Fire prevention tactics had various responses amongst CA towns
Two weeks ago, I called my Mom to check in after a long day. After the typical hello, I was met with a response that is abnormal for my chatty family,
“I can only talk for five minutes because I haven’t charged my phone in three days,” she said.
My house, among thousands of others, was out of power from Oct. 9-11. The shopping centers looked like a post-apocalyptic ghost town. Grocery stores were scrambling to sell the food that would go bad within hours. People were in a panic, blind to the intended timeline for the power outage.
Yesterday afternoon, Pacific Gas & Electric Co. (PG&E) turned off the power again for 17 counties in California. The act could last over 48 hours, depending on the hot weather conditions.
This is the reality that many counties in California have faced this month, and will face again soon. The looming question remains, should big power companies like PG&E be able to shut off somebody’s life for hours on end? If it prevents a tragic and deadly fire, then yes.
Last year on Nov. 8, the Camp Fire tore across Northern California. The result for the town of Paradise was grim – losing 90 percent of their population.The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), determined that the Camp Fire, the deadliest fire in California’s History, started from transmission lines owned by PG&E. There were multiple starting points for the outbreak, but they were all from the same technical errors with nearby vegetation and reports of high winds. This is why PG&E included brush-clearing before taking out the power.
Months later, the effects of the catastrophe remain because of the lack of provisions and housing for the remaining citizens. While we can’t change the past, we should take the steps necessary to prevent a similar situation from occurring.
Two weeks ago, there were more than a million people without power. They were left completely in the dark in many ways. PG&E’s website crashed because of the large scale amount of internet traffic. The main way that people are supposed to stay informed failed, causing panic. If shutting off the power prevents natural disasters, then PG&E should have that ability; this is only the case if the execution of informing the public is done in a timely manner.
This was not the case two weeks ago, and should not be the case again this week for the residents across California.
The rumors became true this afternoon when more than 179,000 PG&E customers were left in the dark. High winds and arid weather create a terrifying opportunity for a fire to start with little coaxing. While PG&E has various ways to send out alerts, if the power is out, many citizens don’t have access to the updated information once tech devices run out of power.
Preparation is key when the power is going to shut down. If there is no fair warning, then the last minute scramble leaves the public in a vulnerable state. Basic necessities like food and gas become rare, which leaves people in a stressful state of urgency.
Some business operations have lives in their hands, and can’t afford to shut down their power. Medical supplies and other necessities become scarce after any alerts from PG&E, causing harm for multiple days. The power company has said that turning the power back on could take up to five days, a long time to be without life’s necessities.
The five days may be an inconvenience for many, but consider what is being prevented. It is impossible to know what could have happened if the power wasn’t shut off. Although the multiple power outages prevent fires, a fair warning is necessary for preparation.
California can’t afford another out-of-control fire, so go to your local store and stock up on necessary supplies.