Belmont officials are reinforcing drainage systems and restocking public sandbag stations for neighborhoods that have repeatedly faced flooding, landslides, and power outages.
City crews have been clearing storm drains, checking hillside runoff channels, and refilling public sandbag stations to prevent overflow that has caused street closures and property damage.
“Flooding isn’t a huge threat in Redwood Shores, but we still check around the house and have some small sandbags just in case,” said Parker Timbol, a sophomore at Carlmont.
The investigation into the county’s preparedness comes two years after the intense rainstorms of 2023, which resulted in major flooding and power outages in the region.
According to Emergency Management Executive Ryan Reynolds, the primary role of the San Mateo County Department of Emergency Management (DEM) is to provide support and coordination when a city becomes overwhelmed, meaning issues like a burst pipe fall to Belmont to address first.
“We sit at the county level, so cities have a responsibility. All cities have an emergency manager,” Reynolds said. “If it gets too large or it involves a bunch of cities, then the County DEM would step in.”
Despite the responsibility difference, the county does play a crucial role as it is constantly communicating with the National Weather Service. Due to these preventative measures, the county was able to quickly act after receiving confirmation of storms in 2023.
Reynolds explained that the county’s role is to ensure resources don’t run out. “We worked with the state, and we also bought some of our own sandbags, so we were able to bring more in during the storm,” Reynolds said.
The complexity of these weather events requires extensive coordination. Kevin Foiles, the Emergency Services Manager for the San Mateo Consolidated Fire Department, helps coordinate the first response for the cities of San Mateo, Foster City, and Belmont.
“It really comes down to communication,” Foiles said. “In every major storm, we ask ourselves the same thing: ‘What do I know, who needs to know it, and have I told them yet?’ If agencies aren’t sharing information in real time, people get put at risk, and that’s what we work to avoid.”
While the county focuses on planning and issuing alerts, residents are encouraged to take proactive steps to protect themselves and their property.
“For areas like the Belmont Trailer Park, floodwaters are a serious risk,” Foiles said. “Residents can prepare by filling and stacking sandbags, registering for SMC Alert to receive emergency notifications, and having supplies that can last for at least 72 hours. These tools and resources empower people to stay safe and reduce the risk of becoming trapped during a storm.”
Officials say the key safeguard against the coming storms is not government equipment or restoration efforts, but the preparedness taken by residents themselves.
“It’s important for how prepared residents are so they can handle emergencies themselves and not always rely on first responders,” Foiles said.
