East Contra Costa Fire Warns of Power Shutoffs Due to Expected High Winds

Brentwood, CA — East Contra Costa Fire Protection District received the following notification; PG&E has confirmed there will be Public Safety Power Shutoffs throughout Contra Costa County in anticipation of the Red Flag High Wind event starting Saturday October 26th in the evening and is expected to continue through Monday October 28th at 2 PM.

Power will not begin to be restored until after the end of the weather event. Refer to map and links below to see if you are in the affected areas.

All questions, contact info, and the latest information related to PG&E’s Public Safety Power Shutoffs need to be directed to PG&E. https://www.pge.com/en_US/safety/emergency-preparedness/natural-disaster/wildfires/publicsafety-event.page.

According to Steve Aubert, ECCFPD public information officer, they are attempting to make as many tips available to the public and provide resources.

“The District is trying to get the community resources to know what to expect and be prepared and we are attempting to up-staff as many people as possible,” said Aubert. “The county has also implemented a county strike team to assist in areas where they are needed.”

Aurbert says a good section of Brentwood, along with a small sliver on Bethel Island, along with the area long Delta Road from Brentwood to Knightsen will be impacted. A portion of Discovery Bay will be impacted along with Marsh Creek Road and Morgan Territory.

He cautioned that PG&E believes this will be a bigger event than a few years ago in terms of wind experienced a few years ago.

The fire district has also provided some tips:

• Create a safety plan for all members of your family, including pets. A Public Safety Power Shutoff can happen at any time of day or night, due to changing weather conditions.
• Prepare an emergency supply kit. Include enough water and nonperishable food to last your household one week. Be sure to refresh your kit once a year.
• Determine if your landline will work during an outage. Keep a mobile phone as backup.
• Keep mobile phones and other devices charged.
• If you have a generator, make sure it’s ready to operate safely.
• Have flashlights available for your household. Avoid using candles.
• Have a battery-powered or crank radio.
• Stock up on the right batteries for items you rely on. Include two extra sets in various sizes.
• Keep cash on hand and a full tank of gas. ATMs and gas stations may not be available during an outage.
• Learn how to manually open your garage or any other door that operates with electricity.
• Talk with your building manager if you live or work in a building that has elevators or electronic key card access to understand how they will deal with a possible multi-day outage.

Additional Useful Links:

• Check https://psps.ss.pge.com/ to see if you specific address is affected.
• Check www.contracosta.ca.gov for a map of impacted areas & ways that you can prepare for an outage.
• Check www.safetyactioncenter.pge.com for resources & to sign up for wildfire safety alerts. Let friends and neighbors know who may not get the news.

ABOUT THE EAST CONTRA COSTA FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT:
The East Contra Costa Fire Protection District is a rural-funded fire district that protects a population of more than 120,000 across its 249 square-mile service area. The District provides firefighting personnel, emergency medical services (basic life support) and fire prevention to the residents and businesses of the cities of Brentwood and Oakley as well as the unincorporated communities of Discovery Bay, Bethel Island, Knightsen, Byron, Marsh Creek, and Morgan Territory.

Learn more at www.eccfpd.org or social media via Facebook (East Contra Costa Fire Protection District),, Instagram (@east_contra_costa_fire), Twitter (@ECCFPD ) or our YouTube channel (East Contra Costa Fire Protection District).