(March 8, 2019 - Updated to add a video of a sandbagging machine like the one the Corps of Engineer bought. See below.)
A state agency is helping Illinois prepare for spring flooding. This morning at the Red Cross in Moline, officials from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency met with local leaders to share information about logistics, supplies, and communication.
Rodney Delp is the Chief of Emergency Management for the Corps of Engineers on Arsenal Island.
He says the Rock Island District now has a new machine that automatically fills sandbags.
It's high-tech and fills about 45 sandbags per minute.
Lieutenant Mindy Meyers works for the Rock Island County Sheriff as Coordinator of Emergency Management.
She says a couple of weeks ago, officers helped three families evacuate when the Rock River flooded their homes due to an ice jam.
Every year, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency hosts flood preparation meetings around the state.
The spring flood outlook says the Mississippi River in the Quad Cities area has a "well above normal chance" of reaching major flood stage.
And the risk of moderate to major flooding on other rivers is also "above normal."