Southern California received a tropical storm warning Friday night as Hurricane Hilary is expected to reach the coastline this weekend. All Los Angeles residents should be prepared at all times, but more importantly now than ever, for extreme weather and hazardous conditions such as heavy rain, heavy wind, flooding, electrical outages, and blocked roadways.

We’ve collated a few ways to keep you safe through the storms.

1) Download the LAIT911 App

Downloading the LAIT911 app allows you to receive real-time emergency alerts for perils throughout the City of Los Angeles. LAIT911 enables you to keep track of emergency response efforts and know where potential danger is at all times.

In addition, LAIT911’s analyst desk will be staffed 24/7 this weekend, continuously monitoring the impacts of the storms, keeping the community informed, and assisting in recovery and prevention where possible.

You can download the LAIT911 app on the iOS App Store or the Google Play Store.

2) Enable Local Alerts in the LAIT911 App

Make the LAIT911 app work for you by enabling Local Alerts or Geolocation Alerts in our mobile app. When you have geolocation alerts, you will receive free alerts for major incidents directly impacting your current location. You can enable local alerts by navigating to the Bell icon inside the mobile app and toggling Local Alerts.

3) Sandbags

These simple yet effective tools act as barriers, diverting water flow and protecting your structure from potential damage. A reliable line of defense, sandbags can make all the difference in safeguarding your property during flood events. Stacking sandbags strategically around your structure creates a formidable barrier that helps prevent water infiltration and minimizes the risk of flood-induced destruction.

LAFD is providing all Los Angeles residents with free and easy access to sandbags and sand to fill them. You can read more here. If you have logistical issues on collecting or placing sandbags for your property, please reach out to our DisasterOps team by replying to this email or emailing [email protected].

4) Stock up on important supplies

This isn’t a suggestion to go out and clear the grocery store shelves, but instead to have the necessary supplies to avoid having to go out mid-storm to purchase food, water, or medication for yourself or your family, including your pets. With potential power outages, it’s recommended to avoid stocking supplies that require refrigeration. Ideally, you should have enough supplies for at least 72 hours. Remember, the safest place you can be during a storm is indoors.

5) Secure outdoor items

Heavy winds are expected throughout the weekend, be sure to bring in or secure outdoor furniture, tools, and equipment that could be swept away or cause damage.

6) Clear gutters and drains

Ensure proper drainage by clearing gutters, downspouts, and stormwater drains. Walk throughout your street and ensure there’s no debris along the kerb that could possibly flow into the stormwater drains causing clogs and impacted water flow. This may seem tedious, but your neighbors and the city will thank you!

7) Charge all of your devices

Prolonged power outages are to be expected during stormy weather, as such it’s imperative that you charge your devices ahead of time – typical devices include: phones, hotspots, battery packs, tablets.

While cell & data services are likely to be resilient from the storms effects – they’ll be completely unusable without a charged device.

8) Contacting emergency services

Avoid overwhelming 911 emergency systems with non-life-threatening emergencies. 911 should only be used for emergencies relating to the immediate preservation of property or life.

• To report roadway flooding, blocked roads, minor mudslides, please contact 311 or (213) 473-3231
• To report power outages and watermain breaks please contact LA DWP at (800) 342-5397

You may also reach out to the LAIT911 DisasterOps team which will be staffed 24/7 throughout this event by emailing [email protected] or calling (213) 583-0911 and leaving a brief description of your incident and a call-back number.

Most importantly…

Be sure to check in on neighbors to ensure they know about the storm and are prepared. Forward this link and email to friends and family in the area, and always prioritize your life and safety in all decisions made.

In Safety,

LAIT911 Disaster Ops Team
(213) 583-0911 | [email protected]