Very heavy winds this week have PG&E officials predicting a Public Safety Power Shutoff due to extreme wildfire conditions. Shasta County officials, including the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) and the Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services, encourage local PG&E customers to be prepared for power outages that may last for multiple days. HHSA staff have been planning for months in anticipation of Public Safety Power Shutoffs, including mapping where our vulnerable clients are and checking in with them when needed. We also urge the public to follow their emergency plans and those developed by their care providers. Medical equipment vendors should work with their clients to make sure they have battery packs.
If you experience a power outage, it’s critical to follow food safety guidelines. Resources for residents as well as retail food facilities and restaurants can be found on the Shasta County Environmental Health site.
If they have not done so already, customers are urged to visit www.pge.com, click “Public Safety Power Shutoffs,” and ensure their contact information is updated. PG&E will notify customers who are part of the PG&E Medical Baseline Allowance program and depend on electrically powered medical equipment or air conditioning for medical conditions. These customers should ensure that their generators are operational and fueled to last for several days, and/or make other plans for a shutoff.
For more information and preparation tips, visit the PG&E Prepare for Power Shutoffs webpage at www.prepareforpowerdown.com.
According to Redding Electric Utility (REU), residences, businesses and facilities inside the corporate City of Redding limits should not experience public safety power shutoffs. REU collaborated with other city departments and the county to develop a plan to reduce wildfire risk without the use of pre-emptive power shutoffs. However, during red flag warning periods, REU will change its operations that could result in longer outages when a system fault does occur.
Residents who receive power from the City of Shasta Lake Electric Utility are also not expected to lose power as part of a public safety power shutoff.
Find more wildfire preparation resources here:
Shasta County HHSA’s Wildfire Recovery and Preparedness Page: https://www.co.shasta.ca.us/index/hhsa_index/disaster-recovery-and-preparedness
Disaster preparedness information from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security: https://www.ready.gov/power-outages
CAL FIRE’s wildfire preparedness website: readyforwildfire.org
Information on the California Public Utilities Commission wildfire safety efforts: cpuc.ca.gov/wildfiresinfo
California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services website: caloes.ca.gov
