Things are getting choppy out there and the National Weather is saying we won't be catching much of a break until Sunday night.
For your safety, avoid flooded roadways, authorities advise. To report flooding problems, contact local law enforcement authorities or town personnel, if during business hours. Residents of Los Altos can contact the Los Altos Police Department at (650) 947-2770. Residents of Los Altos Hills can contact Town Hall at (650) 941-7222 during business hours, or the Santa Clara County Department of Roads and Airports after hours at (408) 299-2507.
If you have some low-lying areas of your home or garage where a deluge can cause water to intrude, or you live near one of the many creeks in Los Altos and Los Altos Hills, you should keep some sandbags nearby.
In most cases, residents have to fill their own bags, so be ready to shovel and lift. But, if you need assistance, or are an elderly person, you can call (408)-265-2600, and the Santa Clara Valley Water District will let you know where you can pick up pre-filled bags, said Debbie Cifelli, office assistance at the public works service yard.
You should bring your own shovel, because some places may not provide them.
"Everytime we provide a shovel, someone takes it away," said Jacob Asfour, the head of the public works department for Los Altos Hills. The sandbags and the sand are available 24 hours, but ..."only for sandbag use, only for the storm, and not your yard landscaping," Asfour said (ooh, guess there's been a problem in the past).
Free sandbags can be picked up (self-serve) at the following locations:
- Los Altos Municipal Service Center, 707 Fremont Avenue in the MacKenzie Park parking lot. (650) 947-2785
- Los Altos Hills Public Works, Purissima Park (across from the corporation yard), 27400 Purissima Road (650) 948-9044
- Santa Clara Valley Water District Warehouse, 5905 Winfield Blvd., San Jose, CA 95123; PH: 1(888) 439-6624
- City of Palo Alto (adjacent to Palo Alto Air Terminal), 1925 Embarcadero Road Palo Alto, CA 94303; No phone number is available for this facility.
For additional flood safety tips, call the Santa Clara Valley Water District at 1-888-HEY-NOAH (439-6624) or visit the website.
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