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City of Santa Ana <br />El Nino Emergency Preparation Plan <br />The National Weather Service is forecasting a strong El Nino storm season approaching <br />the 2015 -2016 winter months, which may bring heavy or sustained rainfall in the City of <br />Santa Ana. Meteorological signs indicate some of the strongest El Nino conditions ever <br />in forecast, stronger than the El Nino storms that occurred in 1982 -83 and 1997 -98, both <br />of which produced flooding conditions in the region. It is possible that the City will <br />experience double the normal amount of rainfall and intense storms which may <br />overwhelm the City's drainage and flood control systems. In the event of back -to -back <br />storm systems the weather conditions may not allow for normal maintenance and cleanup <br />between storms, which may result in localized flooding or other emergency conditions. <br />Multiple City departments along with the Orange County l=ire Authority and the County of <br />Orange have undertaken several planning activities to prepare the City for the conditions <br />that may be presented by El Nino. These efforts have been organized into three phases: <br />1) Mitigation /Prevention, 2) Preparedness, and 3) Response /Recovery. <br />Mitigation and Prevention <br />City departments have identified preventative measures that can be addressed now, <br />before rain begins, which will minimize the effects of rainfall on the City's infrastructure <br />and population to lessen the potential for danger to people or damage to public or private <br />property. <br />City's primary objectives for mitigation and prevention on public property include: <br />• Continued or emphasized maintenance and cleaning of flood control channels and <br />storm drain infrastructure; <br />• Tree- trimming, debris /trash collection and related open or park space maintenance <br />to minimize potential debris; and <br />• Repairs, maintenance and protection of City buildings, particularly roofs and <br />basements, ground floor or below- ground locations. <br />City's primary objectives for mitigation and prevention on private property include: <br />• Outreach to residents, businesses, homeless populations, local schools, and <br />neighborhood associations to provide El Nino preparedness information and <br />resources; <br />• Urge that residential and business properties clear nuisances and trash to <br />minimize potential debris; and <br />• Outreach to commercial properties to prepare, inspect roofs and drainage <br />systems, and remove potential debris items. <br />Preparedness <br />City departments have and will continue to <br />respond to any hazardous rainfall event(s). <br />identify, gather and organize resources to <br />City's primary objectives for preparedness include: <br />EXHIBIT 1 <br />y Il <br />