San Rafael, CA – The County of Marin acted promptly October 8 to prepare for a shutoff of PG&E power to areas of Marin County because of extreme weather and fire conditions.
Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) has notified the County that it will activate its Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) protocols in response to high temperatures, Red Flag conditions and high winds. At 2:45 p.m. Tuesday, October 8, PG&E said it would initiate a planned power shutoff in or near the areas of Bolinas, Fairfax, Mill Valley, Muir Beach, Olema, Sausalito, and Stinson Beach by 4 a.m. Wednesday morning. The duration of the shutoff is unknown and will be determined by PG&E.
“We are being proactive and mobilizing our resources due to the potential power loss and increased fire threat,” said Supervisor Kate Sears, President of the Marin County Board of Supervisors. “Public safety is our No. 1 priority, and we will focus our efforts to ensure the safety and security of our residents – especially those with access and functional needs whose health could be impacted by the loss of power.”
Sears said the decision to turn off the power and the speed at which it is restored is managed solely by PG&E. “We’ll work alongside their staff to communicate updates using all our outreach tools,” she said.
Fire agencies in Marin, including the Marin County Fire Department, have increased staffing resources during the heightened threat.
The Marin County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services is putting into motion its Electrical System De-energization Response Plan. Additionally, it is coordinating with nearby response partners in monitoring the power situation.
PG&E is monitoring weather patterns and said it will provide updates to customers and the County of Marin as additional information is available. Residents and businesses can access updated PSPS information from PG&E online at www.pge.com/pspsupdates.
All questions regarding PSPS events and extended outages should be directed to PG&E via their website and (866) 743-6589. Please only call 9-1-1 if you are experiencing a medical or life-threatening emergency.
Seniors and vulnerable populations who may be adversely affected by an extended outage can contact Marin Health and Human Service’s resource line at 415-457-INFO to access available resources.
Emergency management officials remind residents and visitors that it is important to have a plan to adjust daily routines to one without PG&E power. FEMA recommends the following steps:
Stay informed
- Sign up to receive safety information on Nixle by texting your ZIP code to 888-777.
- Sign up for AlertMarin notifications to receive information on immediate threats to personal safety or property, tailored to an address of your choosing.
- Watch for wireless emergency alerts if evacuations are ordered, intended to reach all cell phones in the area.
- Sign-up for PSPS Zip Code Alerts by texting ENROLL to 97633 or by calling 1-877-9000-PGE.
- Update contact information with PG&E at www.pge.com/mywildfirealerts or by calling 1-866-743-6589.
Review plans
- Identify several evacuation routes for your location in case roads are blocked. Tell someone out of the area which routes you plan to use.
- Keep vehicles fueled and ready in case of an evacuation.
- Make a list of what you’ll want to take with you if you leave your home quickly. Consider the Five P’s of Evacuation: People/Pets; Prescriptions; Papers; Personal Needs; Priceless Items.
- Talk to a medical provider about a power outage plan for medical devices powered by electricity and refrigerated medicines. Take stock of batteries and other alternatives to meet your needs when the power goes out.
- Take inventory of available supplies such as food, water, clothing, and flashlight batteries.
- Have some cash available in case retail point-of-sale devices are unable to accept credit cards during an outage.
- Check thermometers in refrigerators and freezers during an outage. Dispose of perishable food if the appliance temperature reaches 40 degrees or higher for an extended period.
- Keep mobile phones and other electric equipment charged.
- Know how to manually open electric garage doors and gates.
- For more information, including what to do during a power outage, visit www.readymarin.org and www.ready.gov.
As of 2:45 p.m., PG&E estimated the following figures on households to be affected by the PSPS:
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Marin County Communities
|
Households
|
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Bolinas
|
767
|
|
Fairfax
|
11
|
|
Mill Valley
|
4,444
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|
Muir Beach
|
178
|
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Olema
|
2
|
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Sausalito
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3,515
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Stinson Beach
|
819
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TOTAL
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9,736
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