County Of Santa Clara Proclaims Local Emergency

From the Santa Clara County Government: The County of Santa Clara proclaimed a local emergency today in response to the most recent PG&E Public Safety Power Shutoff initiated on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 8 p.m. The shutdown is impacting 27,000 customers in unincorporated areas and multiple cities around Santa Clara County.

The County of Santa Clara activated the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) for the Santa Clara County Operational Area at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26, to help manage impacts to the community. The EOC will remain activated until Monday, Oct.28. The proclamation ensures the county has the resources it needs to continue operations of critical county facilities to minimize impact to the community, and allows the county to coordinate with a large network of public and private partner agencies when circumstances are beyond the capacity of local services and personnel. The county is also supporting its sister jurisdictions that are severely impacted by the power shutoff.

The County of Santa Clara is closely monitoring National Weather Service reports on upcoming critical fire conditions that may put the county at risk starting this Tuesday. Members of the public are reminded to be prepared with an emergency plan and kit.

• Visit http://bit.ly/OEM-PSPS for updates on available services, and information on what to do before, during and after the power shutoff.
• Check on family, friends and neighbors who may need special assistance during the power outage, including older adults or individuals who may be at risk due to health conditions.
• For dangerous situations that threaten life or safety, call 9-1-1.
• Residents who encounter a non-working traffic signal that has been impacted by the PG&E Public Safety Power Shutoff #PSPS event or unexpected weather conditions, should treat it as a four-way stop and not just drive through the intersection. Drivers are encouraged to look in every direction and proceed cautiously.
• Assume all power lines are still energized and know how to safely operate your generator before an emergency occurs. Learn more tips on the safe use of generators at PG&E’s Safety Action Center at www.safetyactioncenter.pge.com.
• To access information and services in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Cantonese and other languages, call 211. Service referrals include prepared food, shelter, counseling, transportation, and more.
• Call 211 or visit http://bit.ly/OEM-PSPS for updates.

This press release was produced by the Santa Clara County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.