Preparing for Winter Rain

Are you prepared for the winter rain?  La Habra residents are encouraged to prepare now and stay prepared throughout the rainy season.  Don’t wait until the storms arrive and it’s too late to protect yourself, your family, and your property.  

Before it Rains:

It’s always a good idea to have an emergency preparedness plan in place for you and your loved ones for heavy rain events or other weather-related incidents.  

Stay Informed: 

The first step in any emergency preparedness plan is to stay informed.

  • Set up tools on your phone to get emergency alerts and weather information where you live and work.
  • Monitor local weather reports and consider adding a weather app to your cell phone to get information about storms and weather forecasts.

To receive emergency alerts, including warnings and evacuations, sign up with AlertOC, the emergency notification system provided by the County of Orange.  AlertOC is a mass notification system designed to keep Orange County residents and businesses informed of potential emergencies that may occur or that are happening.
 
By registering with AlertOC, you may receive on your home phone, cell phone, or business phone time-sensitive voice messages from the County or the City in which you live or work. Text messages may also be sent to cell phones. AlertOC can send out messages to email accounts and TTY devices as well. AlertOC is operated by the County of Orange in collaboration with local cities.

Family Planning:

It’s important to have a family emergency preparedness plan that includes evacuation and/or relocation plans, essential supplies, and a communication plan.  This planning effort is also useful in a variety of emergency situations.  For more information about creating a family emergency plan or creating a basic emergency kit, visit ReadyOC.  

Sandbags:

In preparation for rain storms, La Habra residents can access sand and sandbags, free of charge, at the following locations in La Habra:

City Public Works Yard:          photo stating sandbags are available to la habra residents

621 W. Lambert Road

During regular business hours:

M-Th 6:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Fri 6:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

(proof of residency required)

 Fire Station 192: 520 S. Harbor Blvd.

 Ambulance Operations Facility: 1000 W. Risner Way

Residents are encouraged to bring a shovel, gloves, and an additional person to help fill the sandbags at any of the three locations.

Friendly Reminder: When rain is expected, turn off your irrigation systems 48 hours before the storms, during the rain, and then 48 hours after the rain has ended to help conserve water and avoid over saturating the ground. 

During Rain Storms:

City Public Works crews will remain on duty or on call to address any major issues that occur. City crews, contractors and emergency services personnel will monitor storm events and work to clear downed trees and/or debris, respond to road incidents, and assist those in need.  For emergencies, always call 9-1-1.  

Below are some tips and reminders to keep you and your family safe during heavy rain events:

  • Stay indoors if at all possible.
  • If you must drive, give yourself plenty of time and drive safely (slow down, watch for hazards, check windshield wipers, do not drive into high water, do not tailgate, turn on headlights).
  • Avoid driving through standing water as you may not know how deep the water is
  • Avoid crossing through running water as the current may be stronger than you think 
  • Clear debris on or around your property so that rainwater can continue to drain away from your home
  • Check your property for leaks or water that is collecting by your home to avoid potential flooding 
  • Continue to monitor weather conditions 

FAQs

What do I do if I see a downed power line?

  • Be alert for downed power lines, trees, or other objects that may be damaged due to the weather, and stay clear.
  • If you see a downed power line, leave the area immediately and call 911, then call SCE at 1-800-611-1911 to report the downed lines.

What do I do if I see a downed tree, flooding, or debris on the road?

  • Report downed trees, flooding, debris or potholes directly to the City of La Habra Public Works Department at 562-383-4170 during business hours (M-TH 6:30am to 4pm, Fri 6:30am to 3pm).  During non-business hours, call the Police Department non-emergency number at 562-383-4300 and reported issues will be sent to Public Works staff to look into.