Three weeks after the first tropical storm in 84 years swept through Southern California, Los Angeles County first responders reported on Tuesday, Sept. 13 on a largely successful emergency response, resulting in only minor property damage, spot flooding and no loss of life.
But as officials from the county Fire Department, Public Works, Office of Emergency Management and Sheriff’s Department outlined the impacts of the storm to the LA County Board of Supervisors, they warned residents to remain vigilant and prepare for what is forecasted to be a very wet winter that could bring above-average rainfall and flooding.
“This year, we are looking at an El Niño condition and the potential for more rainfall than in an average winter,” explained Mark Pestrella, director of Public Works. He advocated residents in low-lying parts of the county obtain flood insurance.
Only moderate rainfall fell in most of the county, with six inches in the Santa Clarita Valley and seven inches in Castaic. “Why didn’t we have a major problem: Because the storm only lasted a day and a half,” Pestrella told the board.
Supervisor Janice Hahn said the most severe aspect of the storm affected San Diego and the Palm Springs area. She said L.A. County residents stayed home, got sandbags and hunkered down, in essence doing as they were told by authorities.
“I feel like we dodged a bullet. We were prepared,” said Supervisor Hilda Solis.
However, the storm did not pass through without incident, as reported to the board:
• A man was rescued by county fire from a flood channel in Pomona; two children were rescued from a canal in Santa Clarita and one person was rescued from a flood control channel in South Gate.
• A man fishing slipped off a cliff in Malibu on Aug. 20 during the storm, falling 30 feet and hitting his head on the rocks and was in critical condition after being rescued by Malibu Search and Rescue.
• There were 28 minor flooding incidents in the county and…
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