San Jose is laying out its preparations for what could be a historic El Niño storm season as the city works to avoid the kind of extreme flooding seen in 2017.

In 2017, extensive flooding along Coyote Creek forced thousands to evacuate and caused more than $70 million in damage.

Now, nearly 10 years later, with predictions calling for potentially record-breaking El Niño storms, Mayor Matt Mahan said the city is proactively preparing to prevent flooding.

“Right now, our teams are monitoring more than 60 locations with a history of flooding or landslides, and just last week, our Transportation Department held an annual storm coordination meeting to review emergency response procedures and make sure crews are ready,” Mahan said.

The city will also use its new $90 million emergency operations center.

The 11,000-square-foot command center will allow city and Valley Water leaders to coordinate a response. More than 80 emergency response leaders can come together there in less than an hour to make critical decisions about how to respond to an El Niño storm.

“When a major storm or emergency hits San Jose, this is the place that we come to generate ideas, generate our directions or action plan and direct the support and response of all departments,” said Ray Riordan, director of the San Jose Office of Emergency Management.

San Jose also has invested in swift-water rescue gear and equipment to help clear storm drains.

The city is working to identify potential hotspots and sending crews to preemptively clean drains, check storm pumps and repair infrastructure.

Officials know staff can’t be everywhere, which is why residents are urged to prepare.

“Start with your home, clean your gutters and drains, inspect your roofs, seal gaps where water can possibly come in and most importantly, ensure trees have been trimmed and properly maintained,” said Lee Steckmest, an Office of Emergency Management CERT volunteer. “A little preparation can make a big difference.”

Emergency responders said it’s also important to pack a go bag with essentials, including medications, important documents and a flashlight and establish an emergency evacuation plan with your family.