California Bracing for Another Powerful Storm; Follow These Safety Steps
Press releases are posted on Independent.com as a free community service.
CENTRAL CALIFORNIA, FEBRUARY 2, 2024 — The National Weather Service is forecasting a major storm with potentially life-threatening impacts across Central California over the weekend through next week. Moderate to heavy rainfall lasting multiple hours and strong winds are expected.
Officials are urging residents to prepare now. The American Red Cross is monitoring the situation and preparing to respond if necessary. The Red Cross offers these steps people should follow to help them stay safe:
Flooding Safety
Turn around, don’t drown. Stay off the roads. If you must drive and encounter a flooded roadway while driving, turn around and go another way.
- If your neighborhood is prone to flooding, be prepared to evacuate quickly if necessary.
- Follow evacuation orders and do not attempt to return until officials say it is safe to do so. Follow evacuation routes and do not try to take shortcuts because they may be blocked.
- If you are caught on a flooded road and waters are rising rapidly around you, get out of the car quickly and move to higher ground. Most cars can be swept away by less than two feet of moving water.
- Head for higher ground and stay there.
- Be especially cautious at night when it’s harder to see flood danger.
- Stay away from floodwaters. Beware of snakes, insects and other animals that may be in or around floodwaters and your home.
- Keep children and pets away from hazardous sites and floodwaters.
- Do not use water that could be contaminated to wash dishes, brush teeth, prepare food, wash hands, make ice or make baby formula.
- Offer help to people who require special assistance including older adults, those without transportation, large families, people with disabilities and the people who care for them.
- If power lines are down outside your home, do not step in puddles or standing water. Report them immediately to the power company.
- If any gas or electrical appliances were flooded, don’t use them until they have been checked for safety.
- Dispose of any food that has come into contact with flood water.
- Take pictures of home damage, both of the buildings and its contents, for insurance purposes.
- If power lines are down, don’t step in puddles or standing water.
TRAVEL SAFETY: Avoid travel if you can. If you must go out during a winter storm, use public transportation if possible. About 70 percent of winter deaths related to ice and snow occur in automobiles.
- Check your vehicle emergency supplies kit and replenish it if necessary.
- Bring your cell phone and make sure the battery is charged.
- Plan to travel during daylight and, if possible, take another person with you.
- Let someone know your destination, your route, and when you expect to arrive.
- Before leaving, check the weather reports for all areas you will be passing through.
- Watch out for sleet, freezing rain, freezing drizzle, and dense fog.
If you are stranded, stay in the vehicle and wait for help. Do not leave the vehicle to search for assistance unless help is visible within 100 yards.
- Hang a brightly colored cloth (preferably red) on the radio antenna and raise the hood after snow stops falling.
- Turn on the engine for about 10 minutes each hour. Use the heater while the engine is running. Keep the exhaust pipe clear of snow, and slightly open a downwind window for ventilation.
- Leave the overhead light on when the engine is running so that you can be seen.
- If more than one person is in the vehicle, take turns sleeping.
- Huddle together for warmth. Wrap yourself in newspapers, maps, and even the removable floor mats to help trap more body heat.
- Use flashlights in the dark — not candles.
- Eliminate unnecessary travel, especially by car. Traffic lights will be out and roads will likely be congested.
- Turn off and unplug all unnecessary electrical equipment and appliances. When power comes back on, surges or spikes can damage equipment.
- Leave one light on, so you’ll know when power is restored.
- Never use a generator, grill, camp stove or other gasoline, propane, natural gas or charcoal-burning devices inside a home, garage, basement, crawlspace or any partially enclosed area. Keep these devices outside away from doors, windows and vents, which could allow carbon monoxide to come indoors.
- During a prolonged outage, keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to protect your food. Use perishable food from the refrigerator first, then, food from the freezer. If the power outage continues beyond a day, prepare a cooler with ice for your freezer items. Keep food in a dry, cool spot and cover it at all times.
- Stay alert and awake. Many deaths from landslides occur while people are sleeping.
- Listen to local news stations on a battery-powered radio for warnings of heavy rainfall.
- Consider leaving if it is safe to do so.
- If you suspect imminent danger, evacuate immediately. Inform affected neighbors if you can, and contact your public works, fire or police department.
- Listen for unusual sounds that might indicate moving debris, such as trees cracking or boulders knocking together.
- If you are near a stream or channel, be alert for any sudden increase or decrease in water flow and notice whether the water changes from clear to muddy. Such changes may mean there is debris flow activity upstream so be prepared to move quickly.
- Be especially alert when driving— watch for collapsed pavement, mud, fallen rocks and other indications of possible debris flow.
- If you are ordered or decide to evacuate, take your animals with you.
- Consider a precautionary evacuation of large or numerous animals as soon as you are aware of impending danger.
DOWNLOAD OUR APPS Download the free Red Cross First Aid app so you’ll know what to do if emergency help is delayed and the free Emergency app for weather alerts, open Red Cross shelter locations and safety steps for different emergencies. Choose whether you want to view the content in English or Spanish with an easy-to-find language selector. Find these and all of the Red Cross apps in smartphone app stores by searching for the American Red Cross or going to redcross.org/apps.
YOU CAN HELP people affected by disasters like flooding and countless other crises by making a gift to Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. Visit redcross.org, call 800-RED-CROSS (800-733-2767), or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.