Ready Set Safe: Plan ahead for emergencies!
PrintNo one can predict an emergency or a power outage, but you can lessen the impact to your comfort and safety by thinking ahead. Consider the following suggestions, which can help you as crews work to restore power.
If The Power Goes Out
- Check your electrical panel. Look for tripped breakers or blown fuses. Replace blown fuses and try to reset the breakers by switching them off, then on.
- Call PSREC’s 24-hour phone numbers:
- Keep calling until you speak with someone. Report any flashes, bangs, or trees in power lines.
- Unplug sensitive electronic equipment. Turn off electric devices in use at the time of the outage, such as televisions and computers.
- Let repair crews do their job. It is tempting to stop crews and ask questions about the outage. This delays the repair. While the crews want to be helpful, they need to restore your power quickly and safely.
Safety
- Never approach a downed power line. Call 911 to report a downed line, and keep others away.
- Guard against carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide is a tasteless, odorless, deadly gas. Do not use carbon monoxide-emitting devices inside a home, garage or any other enclosed space.
- Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Check batteries on the installed devices the first of every month. If an alarm sounds on either device, immediately move all household occupants to fresh air.
Supplies
- Flashlight: Keep at least one flashlight in a central, easy-to-reach location. Store an extra set of batter- ies nearby. If the flashlight is rarely used, store batter- ies separately to prevent battery corrosion and dam- age to the flashlight.
- Radio: A battery-powered or hand-cranked radio is valuable for information and entertainment.
- Phone: Keep a corded phone for emergency use. A well-charged cellphone might work, but limit calls to necessary ones.
- Water: If your water sup- ply is from a well or cistern, the pump will not be able to deliver water during an outage. Store 1 gallon of water per person per day.
- Food: Have a nonelectric can opener and a stock of easy-to-prepare foods, such as canned soups, prepared beans, chili, stews, protein bars and canned fruit.
- Medical needs: If a house- hold member uses electric- powered life-sustaining equipment, have a backup plan for outages. If PSREC is not aware of the equip- ment in use, notify the util- ity of your special needs. Certain situations can create extended outages, so be pre- pared to move to another location where electricity is available. Have an ample supply of any prescription medications on hand.
- Automobiles: Keep vehicle fuel tanks at least half full during winter.
- Pipes: Use heat tape to thaw exposed, frozen pipes. Have a backup plan to keep pump houses, stock tanks and temperature-sensitive supplies from freezing.
What Are Public Safety Power Shutoffs?
Public Safety Power Shutoffs are a part of Pacific Gas & Electric’s Community Wildfire Safety Program. PG&E will de-energize electric lines that pass through high fire-threat areas. The goal is to reduce risk of fire during high-fire risk times.
PSREC’s main transmission feed from PG&E is through the Feather River Canyon. Since PSREC relies on this transmission feed, PSPS events could impact members.
PSREC strives to keep the impact of these shutoffs as minimal as possible. PSREC will provide as much notice as possible to members.
PSREC posts information at our website, on social media (Facebook and Twitter) and via text message. To get these notices, sign into SmartHub at on our website, and visit the Manage Notifications section to select the alerts you would like to receive.
