Thursday,  Nov. 7, 2019.

California HOPE is also offering free, bilingual mental health services at (707) 291-3788.

A Red Flag Warning, issued by the National Weather Service, is in effect through Thursday at 4pm. As a result, the Santa Rosa Fire Department will be one of several agencies across the County with extra staffing in place for the duration. 

PG&E has initiated a Public Safety Power Shutoff as of 3:00 pm Wednesday. Residents in affected areas should plan for a power outage through Thursday, October 24th, 2019.

PG&E will make every effort to restore power by Friday night. However, total outage duration will depend on weather conditions and extent of repairs. There are 17 counties in Northern California affected, including Sonoma County.

Impacted areas in Sonoma County include: Annapolis, Boyes Hot Springs, Cloverdale, Fulton, Geyserville, Glen Ellen, Guerneville, Healdsburg, Kenwood, Larkfield, Santa Rosa, Sonoma, Windsor, Stewarts Point.

Sonoma County customers affected: 27,837

Healdsburg electric customers will not be impacted, however, people with a Healdsburg address who live outside the city limits and are PG&E electric customers may be impacted.

LOCAL RESPONSE:
A Regional Joint Information Center (JIC) has opened for local agencies and is currently staffed by the County of Sonoma and City of Santa Rosa. The City and County activated Emergency Operations Centers on Tuesday (10/22) and are working with other local agencies to provide timely information on the power shutoff. The City of Sonoma will open their EOC beginning at 3:00 pm today (10/23), with an operational period through 6:00pm. On Thursday their EOC will open at 8:00am with a closure to be determined.

The County and City of Santa Rosa declared a proclamation of local emergency on October 22nd, so that the agencies are prepared to quickly respond to the needs of the community during this power outage. Outages could impact public safety systems, communications including emergency alerts, streetlights, traffic signals, private water systems, transportation, schools, food storage, and the private sector.

TRAFFIC:
With the power shutoff beginning during commute hours, residents should plan ahead and drive with extreme caution. Power outages will cause traffic signals to go dark and drivers should consider intersections without power as a four-way stop. If possible, avoid driving in the areas where the power is shutoff.

The City of Santa Rosa anticipates traffic signals at 21 intersections will be non-functional during the power shutoff. A complete list of affected intersections is available here.​ Stop signs are being staged in Santa Rosa City limits at various intersections to help remind drivers that they must stop at intersections where signals are out.

GENERATOR SAFETY:
It is important to understand how to safely operate your generator before an emergency occurs. This means doing regular safety checks and being sure you have enough fuel to last a few days. If you don’t understand how to use your generator, you risk damaging your property, endangering your life and endangering the lives of others.

Position your generator where its exhaust can vent safely to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, which can be fatal. Never run a portable generator in the garage or in the rain, and never store generator fuel in the house.

Additional tips on the safe use of generators can be found at PG&E’s Safety Action Center at www.safetyactioncenter.pge.com.​

WATER AND SEWER SERVICE:
Public water and sewer systems are supported by back-up generators and diesel pumps and will not be affected by the power shutoff. Residents with private wells, private water pumps, and/or a private sewer grinder/booster pumps may be affected if they do not have a back-up power supply.  Learn more her​e.​

INDIVIDUALS WITH MEDICAL OR SOCIAL SERVICE NEEDS:
The Human Services Department Adult & Aging Division staff will contact older adult and disabled In-Home Supportive Services clients who live in the PG&E power shutoff area who have vital medical devices that require electricity. Staff will help them plan for their needs and provide information and support to help ensure their well-being during the power outage.

Individuals with medical needs who will be affected by the outage are encouraged to contact their primary care providers about their needs in preparation for the power shutoff.

All Human Services Department buildings are expected to be open during the power shutoff. Clients needing help with Medi-Cal, CalFresh, General Assistance and other services will be able to visit the usual office locations from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday – Friday.

COMMUNITY RESOURCES:
PG&E will open Community Resource Centers (CRC’s) tomorrow, Thursday October 24. The Community Resource Centers will remain open from 8 am to 8 pm. Restrooms, bottled water, electronic-device charging and seating for up to 100 will be available.

• Santa Rosa Veterans Memorial Building: 1351 Maple Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95401

• Hanna Boys Center: 17000 Arnold Drive, Sonoma, CA 95476

• Cloverdale Citrus Fair: 1 Citrus Fair, Cloverdale, CA 95425

Both the City and County are actively monitoring the situation with PG&E and will update the public as information becomes available. For updates follow local jurisdictions on social media, and visit:

• In Sonoma County: www.SoCoemergency.org

• In City of Santa Rosa: www.srcity.org/emergenc​y

• In City of Sonoma: https://www.sonomacity.org/extended-power-outages

Residents can learn more about PG&E power shutoffs by visiting PG&E’s websit​e, ​or calling PG&E’s 24-hour power outage information center at 1-800-743-5002.

Residents should make sure PG&E has current contact information onlin​e. Customers can also update their​ information by phone at 1-866-743-5002.

For questions about resources, contact Sonoma County 2-1-1. Do not call 9-1-1 unless it is an emergency.

EXTENDED BUS SERVICE TO THE CRC AT VETERAN’S MEMORIAL BUILDING IN SANTA ROSA:
Starting Thursday, October 24, CityBus will add two extra trips on Route 18 to improve access to the PG&E Community Resource Center at the Santa Rosa Veterans Memorial Building (1351 Maple Avenue). On weekdays, Route 18 departures from the Transit Mall will be added at 5:20pm and 6:20pm.

ELEVATED POWER SHUTOFF STATUS FOR THIS WEEKEND:
Wednesday morning, PG&E announced “elevated status” for another potential power shutoff that could impact Sonoma County this Saturday (10/26), Sunday (10/27), and Monday (10/28). We expect to learn more from PG&E about this potential event tomorrow (10/24). The County and cities are working with the National Weather Service and PG&E to monitor this potential additional event and will share more information when it is available. 

Over the past two weeks, art lovers have been visiting studios throughout Sonoma County. Art Trails, which organizes the visits, was about to start two years ago, when the Tubbs Fire raced through Santa Rosa. Artist Bill Gittins was ready to display several hundred of his paintings and prints but lost them all to the flames.

This year, he was back in a new studio, he told KRCB news director Steve Mencher. And among the works on sale was one featuring the brilliant yellow mustard plants that grow in vineyards here every winter and early spring.

In this story, we'll also hear from two survivors of the Camp Fire, who will be rebuilding, though not on the land that holds so many memories.

This story is part of a series produced by KRCB and North State Public Radio dedicated to the anniversaries of the Tubbs and Camp Fires.

To learn more, visit norcalpublicmedia.org/oneyearapart

(Pictured: Mustard Row (60X36) by Bill Gittins)