river isn’t expected to crest for several more days, and officials say now is the critical window for prevention.
EMA Director Ken Kerley, emphasized the importance of acting early.
“we're not dealing with anything out of the ordinary,� Kerley said, “but we don’t want to have to play catch-up.�
In addition to students and city workers, the American Red Cross was also on-site, delivering snacks and water to keep volunteers fueled. The effort will continue Tuesday at 9 a.m., and Kerley says more help is still needed.
Those who can’t physically volunteer are encouraged to donate bottled water, sports drinks, or packaged snacks to support the crews working on the front lines.
