City hosts winter preparedness workshop
The “Prepare for Winter” Workshop held at the Healdsburg Community Center on the evening of Thursday, Oct. 22, provided residents with tips on how to get ready for winter weather, including heavy rains that could accompany an El Niño weather system. City staff including the city emergency coordinator, and individuals from the Healdsburg Fire Department and Public Works Department answered questions from the handful of residents who showed up. There was also a sandbag demonstration.
Information compiled by the city revealed that the challenges in draining the city during and after a storm are both natural and caused by humans.
Natural challenges include creek/river levels, intensity and duration of storms and terrain. Issues caused by people are clogged inlets, the capacity of the collection system, trash and impervious cover, such as concrete and asphalt.
Residents can help reduce flooding by keeping trash and debris out of the streets, sidewalks and storm drainage system. If residents notice a clogged drain near their home or business, they are encouraged to remove the trash and debris from the drain surface, once dangerous weather conditions have subsided.
Fire Inspector Ruben Mandujano had some tips to offer residents to prepare for El Niño.
“If water is going to be the problem, you’re not only going to have a problem downtown but possibly in your backyard. Sandbagging is one of the solutions to be ready for the water,” Mandujano said. In preparation for El Niño, the city will have a self-filling sandbag station at the Community Center.
Mandujano said that when power is lost, people will sometimes turn to emergency generators. It’s important to know exactly how to use them. When using an emergency generator, run it to individual items or a power strip and not to the entire house. “Be aware of it,” Mandujano said.
Residents sometimes use gas stoves inside their homes for heat. “Don’t use your stove oven to warm up your home. It creates a lot of carbon monoxide and people do die from carbon monoxide. They can’t see it, they can’t smell it, it’s called the invisible killer,” Mandujano said. He added that if residents are going to use a stove for heat anyway, have a carbon monoxide detector.
If there is a downed power line, stay away from it. The wires are so thin, they are not visible to the naked eye. “Don’t go outside if you don’t have to,” Mandujano said. “Don’t go investigate, let PG&E deal with it.”
Mandujano recommended that residents put together a disaster supplies kit that can last 72 hours. Items to include are food, water, bedding, clothing, equipment, personal supplies and medication, fuel, light, personal documents, money, items of entertainment, etc.
Utilities Director Terry Crowley said that if citizens need help with a utility type of service issue, such as problems with power outages, water, sewer, backed up storm drains flooding or debris in the street, they can call the city’s 24-hour utility response hotline. The line can be reached at 431-7000 or toll free at 855-755-6586. For life and safety emergencies, residents still need to call 911.
Public Works Director Brent Salmi said that the city has spent a month and a half clearing sediment and debris from Foss Creek, which will cause water to flow better. During the December storm last year, there was more water than the system could handle, even though the city cleans the creek out every year, Salmi said.
“That storm was 25 percent of our yearly annual rainfall in a 12-hour period,” Salmi said. “We learned from last year, so we are better prepared. If we get the same storm, we’ll have the same result, we’ll just approach it a little differently.”
