Calaveras, CA…PG&E has announced, “If weather conditions create an environment that can promote a wildfire”, that they may shut down a portion of the electrical grid serving our community. PG&E’s has made statements, “If we see Hot and Dry weather, it may be necessary for us to turn off electricity in the interest of public safety through their Public Safety Power Shutoff Program (PSPS).

PG&E’s outages may occur in response to localized weather conditions and may not be fully known until the day of the event. The decision to turn off the power and the speed at which it is restored is planned and managed solely by PG&E. Citizens are strongly urged to prepare for being without power for several days. PG&E will attempt to notify customers of PSPS outages through calls, texts, and emails using the contact information that PG&E has on file. Be sure your contact information is up-to-date with PG&E at pge.com/mywildfirealerts.

Calaveras County is preparing to minimize potential negative impacts of any PSPS event with the installation of back-up generators at critical sites throughout the County seat. It is the goal of Calaveras County to continue to provide critical county services during any PSPS event. These back-up generators will assist in the continued operation of County Services during the Public Safety Power Shutoff. Residents may experience short interruptions in some non-essential County services during a PSPS event.
During prolonged PSPS outages, Calaveras County will collaborate with the Angels Camp to designate a “Resiliency Center” where citizens can go to a cooled environment with water, and access to electricity to charge essential electronic devices. Locations of Resiliency Centers will be announced as they open.

Calaveras County would like to remind our community that it is important to be prepared and have a plan. Prepare for outages that may occur at any time and may last several days. Visit www.prepareforpowerdown.com for detailed information about preparing for power outages.

PREPARATION TIPS FOR EXTENDED OUTAGES
During a power outage, conserve water. Minimize water usage to only critical health and safety needs. Uninterrupted power is required to operate water and sewer treatment plants along with the water distribution and sewer collection system 24/7. Importantly, all County residents must be prepared to respond to the call for water conservation efforts.
• Keep vehicles fueled in preparation for extended outages. Gas station pumps will not work during power outages.
• Plan for medical needs such as medications that may require refrigeration or devices that need power.
• Identify backup charging methods for phones and keep hard copies of emergency numbers.
• Build or restock your emergency kit with food, water, necessary medication, flashlights, fresh batteries, first aid supplies, and cash. Enough supplies for one week. Remember that retail stores (grocery, pharmacy, etc…) and restaurants may be closed during prolonged outages.
• Sign up for safety information on Nixle at nixle.com or by texting your zip code to Nixle at 888777
• Make sure you can receive updated information from PG&E by updating your contact information at pge.com/mywildfirealerts.
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PG&E RESOURCES
Go to pge.com for:
• Public Safety Power Shutoff Program
• Wildfire Safety
• Sign up for PG&E Wildfire Alerts
• Emergency Preparedness Kit
• Prepare for a Power Outage
• Public Safety Power Shutoff Fact Sheet
• PG&E Public Safety Power Shutoff Policies and Procedures

ADDITIONAL PREPAREDNESS RESOURCES

• ready.gov – Disaster preparedness information from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
• readyforwildfire.org – CAL FIRE’s wildfire preparedness website
• cpuc.ca.gov/wildfiresinfo – Information on the CPUC’s wildfire safety efforts
• caloes.ca.gov – California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services website
• cafiresafecouncil.org – California Fire Safe Council website

For more information, please contact: john Osbourn, Director of OES, 209-754-9109

Social Media:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CalaverasOES/
Twitter: www.twitter.com/CalaverasOES
Nextdoor: https://nextdoor.com/agency/calaveras-county-office-of-emergency-services