Full Notification

*POWER OUTAGES - PREVENT, PREPARE, AND STAY INFORMED*

PG&E has advised the Sheriff's Office of a chance of a power shut offs hitting Madera County due to the increased tempature and stress on the electical grid. The outages could last 1 to 3 hours tonight.

As the Office of Emergency Services for Madera County, we are asking you to help us prevent these outages and also prepare yourself, your family, and your business to be safe.
How to prepare?
- Make alternate plans to safely store refrigerated medications.
- Charge batteries and/or ready back-up generators - paying special consideration to medical devices and equipment.
- Be sure you have clean drinking water stored in the event your well pump or water system is not operational without power.
- Charge mobile phones
- Go to ready.gov for more safety tips
We are expecting triple-digit temperatures for the extended forecast - which puts pressure on our energy grid. To help avoid power outages, Californians are being asked to reduce our energy use.
How to prevent?
- Pre-cool your home overnight and in the morning by turning A/C down to 72 degrees.
- Keep A/C at 78 degrees or higher during peak hours (3-10 p.m.).
- Avoid use of major appliances during peak hours.
- Turn off all unnecessary lights.
- Sign up for alerts at flexalert.gov
What to do in the event of a power outage?
- Keep refrigerators and freezers closed.
- Disconnect appliances and electronics to avoid surge damage.
- Check on your neighbors and those especially vulnerable: The elderly, young children under four, those with home medical equipment, etc.
- If needed, go to a cooling center. See the document on this post for cooling center locations, hours, and information.