Valley residents are advised to prepare for an approaching major storm

Attention all residents of the Valley! It's time to brace yourselves for a major storm that's on its way. Don't wait until it's too late; start preparing now to ensure the safety of yourself and your loved ones. Remember, the earlier you prepare, the better equipped you will be to face the storm head-on.

"Residents who have experienced flooding in the past, those residents should have sandbags ready to go to prevent the water and mud from getting into their homes," says the Riverside County Emergency Management Services Public Information Officer Shane Reichardt. He also recommends that every family create an evacuation plan should they have to leave their home unexpectedly. "That means having a plan, knowing multiple routes in and out of your neighborhood, and also having your essential items ready to go so that you could toss them in the car and leave the area quickly," says Reichardt.

In Coachella, the public information officer shared that they have a post going out first thing Monday morning around (6:30 am) with a sandbag distribution notice and a link on how to fill and utilize them properly.

In Cathedral City, "Our Public Works crews are cleaning the drains and doing regular maintenance, which they've been doing before every weather event, and will be ready to go if significant rain arrives in the Valley," says the Events and Communications director, Ryan Hunt. "CCFD provided sandbags at all fire stations Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday last week."

In Thousand Palms, Riverside County Emergency Management Services issued an alert on Sunday advising people to prepare for the storm. "We've had areas in Thousand Palms that have received mud and debris coming in after rain events, says Reichardt. "So that's a nuisance. It's certainly hard for that community. The mud is getting into the roadways, it's potentially entering some of their homes. So we want those residents to be prepared well in advance of the rain coming in. "

"On our website, there is a free brochure that you can download that will show you some of the areas to watch out for where you might expect water and debris to be coming out of the hills", says Reichardt.

The city of Palm Desert shares that sand is available at the Palm Desert Civic Center, just north of the Dog Park on San Pablo Avenue. Residents are encouraged to bring their own shovels and sandbags.

The city of Indio will have empty sandbags available at City Hall, 100 Civic Center Mall, Indio, CA 92201, starting tomorrow from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Statement from Palm Springs Police Department: The Palm Springs Police Department is committed to the safety of our community. We’d like to take this time to remind everyone of some best practices for driving safely in inclement weather. Officials strongly advise minimizing non-essential travel and, if feasible, staying at home. 

For those who must venture out, here are some crucial safety reminders:

1. Activate headlights and disable cruise control.
2. Maintain a secure grip on the steering wheel.
3. Reduce speed and approach driving with increased caution.
4. Double the typical following distance to accommodate extended stopping distances on wet roads.
5. Stay vigilant for road debris that may pose hazards.

In the event of hydroplaning:

1. Refrain from abrupt braking.
2. Stay composed, reduce acceleration, steer towards the desired direction, and employ gentle brake pulsing until traction is restored.

During flood occurrences:

1. Exercise prudence and avoid assuming the depth of water or road conditions, particularly in nocturnal settings.
2. Opt to turn around instead of traversing flooded areas; as minimal as 6 inches of water can compromise smaller vehicles, with 12 inches having the potential to sweep away any vehicle.

In cases of rising floodwaters surrounding your vehicle:

1. Abandon the vehicle promptly.
2. Seek higher ground on foot.

For emergencies, please call 911. For non-emergency inquiries related to the storm, contact the Palm Springs Police Department at 760-327-1441.

Governor Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency for several counties in Southern California to support storm response and recovery efforts. The counties are Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.