After Mass Evacuation in Oroville, PG&E Urges Customers: ‘Make an Emergency Plan’

SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–With the unprecedented evacuation of nearly 200,000 people downriver
from Lake Oroville Sunday night, PG&E reminds all customers in its
service area to have a plan if an emergency strikes. This includes an
emergency kit, a way to communicate with family members and other
proactive steps to be prepared.

“In the event of a mandatory evacuation, such as the case in the
Oroville Dam area, residents might only have minutes to evacuate the
area, leaving little time to gather even the most basic necessities.
This is exactly why planning ahead is essential,” said Pat Hogan, senior
vice president of Electric Operations at PG&E.

Last week, as the level in Lake Oroville was rising, PG&E took
precautions to ensure preparedness in the event the situation worsened.
First, the company assessed its electric and gas facilities below the
dam to identify potential impacts to customers. Then PG&E removed power
lines from transmission towers below the dam’s auxiliary spillway to
ensure safety should the towers themselves destabilize due to water flow.

And just as PG&E has a plan for potential disasters, the energy company
urges its customers to do the same. In case of an evacuation, consider
the following tips to stay safe:

  • Create an emergency
    preparedness kit
    that includes food and water, health and
    medical supplies and equipment such as a portable radio and
    flashlights.
  • Keep at least a half tank of gas in your car at all times in
    case you need to evacuate unexpectedly. Gas stations might be closed
    during emergencies or even run out of fuel if there’s a rush of
    customers. Keep electric vehicles charged as well.
  • Familiarize yourself with alternate routes out of your area. If
    possible, identify multiple locations in different directions so you
    have options during an evacuation. That being said, if authorities
    identify a specific evacuation route, follow it. Do not take shortcuts
    as they may be blocked.
  • Be alert for road hazards such as washed-out roads or bridges
    and downed power lines. Do not drive into flooded areas.
  • If possible, leave early enough to avoid being trapped by
    severe weather.
  • Keep your pets in mind when planning for emergencies. Include
    your pets in your practice drills. The practice can help them get used
    to a leash or carrier during stressful situations. Find out which
    kennels, shelters or veterinarians can care for your animals during an
    emergency. Public shelters may not accept pets because of health and
    safety concerns.
  • Establish a location where your family can reunite after evacuating. Decide
    on a second meeting place, in case the primary location is unusable.

About PG&E

Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E
Corporation
(NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas
and electric utilities in the United States. Based in San Francisco,
with more than 20,000 employees, the company delivers some of the
nation’s cleanest energy to nearly 16 million people in Northern and
Central California. For more information, visit www.pge.com/
and www.pge.com/en/about/newsroom/index.page.

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Contacts

PG&E Corporation
Megan McFarland, 415-973-5930

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