“Our intent is that Fire Station 1 for now will be supplying sandbags. But if there is a local emergency” declared and the rain comes up to the level where staff feels there are areas of the city in peril, “we’ll open an emergency sandbag operation at the old gas station” just east of the Santa Paula California Oil Museum on Main Street. Stuart noted that the city’s emergency sandbag operation formerly was located at the corner of 9th Street and Railroad Avenue, but has been moved to the closed Union Oil Station.Stuart said that city staff is doing due diligence before the storm hits. “We have to look at the worst case scenario, be prepared for that as well as we can. Our hope is that we won’t have to do any of those things… in the case we have to go into this mode we’ll be as ready as we can possibly can. We’re not expecting the sky to fall literally - it’s not at that level - but we’re doing what we need to do to get prepared.”Stuart urged that city residents “keep an eye on the local news and Channel 10” during the storm. “Our intent is if we open the Emergency Operations Center we’ll start communicating with the public via cable Channel 10.”Having a battery-powered radio, flashlights and other emergency supplies should be on hand, added Stuart. “Use common sense: don’t be out there in the weather if you don’t have to be.”
SP prepares for new storm, urges citizens to be prepared
January 07, 2005
Santa Paula News
The coming projected weekend rainstorm was much on the mind of Santa Paula Fire Chief Paul Skeels and Building & Safety Director Steve Stuart who, with Public Works Maintenance Supervisor Teresa Young, on Thursday were inspecting various areas around the city.
By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesThe coming projected weekend rainstorm was much on the mind of Santa Paula Fire Chief Paul Skeels and Building & Safety Director Steve Stuart who, with Public Works Maintenance Supervisor Teresa Young, on Thursday were inspecting various areas around the city. The new storm is expected in three waves from late Thursday/early Friday through Monday that could bring as much as 20 inches of rain in the mountains and up to five inches in coastal and valley locations. The expected storm is coming on the heels of already record rainfall.“We’re doing a drive around our potential problem areas,” said Chief Skeels, who is also the city’s Assistant Director of Disaster Operations. When the rains come and if needed, “People who historically have had problems with their property and drainage are welcome to pickup sandbags at Fire Station 1,” located on South 10th Street, Chief Skeels noted.Stuart noted that staff is “gearing up” for a bad storm, including a meeting of city management that deals with such emergencies. If necessary, the city will open the Emergency Operations Center at City Hall, Stuart said. In such a case, and if electrical power is not compromised, the city will have storm and related information – including sandbag locations and storm status - on cable television Channel 10.
