Public Safety Power Shutoff

After devastating California wildfires were determined to be caused by outdated or compromised power equipment, electric utility providers introduced the Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) program to pre-emptively shut off power during extreme fire weather conditions. However, a disruption in power also disrupts daily activities. Here’s how you can prepare:

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Five Ways to

Stay READY

  • 1 Register for alerts with Southern California Edison and VC Alert.
  • 2 Keep track of weather reports and anticipated or active outages.
  • 3 Prepare your home and protect your electronics. Learn how to use fuse and breaker boxes and invest in surge protectors.
  • 4 Consider investing in backup power generating devices.
  • 5 Plan ahead by keeping a supply of non-perishable food, water, and extra medications on hand.

Four Ways to

Save the Day

  • 1 Keep your devices, including backup power items charged and ready.
  • 2 Landlines may not work if they require electricity or if the provider has transitioned to digital services. Make sure you have a backup communications plan.
  • 3 Check in with friends, neighbors or loved ones who may need assistance or are medically fragile.
  • 4 Look for relief. In extreme weather, seek comfort in public buildings not affected by power outage, or check with local authorities regarding cooling centers.
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Three Things to

Know

  • 1 Power restoration is a process. When the weather subsides, equipment in the impacted areas is inspected for damage prior to re-energization. Re-energizing damaged equipment can ignite a fire.
  • 2 Southern California Edison provides Community Crew Vehicles to provide comfort services to highly impacted areas.
  • 3 You can attend online or view a recorded Community Safety Meeting hosted by Southern California Edison. Click here for more information.

Two Things to

Ease Your Mind

  • 1 Southern California Edison is hardening the grid to reduce the need for PSPS. Check out their mitigation efforts here.
  • 2 Medical Baseline customers can get a break on electric bills.
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One Question to Ask Yourself

Right Now

  • 1 Am I in an outage-prone area and when will my circuit be upgraded?

Resources

Prepareforpowerdown.com – PSPS awareness website and fact sheet for all California power companies

Ready.gov/power-outage – Power outage preparedness information from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Cpuc.ca.gov/deenergization – Information on the California Public Utility Commission’s PSPS actions

Caloes.ca.gov – California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services website

Did You Know?

SCE provides backup batteries for those whose medical devices depend on electricity.

Check out the Critical Care Backup Battery Program to see if you qualify.

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