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ALBANY, GA -- Emergency officials are taking part in a three day conference to prepare for how to respond to flooding.

While you've heard a lot about the drought in Georgia, the lack of precipitation doesn't mean were safe from floods.

“When you're under drought conditions for so long, the surface is so hard that when you do get a deluge rain, it comes down so hard that it can't soak into that hard surface and it actually winds up running off as flash flooding,” said Dougherty County Emergency Management Director Jim Vaught.

Because of that Georgia, particularly Southwest Georgia, remains at risk. Emergency management officials from across the region brushed up on planning for floods.

“Through the National Weather Service we have created an on the road flood fight operation coarse. And this is designed for public safety people,” said Vaught.

“They'll have an opportunity to be exposed to what's involved in, managing, preparing for and then recovering from major floods,” said Jim Lanier with the National Weather Service.

Dougherty County is no stranger to flooding; the Flint River overflowed in 1994, 1998 and 2004. Now it's all about learning from the past to prepare for the future.

“You have to know where an area is going to flood, what the potential damage is and what the risk to life is and property. And if you have knowledge of what the potential impact of what flooding is, you're going to be well prepared,” said Lanier.

“If we are better prepared, before something actually hits, we know each other, we've worked with each other, we've trained with each other, then it gives us an opportunity to do a better job for the citizens of our community,” said Vaught.

To check local river levels such as the Flint, visit the National Weather Service.