Good morning! As a strong storm system approaches the Central Coast, it's essential to take steps to prepare for potential emergencies. Daybreak Meteorologist Vivian Rennie has the forecast. Here are some important resources and actions you can take to stay safe:
Emergency Alerts:
- San Luis Obispo County:
- Reverse 911: Register for urgent emergency alerts about law enforcement and security-related events, including evacuations and shelter-in-place orders. Sign up here for Reverse 911 alerts.
- AlertSLO: This new system offers information about severe weather, highway closures, power outages, and other emergencies. Register for AlertSLO notifications here.
- Santa Barbara County:
- Sign up for emergency alerts at ReadySBC.org.
Sandbags:
- Fill and place sandbags to help divert water during floods.
- Sandbags are available at most local hardware stores, and sand can be collected for free from designated locations (bring a shovel).
Emergency Supplies:
- Gather supplies like flashlights, batteries, blankets, food, water, and first aid kits. Ensure that all electronic devices, including cell phones, are fully charged.
- If you must drive, keep emergency supplies in your vehicle and avoid driving through running water.
- For a more comprehensive list of supplies for your emergency kit and flood preparation, visit ReadySLO.org or ReadySBC.org.
Community reporter, Lindsie Hiatt shows us how five new recruits from the Paso Robles Fire Department are currently undergoing their six-week training academy. It’s taking place at the former Georgia Brown school campus, focusing on skills like obstacle avoidance, hose pulls, and ladder carries. Training Officer Robby Smith mentioned that the empty school campus provides valuable opportunities for simulating fire responses, which are not possible at their current site. Recruit Keana Viss, transitioning from the wine industry, appreciates the camaraderie among her peers and looks forward to building confidence in her firefighting skills as they prepare to respond to calls alongside PRFD crews after completing their training on March 13.
The Fire Safe Council and Upper Salinas-Las Tablas Resource Conservation District have secured over $7 million in grants for the North Coast Planning Project, aimed at community preparedness, fire hazard reduction, and ecological restoration in Cambria's pine forest. The project will focus on promoting forest health through techniques like fuel reduction and reforestation to mitigate fire risks and restore the rare ecosystem, which has become overgrown due to a lack of natural fire regimes. Sophia Villalba has more.
