Whether planned or not, we know a power outage can be stressful, so we’ve gathered the power outage resources below to help you prepare and keep you and your loved ones safe when the time comes.
Will My Home be Affected?
Will Your Power Go Out?
PG&E has launched a tool to help customers see if they will be impacted by a scheduled outage. Click here for more information.
How Can I Prepare?
One of the best steps you can take to be prepared for any emergency is to have a bag ready with the essentials you need in case you are without power for an extended period of time.
NBC Bay Area Consumer Investigator Chris Chmura explains how to prepare for a power outage and stock up on supplies to keep you safe.
Are you prepared for the next big one?
PG&E recommends that customers take the following steps to prepare for possible outages:
- Confirm or update your contact information with PG&E
- Create a safety plan with your loved ones
- Have an emergency supply kit stocked and ready to go (supply kits should include items such as drinking water, nonperishable food, flashlights, portable chargers, first aid kits and cash, among others)
- Make sure you have a fully-charged mobile phone and adequate backup power available
- For those people with generators, make sure they are ready to work properly and safely
- Have a battery-powered or crank radio on hand
- Make sure you have enough batteries to power various devices you may need to use
- Have cash, including small bills, on hand
- Make sure your vehicle has a full tank of gas
- Know how to manually open your garage door or any other doors that use electricity
- If you live or work in a building that requires electronic key access, speak with your building manager to figure out how they will handle an outage
Food Safety:
With some 800,000 PG&E customers bracing to lose power this week, many families might be worried about losing hundreds of dollars worth of groceries as their refrigerators and freezers go quiet. Consumer Investigator Chris Chmura has tips on how to keep your food from spoiling.
Tips for Using a Generator During A Power Outage
A lot of people ran out and bought a portable generator to keep powered up if their lights go out. Many of us are new to this, so what are the guidelines and pro tips when it comes to generators? Consumer Investigator Chris Chmura has some expert advice.
What You Need to Know About Price Gouging
When prices rise rapidly we like to gripe that we're being gouged. Consumer Investigator Chris Chmura shows what you can do about price gouging.
