More than four years after the Mississippi River inundated the lower areas of Vicksburg and Warren County with a record flood, we once again find ourselves under the gun with another threat from the river.

And like they did in 2011, and in previous floods, our city, county and state officials are joining forces to ensure the loss of life and property are minimal.

Already, county and city officials have met twice to set an action plan in motion and to develop lines of communication to deal with the rumors that are always a part of disasters.

A meeting at Warren County’s Emergency Operations Center Monday was able to get all officials oriented to the plans of the county, state Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks agents and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Vicksburg District, which will handle the flood fight that will work to protect and watch the levees and take action keep the river from trying to find a new course during the flood.

Tuesday, city officials met to discuss how they will deal with notifying residents in the low-lying Kings community and Ford Subdivision area off North Washington Street and to set policies to ensure city workers are ready for emergencies and police can keep residents and property secure.

Mayor George Flaggs Jr. did the right thing by including Warren County Emergency Manager John Elfer in the city’s discussions and as a member of the city’s high water response committee, which includes county Supervisors William Banks and John Carlisle. Having Elfer and the supervisors on board establishes a strong, direct link between the city and the county to ensure proper communication between both governments.

Elfer is also the county’s point man for public information, and Vicksburg Convention and Visitors Bureau director Bill Seratt will handle the same duty for the city, providing direct contacts people can call for updated information.

Like hurricanes on the coast, floods are a part of life for people who live along rivers, regardless if it’s the Mississippi or the Missouri River. And when floods threaten our lives and homes, we trust in our local, state and federal officials to do their jobs and protect us and give us correct information on what is happening.

It’s good to see our local officials are gearing up to meet that challenge.