Emergency supplies, a family plan, and clean gutters are among the preparations San Luis Obispo County officials recommend for possible El Niño storms, KSBY reported.
Lessons from the Central Coast's 2023 flooding influenced their advice.
Here's what to know
Residents got answers to their storm-preparation questions from county emergency officials during a virtual meeting.
County agencies participating included the sheriff's office, the Public Works Department, the Office of Emergency Services, and CAL FIRE.
A local meteorologist also attended.
A rainy winter is not a certainty simply because it is an El Niño season, explained Anita Konopa, emergency services coordinator for the Office of Emergency Services.
"The government can only do so much to make sure that you're prepared without you actually being a partner in that process," she said, emphasizing a need for household-level preparation.
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More background
Roads, culverts, and drainage systems are undergoing Public Works inspections as the county applies what it learned from the Central Coast's 2023 floods.
Training and advance resource placement are part of fire and law enforcement agencies' preparations for possible storms.
Severe weather conditions differ by location, said Grisel Puig-Snider, who lives in Los Osos and is originally from Puerto Rico.
"It's a little bit different here because we don't experience that type of weather every year," Puig-Snider told KSBY.
What can be done?
Preparations for heavy rain are only part of what Konopa recommended to locals.
She also urged residents to have emergency supplies and a household emergency plan.
Konopa further advised residents to clean gutters ahead of potentially more damaging storms.
Puig-Snider told locals to get important documents and paperwork in order before severe weather arrives — not to wait until a storm is approaching.
She also recommended keeping water, candles, and flashlights on hand.
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Konopa underscored the fact that preparedness is a shared effort.
"Everyone is in this together. And we all want to be as prepared as possible."
Where can I learn more?
Other California communities have also been preparing for El Niño storms. These stories cover emergency declarations, flood control planning, and flood insurance discounts.
• California declared a statewide emergency as El Niño threatened flooding, high surf, and erosion.
• Montecito residents packed a flood control meeting as El Niño complicated the outlook for winter storms.
• Eligible Riverside County residents could receive 25% off flood insurance as El Niño approaches California.
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