SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The barrage of wet winter weather slamming California is expensive and deadly. At least 17 people have died across the state.
"If this were a wildfire, it would be the fifth most deadly wildfire in California history because of those fatalities, and a lot of times we're seeing it's because people have chosen to make bad decisions," said Bryan May, spokesperson for the California Office of Emergency Services.
The message from first responders is clear: don't take chances with your life. Driving through floods, ignoring evacuation orders or not having an emergency plan are decisions that could cost people their life and the lives of rescue crews.
"We've had more helicopter rescues today than we've had on any event in the last five years," said May.
From Elk Grove and the Bay Area to Southern California, there are stunning images of destruction. May said California's coastal communities are, by far, being hit the hardest, but the whole state is impacted.
"We've had some wildfires. We're seeing the burn scar areas, the vegetation is gone. There's nothing to keep the mud on these hillsides, so when we get rain, they just bring everything down with them," said May.
Cal OES said they're responding to all 58 counties.
"It all boils down to getting down to that local level. What does this individual community need? And how quickly can we get those resources there?" said May.
The National Guard is activated and they are ramping up every day.
"We are a disaster prone state. We have experience in doing this, and we have the resources when we need them. And we really, truly are at a point where we are calling in every available resource," said May.
Those resources include FEMA and the team at Cal OES .
"We really have been 24/7 around the clock since New Year's Eve. This place has not shut down, and what these people are doing is making sure they're checking in with the local communities," said May.
Cal OES recommends staying alert and having a plan for the coming days.
"If I'm at home and (the) rest of my family is at work and we have to evacuate, where are we going to meet that we all know we're safe away from our house? Just have that conversation. What documents are not going to take? What papers am I going to take? Do I have enough medicine to keep me and my family what we need for the next several days?" said May.
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