Residents respond to flood warnings, heavy rain in Madera County mountains

OAKHURST, Calif. (KFSN) -- Flood warnings due to heavy rain threatened communities in the Madera County mountains on Sunday, causing residents to take extra precautions on the roads and in their homes.

Driving on slick roads in mountain communities can quickly become dangerous.

"I almost hydroplaned earlier on 49," said Oakhurst resident Jacob Pennington, who described the moment as heart-stopping.

Pennington is just one of many Oakhurst residents who have experienced that kind of fear this weekend.

The driver of a Mustang was critically injured Sunday after violently crashing into a tree.

Locals in Oakhurst are weighing in, saying there would be far fewer crashes if people would slow down.

"Everybody wants to pass and do their city driving, and it just doesn't work. It just causes a lot of accidents, and you really got to slow down in the rain and the snow," said David Gelzer.

"You got to know where you live, what type of tires and be sensitive to the type of tires," added Tim Troutnerd.

Authorities say that when weather conditions are severe, they can provide assistance.

"For snowy conditions in rescue situations, we have our brand-new SHERP, which can be used in high levels of snow. We can go out and rescue people," said Kate Woertman, the Director of Public Safety and Madera County Sheriff's Office.

Woertman urged county residents to always report emergency situations -- whether it involves you or someone else. She said they provide online resources both to help residents prepare ahead of storms, and to keep them informed.

"We're here to serve our community, keep you safe, in all situations. Not just crime-related," she said.