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Winter Storm 2023
PREPARE NOW FOR THE UPCOMING WINTER STORM
Sandbag filling stations:
Fire Station 3
Located at 2101 Lake Tahoe Blvd. Please go to the backside of the fire station on James Av. to access the sandbag filling station. Bring your own shovel to fill sandbags.
Search & Rescue Building
1834 Santa Fe Rd., 8am-7pm (Provided by El Dorado County)
Recreation & Swim Complex
1180 Rufus Allen - Follow signs for 'sand bag location'. Bring your own shovel.
For County Resident Resources, visit: https://eldoradocounty.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/5f3af735637c45418b898253868ef8d3
- Tahoe Ice Arena, 1176 Rufus Allen Blvd.
- Recreation and Swim Complex, 1180 Rufus Allen Blvd.
Current Road Closures:
Bijou Area:
- Werner Salas Drive
Please avoid this area while crews work to address flooding.
The following roads are now open but still have localized flooding, use caution:
Off Pioneer Trail:
- Rockwood Drive
- Woodbine Road
Starting on Thursday evening, March 9, through Sunday, March 12, a winter storm warning will be in effect with the potential for excessive precipitation also known as an atmospheric river. With incoming heavy amounts of rain and snow, flooding and structural damage to homes and commercial properties is anticipated.
On March 8, the City issued and an Emergency Proclamation, in order to leverage all available tools from local, state, and federal resources in response to potential impacts from the forecasted atmospheric river. To view the Emergency Proclamation, go here.
On Thursday, March 9, the City activated a virtual Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to respond quickly and have efficient communication with our local, state, and federal agencies.
Stay informed with the latest updates on the winter storm by following us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Have you signed up for Emergency Alerts?
The El Dorado County Sheriff's Office, Office of Emergency Services' Alert Notification System - Code Red provides a number of ways in which the county may contact the community in the event of an emergency such as: evacuations due to wildfires or hazardous material spills, or urgent law enforcement operations. The system may be used to deliver alerts when there is a threat to the health or safety of residents. To find out more about Code Red, or to register your home phone, cell phone, and/or email address go to: ready.edso.org
- How DO I prepare for flooding?
- How do I know if my roof is overstressed?Â
- Where do I go for weather and Road conditions?
- Is it important to keep my gas meter cleared?
- How do I prepare for a POWER outage?
- How do I prepare for an emergency?
It's not too late to prepare, especially if your area is prone to flooding. Sandbag filling stations are now open.
Sandbag filling stations:
Fire Station 3
Located at 2101 Lake Tahoe Blvd. Please go to the backside of the fire station on James Av. to access the sandbag filling station. Bring your own shovel to fill sandbags.
Recreation & Swim Complex
1180 Rufus Allen - Follow signs for 'sand bag location'. Bring your own shovel.
Search & Rescue Building
1834 Santa Fe Rd., 8am-7pm (Provided by El Dorado County)
For County Resident Resources, visit: https://eldoradocounty.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/5f3af735637c45418b898253868ef8d3
Is my area prone to flooding?
Go to the following link, to see if your home or business is at risk of flooding. City of South Lake Tahoe Flood Zone Areas
• Sagging ceiling tiles or boards, ceiling boards falling out of the ceiling grid,
and/or sagging sprinkler lines and sprinkler heads
• Sprinkler heads deflecting below suspended ceilings
• Popping, cracking, and creaking noises
• Sagging roof members, including metal decking or plywood sheathing
• Bowing truss bottom chords or web members
• Doors and/or windows that can no longer be opened or closed
• Cracked or split wood members
• Cracks in walls or masonry
• Severe roof leaks
• Excessive accumulation of water at nondrainage locations on low slope roofs
Warning! If any of these warning signs are observed, the building should be promptly evacuated and a local building authority and/or a qualified design professional should be contacted to perform a detailed structural inspection.
To learn more, about Snow Load Safety Guidance, visit: https://www.fema.gov/.../2020-07/fema_snow_load_2014.pdf.
If you need an inspection done within the City limits, contact the City's Building Division at 530-542-6193.
Information source: FEMA
Please be sure to follow these resources, which provide up-to-date road and weather conditions. We anticipate chain controls and highway closures through the weekend. Stay informed and stay safe.
Road Conditions:
https://twitter.com/CHPSouthLake
Weather Conditions:
https://twitter.com/NWSSacramento
Additional Resources:
https://www.facebook.com/ElDoradoCountyNews
Residents in areas of heavy snowfall who are clearing off their rooftops in advance of the next round of winter storms are urged by Southwest Gas to use the utmost caution and safety to ensure snow and ice does not fall onto natural gas infrastructure. This includes, but is not limited to meters, piping, outdoor appliances, and external natural gas connections. Regardless of whether the home or business has a snow shelter in place, the weight of excessive snow and ice accumulation, whether natural or manmade, can damage natural gas piping and create a hazardous release of natural gas.
Customers are also reminded to keep the area around their natural gas meter and, if applicable, snow shelter, clear of snow and debris. Do not allow snow to block any appliance exhaust vents. Promptly clear snow or ice build-up around meters by using a broom, not a shovel, whenever possible to avoid causing damage.
Customers are reminded about the signs of a potential natural gas leak:
• The smell of sulfur or rotten eggs, even if only momentary
• The sound of hissing or roaring coming from the ground or natural gas infrastructure
• The sight of snow or dirt blowing into the air; standing water that continuously bubbles
If you suspect a natural gas leak, even if you do not have natural gas service, leave the area immediately and call 911 and Southwest Gas at 1-877-860-6020.
For more important safety tips, including snow safety, visit swgas.com/safety and https://www.swgas.com/1409183016232/01-2016_Snow-Safety-English.pdf.
Information source: SWG.
Preparing for an Outage
When the power goes out, it can last for minutes, hours, or sometimes even days. The outage can disrupt communications, water, transportation, stores, banks, and other services. It can also impact your lighting, heating, cooling, food, and medical needs.
Preparing for outages before they occur can help reduce discomfort when the power goes out. Follow the tips below to help you and your family prepare for outages:
- Keep your contact information up to date so you can receive outage and emergency alerts from Liberty.
Update My Contact Information - Put together an emergency kit to address the needs of your family and your pets. Use our checklist at the button below to help get started.
Emergency Preparedness Checklist - Plan for medical needs that may be impacted by a loss of power.
- Keep your cell phones and other electronic devices fully charged. You may want to consider purchasing a back-up battery device.
- Store at least a 48-hour supply of non-perishable food and water.
- Keep cash on hand for emergency purchases, as ATMs and bank services may be impacted during an outage.
- Plan for heating and/or cooling for your home.
Source: Red Cross
What To Do During an Outage
Liberty crews work year-round to prevent outages, but outages may still occur. Outages may be planned in advance for crews to upgrade infrastructure, or they may be unplanned as a result of a car accident, storm, animal contact, or other reasons.
While our crews work to restore power as quickly and as safely as possible, there are some steps you can take to help reduce damage and discomfort during an outage.
- If the power goes off during cold weather, keep all doors closed to keep the heat inside. Have your family dress warmly, gather blankets/sleeping bags and stay together in the same room or area. Even in very cold weather, the house should stay comfortable for several hours.
- Keep your refrigerator and freezer closed as much as possible. The contents should be good for many hours if the door is kept closed.
- Turn off all electrical appliances, including computers and peripherals, especially those that generate heat. This helps prevent hazards or damage when service is restored.
- Turn off all lights except one inside your home or business and one outside. The inside light is an indicator for you and the outside light is an indicator for Liberty crews to know when the power is back on.
When power has been restored, please conserve electricity in the first couple hours to prevent further outages.
Claims
Liberty makes every effort to provide safe and reliable electric service to our customers. However, if you believe an electrical event such as a power surge caused damage to your home and/or any electrical appliances, please file a claim with Liberty. Liberty will review and research each claim which takes six to eight weeks. If you have any questions you may contact our Claims Representative, Danielle Seibel at 530-721-9679 or danielle.seibel@libertyutilities.com.
Information courtesy of Liberty Utilities.
Make a Plan
Make a plan today. Your family may not be together if a disaster strikes, so it is important to know which types of disasters could affect your area. Know how you’ll contact one another and reconnect if separated. Establish a family meeting place that’s familiar and easy to find.
Step 1: Put a plan together by discussing the questions below with your family, friends or household to start your emergency plan.
- How will I receive emergency alerts and warnings?
- What is my shelter plan?
- What is my evacuation route?
- What is my family/household communication plan?
- Do I need to update my emergency preparedness kit?
Step 2: Consider specific needs in your household.
As you prepare your plan tailor your plans and supplies to your specific daily living needs and responsibilities. Discuss your needs and responsibilities and how people in the network can assist each other with communication, care of children, business, pets or specific needs like operating medical equipment. Create your own personal network for specific areas where you need assistance. Keep in mind some these factors when developing your plan:
- Different ages of members within your household
- Responsibilities for assisting others
- Locations frequented
- Dietary needs
- Medical needs including prescriptions and equipment
- Disabilities or access and functional needs including devices and equipment
- Languages spoken
- Cultural and religious considerations
- Pets or service animals
- Households with school-aged children
Step 3: Create a Family Emergency Plan
Make a Family Emergency Plan quickly and easily with our fillable form.
Make a Family Emergency Plan
Build an Emergency Kit
To assemble your kit store items in airtight plastic bags and put your entire disaster supplies kit in one or two easy-to-carry containers such as plastic bins or a duffel bag.
A basic emergency supply kit could include the following recommended items:
Water (one gallon per person per day for several days, for drinking and sanitation)
Food (at least a several-day supply of non-perishable food)
Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert
Flashlight
First aid kit
Extra batteries
Whistle (to signal for help)
Dust mask (to help filter contaminated air)
Plastic sheeting and duct tape (to shelter in place)
Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties (for personal sanitation)
Wrench or pliers (to turn off utilities)
Manual can opener (for food)
Local maps
Cell phone with chargers and a backup battery
Be Informed
Stay connected with the El Dorado County Emergency Alert Notification System-CODE RED
The El Dorado County Sheriff's Office, Office of Emergency Services' Alert Notification System - Code Red provides a number of ways in which the county may contact the community in the event of an emergency such as: evacuations due to wildfires or hazardous material spills, or urgent law enforcement operations. The system may be used to deliver alerts when there is a threat to the health or safety of residents.
To find out more about Code Red, or to register your home phone, cell phone, and/or email address go to: ready.edso.org
Information courtesy of Ready.gov.
| Local Agencies and Providers | Phone number | Website |
|---|---|---|
| City of South Lake Tahoe | 530-542-6000 | https://cityofslt.us/ |
| Southwest Gas | 1-877-866-6020 | https://www.swgas.com/ |
| Liberty Utilities | 1-844-245-6868 | https://libertyutilities.com/ |
| STPUD | 530-544-6474 | https://stpud.us/ |
| El Dorado County Government | 530-621-5567 | https://www.edcgov.us/ |