Tulare County prepares ahead of wet weather this weekend

TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- As an atmospheric river approaches parts of the Central Valley, Tulare County is gearing up for the first rain of the season.

Dozens of employees with the Resource Management Agency have been hard at work this week, double checking local infrastructure.

"They are checking pipes and drains, to make sure they are clear of any debris. They are checking under bridges to make sure water can flow adequately under bridges," mentioned Tony Boland with Tulare County Resource Management Agency.

He says there are about a dozen flooding signs that are permanent but during storms like these, they can put up about a couple hundred flooded signs across various county roads.

That's because water tends to gather in lower areas and roads near the foothills.

"Slow down in the rain, because it is the first significant rain of the season, oils and things that are on the road cause the roads to become more slick," explained Tony.

Tulare County Fire Chief Charlie Norman says his team is also ready to go,

"From the fire department standpoint we have sandbags at our designated stations so that they are easy for the public to access, and if it gets severe we have prepositioning programs where we -put apparatus in our busy flooding places," explained Chief Norman.

Although it's best to avoid driving in the rain, officials say you should make sure you are prepared if you must travel.

"Make sure you have an emergency bag with you, have some extra food, have some emergency provisions, if it starts raining, obey all your street signs, flood, make sure you are out there using common sense practices because everyone is in a hurry to get everywhere," said Chief Norman.

The chief also mentioned that it is a good idea to check in on your neighbors and build yourself and your home ready for safety.

For a list of sandbag locations click here.

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