\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
![\"SUPPLIED](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/4134116_web1_PeguisFloodRubicon.jpg\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n
SUPPLIED<\/p>\n
The first Team Rubicon Canada volunteers arrive at Winnipeg\u2019s airport on Saturday.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need a lot of hands on the ground really quickly to mitigate what is about to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n
And what is happening is changing fast.<\/p>\n
In about a month, provincial flood forecasters have gone from predicting only a moderate risk of a significant flood on the Fisher River to a warning water levels on it could reach levels only seen during the largest flood on record in 2022.<\/p>\n
The most recent flood update on Saturday said not only is Peguis expected to see a flood at least as high as what it experienced in 2014 \u2014 when about 200 people were evacuated \u2014 but with a quicker melt it could see 2022 levels when hundreds were evacuated and $245 million in damages were left in its wake.<\/p>\n
The province has also expanded the high risk of flooding warning to the Icelandic River, as well as saying the Parklands region is now at an elevated risk for overland flooding.<\/p>\n
The province said it is because of \u201csignificantly above-normal snow-pack, a delayed spring melt, and an increased likelihood of rapid spring runoff combined with spring precipitation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Last week, Peguis Chief Stan Bird said \u201cThere is an urgent need to mobilize the Canadian Armed Forces to Peguis First Nation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bird said Peguis has been hit by flooding about once in every three or four years, on average since 2000. The 2009 flood saw 3,000 people evacuated and left $40 million in damages, a flood in 2010 damaged 300 more homes and resulted in another evacuation, and floods in both 2014 and 2017 forced another 235 people out of their homes.<\/p>\n
Instead of the military, at this time the federal government has sent Team Rubicon Canada.<\/p>\n
Team Rubicon was founded by U.S. military veterans in 2010 to help in the aftermath of the earthquake hitting Haiti.<\/p>\n
Since then, the organization has deployed to hundreds of operations in the United States and around the world, with local chapters opening up in several countries.<\/p>\n
Canada\u2019s Team Rubicon is one and its first mission was to help the residents of Fort McMurray, Alta., after the devastating wildfire in 2016.<\/p>\n
Sutton said this operation came together in not just days, but more like hours.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis has rolled out very quickly,\u201d he said. \u201cI got the heads up on Wednesday, we had meetings all day Thursday, and the green light on Thursday night.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had people on the ground on Thursday doing reconnaissance and now we have our first people going in today on Saturday\u2026 we are somebody (the federal government) can call upon to help out in situations like this without having to step up to the government.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sutton said Peguis has already told them at least 140 homes are at risk and need to have sandbag dikes surrounding them.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt takes a group of 10 half a day to sandbag one house,\u201d he said. \u201cWe are offering ourselves to the emergency management up there \u2014 where do you need help? We will do whatever dirty job you\u2019ve got.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\tWinnipeg Free Press | Newsletter\n\t<\/p>\n
\t\t\tSunday Passages<\/p>\n
Sundays<\/p>\n
Kevin Rollason\u2019s Sunday newsletter honouring and remembering lives well-lived in Manitoba.<\/p>\n
\t\t\tSign up for Sunday Passages<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t Sutton said part of Saturday was spent sending teams to Home Depot, Costco, Purolator, and an office supply store to buy and pick up different supplies, including a printer, paper, technical kit with a Starlink connection, and laptops.<\/p>\n He said the community is quickly readying their accommodation.<\/p>\n \u201cThe community has just welcomed us with open arms,\u201d Sutton said. \u201cWe are staying in the top level of their multiplex. They are using the ice surface, which they have taken off, and warming the building for local evacuees and us. We\u2019re going to have up to 70 cots upstairs spread around.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re quite used to that. I have slept everywhere from fire halls to gymnasiums to church basements \u2014 as long as they supply cots we bring our sleeping bags and our air mattresses and we are quite happy.\u201d<\/p>\n kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Kevin Rollason Kevin Rollason is a general assignment reporter at the Free Press. He graduated from Western University with a Masters of Journalism in 1985 and worked at the Winnipeg Sun until\u00a01988, when he joined the Free Press. He has served as the Free Press\u2019s city hall and law courts reporter and has won several awards, including a National Newspaper Award. Read more about Kevin<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Kevin produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Reporter
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n