San Francisco opens emergency center ahead of storm
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- In San Francisco the city has just activated its emergency operations center.
Everlane on Folsom and 17th in the Mission District looked more like Fort Knox than an online fashion store. They and others are expecting, yes, the worst.
"Every one of these garages is two feet lower than the street, so everything was ruined and I think what they are trying to do is sort of clean up what they can," business owner Mark Leet said.
Just as the cleanup was done from the last series of storms, people here worked on ways to best keep the flood waters out, like installing water dams in front of their doors or garages.
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission brought out vacuum trucks that have big hoses to suck debris out of the storm drains. The Department of Public Works is still asking people to do their part.
"The big thing they can do is sweep debris, litter, leaves off the sidewalk, out of the storm drains. If you see it, just use your broom and a rake and you could help us get the job done," Rachel Gordon from the Department of Public Works said.
And that's exactly what a restaurant worker in the Hayes Valley District was doing Wednesday afternoon. Cleaning the sidewalk and picking up the leaves.
In the Presidio, crews cut down those trees with the greatest chance of falling down due to heavy winds. They were also clearing areas with lose vegetation that could make its way to the catch basins.
Meanwhile, PG&E is telling customers don't be surprised if there are power outages.
"With the wind and also with vegetation coming into contact with lines, we might see increased outages as this storm takes place, but of course, that's why our crews today are already mobilizing, They are on stand-by," PG&E spokesperson Brittany McKannay said.
Local school districts are pointing to the possibility of power outages as one of their main reasons for closing schools on Thursday.
