Photo by Halie Wilson
The National Weather Service for Los Angeles, Ventura, San Bernardino, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, Kern and Tulare counties issued a high-wind warning from 10 a.m. Thursday to 10 p.m. Friday, Nov. 9.
“However, Kern, Tulare and Riverside counties are not impacted by the Public Safety Power Shutoff. Communities in those regions could still experience outages related to the extreme weather conditions,” according to the statement
“During anticipated Red Flag conditions, circuits in affected areas will not automatically ‘re-close’ when they become de-energized. This is not a Public Safety Power Shutoff; it is simply a safety feature to help mitigate wildfire risk. This may increase the likelihood of weather-related outages during Red Flag fire conditions.
“Before these lines can be re-energized they require on-site inspections, which may increase service restoration times for our customers …
“Remember to check emergency supplies to be sure you have a battery-operated radio, a flashlight and fresh batteries.
“Use flashlights instead of candles to avoid fire hazards in your home or business.
“If you’re in a vehicle with a fallen power line on it, stay in the vehicle and remain calm until help arrives. It is OK to use your cellphone to call 911. If you must leave the vehicle, remember to exit away from downed power lines and exit by jumping from the vehicle and landing with both feet together. You must not touch the vehicle and the ground at the same time. Then proceed away from the vehicle by shuffling and not picking up your feet until you are several yards away.
“If you use a generator, place it outdoors and plug individual appliances directly into it, using a heavy-duty extension cord. Connecting generators directly to household circuits creates ‘backfeed,’ which is dangerous to repair crews. Please consult the manufacturer’s manual for operating the generator.”