Vidya Sethuraman
India Post News Service
Ethnic Media Services and California Black Media presented a statewide ethnic media briefing on Storm Season Safety in partnership with Listos California at the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES).
The media briefing was on Thursday, December 7, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. In 2022-23, California experienced more than a dozen atmospheric rivers, impacting nearly every community statewide. This intense deluge resulted in heavy rains, high winds, deep snow and significant flooding for millions of Californians. As the state looks to another impactful Storm Season, there is a predicted 75% to 85% chance of a strong El Niño event developing during the 2023-24 rainy season, including possible heavy snows early in the season, with warmer rains later in the season.
The public can log on to socialpresskit.com/wetinter to obtain assistance in facing extreme weather. The toolkit provides resources in multiple languages. Please visit listoscalifornia.org/ for up-to-date information on the range of resources to help Californians in need.
Diana Crofts-Pelayo, Assistant Director, Crisis Communication & Public Affairs at the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services said that in order to safely respond to the storm, the public first needs to subscribe to the early warning system in advance. You can log on to the official California website listoscalifornia.org/alerts/, once severe weather occurs, subscribers will receive notification text messages from the government; the official website has 13 language services and also provides help to immigrants without status. They can enjoy social welfare in severe weather and will not affect their immigration process.
Secondly, make a family plan for where family members can evacuate and meet up if a storm strikes. At the same time, store important items, including personal documents, in a box in advance so that they can be taken away immediately in the event of an emergency. Pelayo pointed out that people must evacuate dangerous areas before the storm comes.
Bianca Feldkircher, Meteorologist from the National Weather Service’s Western Region Headquarters said that El Niño usually peaks around Christmas. Ocean warming causes high-speed airflow to strengthen and move southward, and there will be more storms when El Niño occurs. She pointed out that the El Niño warning has been in effect this winter, but the impact will be different in each region. Some places may be drier and warmer, while others may be rainier and wetter.
Jazmin Ortega, Deputy Press Secretary with the California Department of Insurance reminded consumers that before the storm, people can take photos of their properties and valuables in their homes to keep documents for later use when submitting insurance. At the same time, she also reminded consumers to contact their insurance companies before the storm. The company communicates the specifics of the policy, what is covered and what is not.
Also Read: Extreme heat update– California escaped the worst in July but scorching weather is ahead
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