South San Francisco, CA January 4, 2022 Press Release
Emergency Operations Center Open to Assist Residents as Storm Passes Through Bay Area
Heavy rains are expected to arrive later today through the evening into Thursday morning, and South San Francisco emergency personnel have been proactively preparing for heavy storms, which will bring extensive rain and wind.
“We’ve decided to activate our Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to serve our residents 24/7, which will help coordinate and streamline our City resources and communications with local, regional, and state agencies,” said Acting City Manager Sharon Ranals. “In addition, issuing a local state of emergency allows the City to be eligible for reimbursement for costs incurred in its emergency response to the current storms.”
Emergency personnel have increased its staffing, and public works and parks and recreation personnel are out surveying the City proactively addressing areas that have been prone to flooding in the past. The atmospheric river throughout New Year’s Eve weekend brought unprecedented rainfall levels, including approximately 5.8 inches in the 24-hour period beginning early on New Year’s Eve Day.
Impacts so far include:
- The City is experiencing high tides along our bayside
- Localized flooding is anticipated
- The City is monitoring Sign Hill and pockets of flooding, along with our other hillsides including Hickey and Hillside Boulevard
- Oyster Point Beach is closed, as are park restrooms
The City wants to remind residents of the following:
- If you are experiencing an emergency, please call 911.
- Reminder to bring your trash cans in after pickup, as they will add to the debris and storm flow
- Free sandbags are available to fill at the Corporation Yard at 550 N. Canal Street in South San Francisco. You can receive up to 10 free bags per household. While supplies last.
- Up-to-date information can be found at our website, www.ssf.net, including:
- Expanded health & safety guidelines for residents with flooded homes,
- Updates on parks and recreation programming,
- Links to the South San Francisco Unified School District and pending closures
- Sign up to receive emergency alerts through San Mateo County, here.
- Sign up for the City’s email distribution list to receive up-to-date, immediate information here.
- Check road closures and flooding in real time through Zonehaven, here.
- If the road has standing water, do not attempt to drive through
- If the City experiences power outages, please treat signals as a four-way stop.