PG&E Donates $250,000 to American Red Cross to Ease California Wildfire Suffering and Will Match Up to an Additional $100,000 in Employee Donations
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) announced today that it is
making a corporate donation of $250,000 to the American Red Cross to
help ease the suffering from the destruction associated with the
wildfires in Northern and Central California. Additionally, the company
shared it will match up to another $100,000 in employee contributions
for a total of up to $350,000.
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PG&E is working with first responders to safely and as quickly as possible restore service to customers affected by several wildfires burning in the state. Photo by Matthew Henderson
“These devastating wildfires across our service area have displaced
thousands of our customers. Our thoughts are with all of them and their
communities, and we want to do what we can to help ease their suffering.
Whether it is earthquakes, winter storms or wildfires, we partner with
the Red Cross because they are consistently there for our communities in
times of need,” said Tony Earley, PG&E’s chairman and chief executive
officer.
The American Red Cross is actively working throughout California to
assist the tens of thousands of people displaced by wildfires, providing
essential services such as food, water and shelter. In PG&E’s service
area, the Red Cross has opened shelters near the Valley Fire in Lake and
Napa Counties, the Butte Fire in Amador and Calaveras Counties, and the
Rough Fire in Fresno County. PG&E is also coordinating employee
volunteers to help staff these shelters.
“American Red Cross is so proud to be a partner with PG&E and is
extremely grateful for their continued support of our mission to ensure
communities are prepared and ready to respond to disasters immediately
and are able to recover,” said Trevor Riggen, American Red Cross
Northern California Coastal Regional CEO.
With this donation, which could reach $350,000, PG&E’s community
investments with the American Red Cross will surpass $1 million for
2015. Since the Loma Prieta Earthquake in 1989, PG&E has donated more
than $10.6 million in support of American Red Cross initiatives to
improve community disaster preparedness and response.
“PG&E’s crews have been working around the clock to help the victims of
the Valley Fire return their lives to normal. They care deeply about our
community and this donation is just another demonstration of that
commitment. We face a long and slow road back, but we will get there
together with partners like PG&E, the Red Cross, our local government
leaders and countless other volunteers and supporters,” said U.S. Rep.
Mike Thompson (CA-5).
PG&E and the American Red Cross urge California residents to create,
update and practice their personal preparedness plans. September is
National Preparedness Month and PG&E encourages customers to prepare.
Get ready for natural disasters before they happen
-
Prepare an emergency plan and conduct an emergency drill with
your family.
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Prepare an evacuation plan for your home. Each room should have
at least two ways to escape in case one is blocked. Establish a place
where your family can reunite.
-
Establish an alternative way to contact others who are not
home, such as an out-of-the-area telephone contact.
-
Prepare and maintain an emergency
preparedness kit with enough supplies on hand to be
self-sufficient for at least three days, and preferably up to one week.
-
Know where your gas service shutoff valve is, and how to shut
off your gas supply. The main shutoff valve is normally near your
gas meter and will require the use of a 12- to 15-inch adjustable pipe
or crescent-type wrench or other suitable tool.
-
Know which of your appliances uses gas and where the appliance
shutoff valves are located. In some cases, turning off the gas at the
appliance shutoff valve will suffice.
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Know where the main electric switch is and how to turn
off your electric supply.
Know what to do after an emergency
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Check for injuries and ensure everyone is safe.
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Check for damage. If you smell or hear gas escaping inside your
home or business, get everyone outside and shut off the gas
immediately.
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Do not use electrical switches, appliances or phones because
sparks can ignite gas. Do not check for a gas leak with a match or an
open flame.
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Once outside, use your phone from a safe location upwind where
you can no longer smell gas to call 911 and PG&E at 1-800-743-5000.
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Shut off the gas at the main gas service valve normally located
near your gas meter by using a 12- to 15-inch adjustable wrench or
other suitable tool to give the valve a quarter turn.
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Once you shut off the gas, DO NOT turn it back on.
Contact PG&E or another qualified professional to perform a safety
inspection before the gas service is restored and the gas appliance
pilots are re-lit.
-
If the power goes out, turn off all electric appliances to
avoid overloading circuits and fire hazards when power is restored.
Leave a single lamp on to alert you when power returns. Turn your
appliances back on one at a time when conditions return to normal.
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During a power outage, use battery-operated flashlights instead
of candles due to the risk of fire. If you must use candles, keep them
away from drapes, lamp shades and small children and never leave them
unattended.
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Treat all downed power lines as if they are energized and
extremely dangerous. Keep yourself and others away from them. Call 911,
and then notify PG&E at 1-800-743-5000.
For tips on preventing wildfires and preparing for and responding to
natural disasters, visit www.pge.com/safety/preparedness
and www.redcross.org/prepare.
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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