The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services published guidance Oct. 19, 2026, urging residents to use Flood Preparedness Week to prepare households for flooding.

Cal OES laid out six steps to reduce flood risk; they include assembling a go-bag and a stay box, creating and practicing a family emergency plan, signing up for local emergency alerts and checking on neighbors, knowing multiple evacuation routes, protecting important documents, and monitoring weather conditions.

The agency warned that floodwaters can rise quickly and that people should never drive or walk through floodwaters.

Cal OES advised having more than one way to receive alerts and specifically mentioned a NOAA Weather Radio because power or cellular service can be cut during severe weather.

What readers should do now is practical and immediate: build a go-bag and a stay box, review and practice your family plan, sign up for local alerts through Listos California or your local system, and identify at least two evacuation routes out of your neighborhood; do not wait until a storm is imminent.

For checklists, templates and more preparedness resources, Cal OES directed readers to Ready.CA.gov.

Sources & methodology

This report was written from the primary materials below. Links open at the original publisher.

California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services

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