The City of Palm Springs prepares for incoming major storm

The City of Palm Springs is preparing for the major storm expected this weekend.

City officials said it is ready for potential road closures at the washes that usually get shut down due to flooding and debris. The barricades will be pre-staged ahead of the storm.

"We can't stop the water from flowing. So really, the best thing that we can do to protect our residents is put up those barricades and hope that they listen to what those barricades mean," said the city's emergency management coordinator, Danny DeSelms. "We just don't have the depth on city staff or in the fire department to have people positioned at those barricades."

Palm Springs Fire Department said it is preparing its swift water rescue gear should anyone get caught in flash flooding.

"We're going through it getting it all set up, getting the rafts to make sure they're inflated correctly, all our personal protective equipment set up and ready to go," said PSFD captain Nathan Gunkel.

Gunkel recommends everyone prepare themselves for the weekend storm. All five PSFD stations offer free empty sandbags to pick up and use.

"Go out and try and do all your shopping, get all your food, get your water, get your supplies now, so you don't have to drive out this weekend," said Gunkel. "If the power does go out, we really recommend using flashlights or any lights in your home that you have battery-powered and not candles because you're probably gonna leave them on during the night."

The City of Palm Springs offers a Citywide Emergency Notification System that provides timely and lifesaving information to registered residents, regardless of location, for free through Everbridge.

To sign up for the emergency notification, click HERE.