The first significant downpours of the rainy season caused the typical storm drain flooding along San Benito Street and also served as a reminder that weather forecasters are predicting that this is just a sign of what’s to come with the anticipated return of El Nino conditions this winter.Â
The San Benito County Office of Emergency Services is using the rain as an invitation to the public to attend any of three scheduled storm preparedness meetings scheduled this month. The first will take place Monday, Nov. 16 at the San Juan Bautista City Council chambers, 311 Second St., at 6:30 p.m. On Tuesday, the 17th, officials will host a 6:30 p.m. presentation at the board chambers in the San Benito County Administration Building, 381 Fourth St. in Hollister. The final meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 18 at the Southside School gymnasium, 4991 Southside Rd.
“We want to educate the community on what the forecast is for El Nino, which is above-average rainfall for January, February and March,” Kris Mangano, an emergency services specialist for the county, told BenitoLink on Monday. “We’ll have the National Weather Service discussing that and the Red Cross will address the importance of disaster kits with a 72-hour supply of food and water. Also, what you need to do to plan for the safety of pets.”
The meetings will discuss what to do before, during an after a flood and detail how local cities and the county are preparing for the expected wet winter ahead.
“PG & E will discuss their response and recovery to the area when outages happen during storms and heavy winds,” Mangano said, adding that information about the availability of sandbags will be presented.
Residents are able to pick up sandbags at three locations in the county: Fire Station No. 2 on Airline Highway; at the flagpole of the Hollister Municipal Airport; and at the county yard at 3220 Southside Rd, Those sandbags are typically available in advance of a storm. The county yard is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., while the airport and fire station hold regular business hours between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.Â
“If we are expecting flooding, I’m sure we’d extend those hours” if sandbags were needed, Mangano said. “It would be storm-driven.” The county will provide the sand and the bags, but residents must bring their own shovels to fill the bags, she noted.
The County Office of Education has been invited but not confirmed to discuss how possible school closures would be handled. Southside School was closed for parts of two days last winter after a mudslide on Southside road cut off the northern access to the rural school.
Emergency Services officials will explain the county’s Code Red emergency alert system that allows residents to subscribe to receive notifications by text or phone in the event of an emergency situation that either requires evacuation or sheltering in place.
Public Works crews were out in force on Monday during and after the rain to clear storm drains, conduct river cleanup and trim tree branches that could be susceptible to falling in windy conditions.Â
Mangano said her office has worked with the county Health and Human Services Agency to develop an evacuation plan for the homeless who have set up camp along the San Benito River on the west side of Hollister While the riverbed has been dry, significant rainfall can cause it to flow, which could endanger the makeshift shelters that have been constructed along its banks.
“We’re trying to be proactive rather than reactive,” she said. “We don’t want that to be an emergency situation. Mangano noted that the evacuation procedures includes plans to gather people’s belongings and pets as well.
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