For this storm, the emergency plan went into effect at the Sewage Department in Mill Valley. The new policy went into effect after the storms in January and a sewage spill.
There is now a two person crew here around the clock during the storm. There are a number of low-lying areas in Mill Valley and today people were filling sandbags at the public safety building on Hamilton Drive.
Mill Valley activated its emergency alert system. Phone calls started going out to people starting on Friday, including recorded messages warning of weather conditions, the tide, and staying safe and protecting property. Residents of course remember the storms of last month when people lost power for days.
"The power was out for four days. We got damn cold sitting in the living room around the fireplace having a meal, we realized we could see our breath. It was cold. Now, we've learned our lesson. We've got the generator and we've got the wood," said Ellen Olson, a Mill Valley Resident.
"I don't have to leave the house until Monday when I have to go to work. So I'm really OK," said Ann MacLeod, Mill Valley Resident. And when asked, "What if the power goes out?" MacLeod responded, "I have candles and my little dog, so I'm fine."
The Mill Valley Community Center is prepared to open if there are widespread power outages and if people need shelter. Mill Valley is also encouraging people to sign up for their new email emergency notification system that will include weather advisories, other emergency information.
That is a system that started only last month, but only a few hundred people have signed up, so Mill Valley is encouraging people to sign up for that. That's compared to the several thousand people who have signed up for telephone call notification system.
At the Mill Valley Sewage Department they are expecting a lot of water to come though when the storm gets going. They're advising people not to do things like run your dish washer or washing machine which could exacerbate the problem when heavier rains go through the North Bay.
