About a week after California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency ahead of a potentially historic El Niño, Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath led a virtual El Niño Town Hall to help residents be informed ahead of what may be a strong wet weather season.
“We want you to protect yourself, your family and your property … [and] be prepared before the rain arrives, so you can sign up for emergency alerts, know your flood and debris flow risk … make an evacuation plan [and] prepare your home,” said Horvath, who represents the 3rd District. She said that the goal of the town hall isn’t to alarm people, but rather to urge them to remain vigilant and direct them to where they can find the information they need.
“You may hear stories of this El Niño being historic, record-breaking. This does not mean we are forecasting catastrophe or disaster,” said Todd Hall, senior meteorologist with the National Weather Service in LA. He explained that “El Niño is an oceanic phenomenon … not a storm,” which increases the odds of a wetter season with potentially stronger or more frequent storms.
Hall emphasized the importance of understanding the county’s weather alert system. An “advisory” means that hazardous weather is occurring or imminent, but it’s generally not severe and residents are advised to exercise caution and “be ready to take action” if the weather worsens.
A “watch” means there’s a risk of dangerous weather that could pose a threat to life and property, and people should make last-minute preparations to protect their home and be ready to evacuate, or voluntarily leave their homes if they are not comfortable waiting out the situation, said Hall.
If a “warning” is issued, that means “dangerous weather is occurring right now, or is about to happen … that poses a direct threat to life and property,” he said. When a warning is issued, people should take protective action, which could mean going to the safest level of the home to avoid flooding, landslides or debris flow, or, if possible, evacuating to a predetermined location.
“Now is the time to prepare … because the risk of being caught unprepared can be significant if a disaster does occur,” said Hall, adding, “Remember: preparation is a marathon, not a sprint.”
Kevin McGowan, director of the LA County Office of Emergency Management (OEM), said preparation can begin with residents learning about potential flood risks in their communities.
“Every resident really should understand the flood risks particular to their neighborhood, their home, their school,” said McGowan, adding that they should also look at their renters or homeowners insurance policies to know what’s covered regarding possible flood damage.
“Residents should also inspect their homes [to] ensure that drains and rain gutters are clear, address any roof or drainage problems … and secure outdoor objects when storms are approaching,” he said. McGowan also encourages all residents to sign up for county-wide emergency notifications, and city-specific ones as well, available at: alert.lacounty.gov.
LA County Sheriff’s Department Captain Dustin Carr, commander at the Malibu-Lost Hills station, offered a helpful suggestion in the event drivers encounter rising water on the road.
“Turn around – don’t drown, and do not drive through a flooded roadway at all,” he said.
Mark Pestrella, director of LA County Public Works, said that because rain falls in different parts of LA County in different ways, and runs across the land in various ways, they attempt to prepare for virtually every possibility, including sustained or recurring heavy rainfall, back-to-back storms, localized flooding, flash floods, debris flows, mudslides and impacts along the coast.
“Right now, over 100 engineers from our department are spanning across the county, examining locations … we feel may be most vulnerable during a strong El Niño season, and beginning to engage property owners,” said Pestrella. But despite extensive local and county-wide preparations, he stressed the importance of every household having their own emergency plan.
“Whether it’s for floods, for earthquakes or fire, this plan should include where you would go in the event you no longer feel it’s safe to stay in your home or you’re asked to evacuate by public officials,” he added, noting that all plans should include having the necessary resources on hand to shelter in place for at least three days, including food, water and prescription medications.
Other necessities include weather radios, backup power for cell phones, writing down important contact information and destinations (available outside electronic devices), and having all essential documents stored in a safe and easily accessible location, according to McGowan.
“Though we cannot predict precisely how much rain El Niño may bring this year,” said McGowan, “we can and we must use this time to strengthen all of our personal preparedness.”
To sign up for LA County and city-specific emergency alerts, go to: alert.lacounty.gov.
For storm preparedness information, go to: www.ready.lacounty.gov/rain.
For information about flood and debris flow risks, or to request an inspection of your property, call: 1-800-933-0930.