KOMU looks at what the operations center is doing to help Missourians avoid trouble.

Wednesday Governor Blunt met with the officials at the state emergency operations center to discuss the impact of recent floods.

Blunt hopes to get an assessment of the damage.

"I might begin with an announcement requesting that we really activate our joint to federal and state damage assessment teams to get out and canvass 17 counties," he said.

Members of the national guard are establishing emergency operations centers in several counties.

General King Sidwell says the operations center is putting to work lessons learned in the floods of 1993.

"One of the things we got to do after the floods of '93 was have an after action review," said Sidwell. "First thing we do after we identify high water is pull out our lessons learned and we can target our support efforts to be those things we identified in '93."

Blunt's visit gave the men and women at the operation center some much deserved recognition for their recent work.

"I want to thank everybody that is in earshot for the work you've done so far and encourage you to continue your support to local communites as they deal with a very significant flood," Blunt said.

And as the rivers continue to rise, communities around Missouri will need that support even more.

Blunt believes that more counties will be added to the list of the damage assessment in the coming days.

Reported by Ashley Clark