嘿嘿视频

Guidance Issued on Closures, Power Outages

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Birds sit on top of solar panels with orange-tinted sky in the background.
While 嘿嘿视频 is not in a high-wildfire-hazard area, the campus nevertheless has plans in place for associated impacts like power outages and smoke (as pictured in 2018). (Gregory Urquiaga/嘿嘿视频)

嘿嘿视频 took unprecedented action to suspend normal operations for several days last November due to heavy smoke from the Camp Fire that tore through the town of Paradise in Butte County.

In response, campus officials have not only developed guidance for smoke emergencies but for power outages that may or may not be tied to wildfires, as well as a policy on campus operating status, authorizing the chancellor to reduce or suspend services and close facilities as needed.

In addition, with temperatures rising and wildfire season upon us, officials are taking the opportunity to call on everyone in the campus community to help prepare for potential impacts. More information is available on the new website.

鈥淲e were forced to make some quick decisions during last year鈥檚 smoke event,鈥 said Eric Kvigne, associate vice chancellor for Safety Services. 鈥淲e used those experiences to develop better tools and guidance to share with the campus in an emergency, but we need everyone鈥檚 help taking on some planning at the departmental level.鈥

This might include stockpiling N-95 breathing masks for outdoor workers, designating employees who would be called upon to deliver critical services during suspension of normal operations, and making plans for what to do if the power goes out.

CHANCELLOR鈥橲 AUTHORITY

A campuswide power outage is one scenario covered by the new policy that gives the chancellor authority to temporarily change the campus鈥檚 operating status to:

  • REDUCED OPERATIONS 鈥 Certain noncritical functions and services may be reduced at one or more campus locations
  • SUSPENDED OPERATIONS 鈥 Noncritical functions and services may be suspended
  • CLOSURE 鈥 Facilities at one or more campus locations may be closed

Keeping an eye on electricity

Davis is not in a high-wildfire-hazard area, meaning it is unlikely a fire will burn through campus.

鈥淢y main concern is that the campus could lose power without notice,鈥 said Allen Tollefson, associate vice chancellor for Facilities Management.

For example, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. has implemented its Public Safety Power Shutoff policy, cutting service in areas where extreme fire danger is forecast. However, power shutoffs are not necessarily confined to fire zones because of the interconnectedness of the power grid. This means outages could occur miles away from a fire.

 鈥淚f PG&E decides to shut off our electricity to reduce the likelihood of a wildfire, or a major outage elsewhere in the state cripples the power grid, the campus could be left largely without electricity,鈥 Tollefson said.

Limited number of generators

嘿嘿视频 has a handful of factors working in its favor. Campus officials pay close attention to extreme weather events, and have access to PG&E information about possible threats to electric service.

In addition, the university receives its electricity from multiple sources via tall, fire-resistant power lines, which means the campus is less likely to experience an outage, compared with small municipalities like Davis or Woodland.

鈥淚f we do lose electricity across campus, there are some critical spaces and equipment that will get powered by generators,鈥 said Joe Carbahal, superintendent for the campus鈥檚 high-voltage and generator crews. 鈥淏ut we鈥檝e got 1,400 buildings on campus and only 135 of them have some level of connection to a generator for things like fume hoods, negative-80-degree freezers and emergency lighting.鈥

While Carbahal鈥檚 team ensures that generators are fueled and ready to perform, he noted that fellow researchers in your building, building managers and safety officers are a great resource for finding out what specific equipment and spaces are powered by those generators.

Be prepared

MORE INFORMATION

Questions? Contact the following:

  • RESEARCH SAFETY 鈥 By email or phone, 530-752-1493
  • EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS 鈥 By email
  • FACILITIES MANAGEMENT 鈥 By email or phone, 530-752-1655

Clement Stokes, director of Emergency Management and Mission Continuity, urged staff, faculty and students to keep their WarnMe information current.

 "WarnMe in red circle

Stokes also emphasized departmental and unit planning. 鈥淲hile a power outage is likely to be completely out of our control, you can take control of planning for a major smoke event, or how your department might resume operations in spite of a power outage.鈥

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