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For the latest on Wednesday's storm, go here.
As someone who has lived through my fair share of floods, I know a thing or two about preparing for them. While Sunday helped dry our area out a bit, that certainly won't help with what's to come. The ground is wet, and that will certainly contribute to more flooding. It looks like this mid-week storm will be big, even by Texas standards.
With one day ahead of the storm, that's more than enough time to get out and prepare. Here are a few tips to get you ready to ride out the big one.
Sandbags
Cities around the county have stocked up on sand and bags. The sandbags are completely self-serve; drive to the locations listed below and fill up a bag. Sandbags are an easy and effective way to prevent floodwaters from entering your home or storage areas.
City of Redwood City
- Public Works – 1400 Broadway, Redwood City, (650) 780-7464
City of San Carlos
- Corp Yard – 1000 Bransten Road, San Carlos, (650) 802-4140
City of Belmont
- Corp Yard – 1000 Bransten Road, San Carlos, (650) 802-4140
- Barrett Community Center – 1835 Belburn Drive, Belmont, (650) 595-7441
- Belmont Corp Yard – 110 Sem Lane, Belmont, (650) 595-7425
- Belmont City Hall – 1 Twin Pines Lane, Belmont, (650) 595-7413
The county is also providing sandbags for those living in unincorporated areas at the following locations.
- Grant Corporation Yard -752 Chestnut Road (Enter on Spring St.), Redwood City
- Princeton Corporation Yard – 203 Cornell Avenue, Half Moon Bay
- Pescadero High School – 350 Butano Cutoff Road, Pescadero
Shelter Assistance
The city is providing shelter for those who need it. Call Fair Oaks Community Center at 650-780-7500 or visit at 2600 Middlefield Road, Redwood City, Monday-Friday, 8 am-5 pm. If after 5 pm or on the weekend, please call 650-780-7100 (Police Dispatch) to access emergency shelter.
Buy the essentials
You may need bottled water, toiletries, medicines, nonperishable foods
Prepare for power outages
Your power may very well go out. If you don't have a generator, buy batteries and flashlights. Charge your cell phone, iPad, laptop and any other electronics. Have a power bank ready in case your phone needs a quick charge.
Check for outages here. You can also check on the status of the outage.
Check on your neighbors, your elders and those with disabilities
It's easy to remember that you must prepare yourself and your family for Wednesday's storm, but don't forget to help your elderly neighbor who may not have the strength to fill sandbags and place them herself.
Get to high ground
If you didn't follow our social media on Saturday, you missed our photos and videos of all the flooding and stalled cars around town. Unfortunately, a lot of people got caught by surprise all their cars were damaged. We recommend scoping out some high ground for your vehicles if you can by Wednesday.
@rwcpulse New Year’s Eve 2022 Weather Flooding #redwoodcity #atmosphericriver #flooding2022 #sancarlos ♬ I Think I Like When It Rains – WILLIS
What to do when dealing with floodwaters
"Floodwater can contain all kinds of dangerous materials, and it is obviously best to avoid any contact with the water. Raw sewage, animal waste, toxic substances, chemical compounds, fungus, bacteria — things you would rather avoid — may be in the water, and you need to take precautions to avoid illness or injury," San Mateo County Health Officer Dr. Scott Morrow.
Monitor the city's social media
The city and county will provide constant updates throughout emergencies, letting residents know what to expect and whether there are road closures.
Find road closures in real-time
Zonehaven is a nifty tool that will update you on road closures in real time. You can either search by address or let it find you by location. The app will also update you on active fires, so keep that in mind for fire season.
San Mateo County Alerts
San Mateo County recently revamped its alerts system. By signing up for the alert system, the user can receive text and email notifications of emergencies in your area, such as wildlife incidents and traffic issues related to specific highways.
PulsePoint
If you want to know to want to everything that's happening in your area — flooding, fires, traffic collisions, medical emergency– then PulsePoint is for you. I would recommend this if you want to know where there is flooding in your area during the storm on Wednesday.
More tips from Redwood City are here.
This is a developing story.
