The City of Laguna Beach is expected to be impacted by a storm on Wednesday, Nov. 27, through Friday, Nov. 29, which will bring intermittent periods of heavy rain and potential localized flooding. The most significant phases of the storm are predicted during the morning and afternoon on Wednesday and then again Thursday afternoon through evening. Prediction models can change, so stay tuned to local weather reports. Out of an abundance of caution, downtown and canyon residents and business owners are encouraged to put flood gates into place while businesses are closed as a precautionary measure to protect property and inventory.
In addition, the city is providing pre-filled sandbags on a first-come, first-served basis to residents and business owners from two locations: the Act V parking lot located at 1900 Laguna Canyon Road, and at the Aliso Beach east parking lot located at 31118 Coast Highway (at the inland parking lot). These pre-filled sandbags are not for contractors.
Empty sandbags are also available at Laguna Beach’s four fire stations. They are free; however, residents must provide their own sand. It is not permitted to fill them with sand from Laguna’s beaches or playgrounds. For local locations of where you can purchase sand, visit www.lagunabeachcity.net/cityhall/police/emergprep/sandbags.htm.
According to the Army Corps of Engineers, sandbags work best when they are filled two-thirds full and folded at the top. The best way to place a sandbag is to first remove any debris from the areas where bags are to be placed, then place the bags lengthwise and parallel to the direction of water flow. Fill the low spots first before placing bags the full length of the area to be raised. Fold the open end of the bag under the filled portion. Place succeeding bags with the bottom of the bag tightly and partially overlapping the previous bag. To eliminate voids and form a tight seal, compact and shape each bag by walking on it. This flattens the top of the bag and prevents slippage between succeeding layers. Continue the process as each layer is placed.
Visit AlertOC.com to register your cell phone numbers, text numbers, and email addresses into the mass notification system. It is recommended that you register your work and home addresses separately to ensure you receive proper notifications for each location. AlertOC is a critical link for residents and businesses to immediately learn of any required actions.
To avoid being trapped when floodwaters threaten your area, the best way to protect yourself and your family is to evacuate before the flooding starts. Weather watches, warnings, and evacuations notices are science-based predictions that are intended to provide adequate time for evacuation. Those who wait for actual confirmation of catastrophic levels may be trapped by flooding or traffic.
Visit www.lagunabeachcity.net/getprepared for further information about Emergency
Preparedness and for video footage from past Laguna Beach disasters. For further information, contact Jordan Villwock, Emergency Operations Coordinator, at 949-497-0389 or [email protected].
