Article 1: Keep Your Family and Pets Safe During Emergencies By Being Prepared
During an emergency, every second counts. Thoughtful planning can help keep you safe and reduce the stress of having to scramble for what you need most. Prepare an emergency kit to help safeguard yourself and your loved ones from unexpected emergencies like earthquakes, floods or fires. Don’t forget to outline a family plan and practice safety drills before the need arises.
Being prepared means having food, water and supplies to last for at least 3 days. An emergency kit is a collection of basic items your family may need. Since you don’t know when a disaster will occur, prepare an emergency kit for your home, work and your vehicle.
Here are some items to consider adding to your emergency kit.
- Non-perishable food; nutrition bars, tuna (don’t forget the can opener,) peanut butter, crackers
- Water – one gallon of water per person per day for drinking and sanitation
- First aid supplies
- Change of clothes including a jacket, durable gloves and sturdy shoes to provide protection from broken glass and other debris
- Rope for towing or rescue
- Plastic sheeting and tape
- Moist towelettes, trash bags
- Cell phone and charger
- Important family documents such as passports
- Knife, screwdriver and other basic tools
- Candles and waterproof matches
- Food for pets, bowls, pet carriers
- Recreational supplies like games or books for children and adults
- Blankets or sleeping bags
- Portable radio, flashlight and extra batteries
- Essential medications and eyeglasses
- Cash
Know how to manually open your garage door for easier access out of your home. Be sure to update your contact information with SDG&E. Visit sdge.com/myaccount and choose “manage my account.” You can also sign up for alerts like outage notifications at sdge.com/alerts. Find a host of emergency checklists for home and work on sdge.com/checklist.
Article 2: Turning Off The Power For Public Safety
In recent years, wildfire preparedness and prevention has taken on a new level of importance in California, as many communities have suffered from record loss of lives and properties due to catastrophic wildfires. Exacerbated by climate change, wildfires have become a year-round phenomenon, growing in both frequency and severity.
Energy companies turn off power to fire-prone areas during extreme weather conditions as a safety precaution. This is known as a Public Safety Power Shutoff. The decision to turn off power is made based on a combination of factors. These include high winds (including Red Flag Warnings declared by the National Weather Service), low humidity, dry vegetation, and conditions on the ground. Power outages could last multiple days, depending on the severity of weather conditions and other factors, so it’s important for everyone to have an emergency plan in place.
We’ll make every effort to notify you in advance of a shutoff. Stay informed by making sure your SDG&E contact information is current on sdge.com/myaccount. Please know that turning off power in the interest of safety isn’t a decision we take lightly. It’s a last resort during extreme situations to reduce wildfire risk. If we anticipate the power to be off for an extended period, we may open Community Resource Centers in affected areas. The Centers provide water and snacks, the ability to charge phones, and keep up-to-date outage information.
Article 3: Test Drive New Electric Vehicles At This Fun, Family Event
You’re invited to the largest annual “EV party” in town – Electric Vehicle Day on Sept. 14, 2019 at Liberty Station. From 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., you can learn about and test drive the latest models of all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles and “kick the tires” with no sales pressure. Electric vehicles boast many benefits, such as, access to HOV/carpool lanes, saving on gas, lower maintenance costs and reducing your carbon footprint. This is the largest EV test drive event in San Diego and features new models to check out, food vendors and family-friendly activities.
Now in its seventh year, the event grows each year as more and more people become “EV curious.” A growing number of local residents are transitioning to electric vehicles as models become more affordable with improved technology and performance. Today, SDG&E’s customers drive almost 43,000 plug-in electric vehicles! With such a wide range of electric vehicles on the road, there is one sure to fit your lifestyle.
Register today for this free test drive event and learn more at sdge.com/evday.
Article #4: Need Help With Your Energy Bill?
SDG&E has several assistance programs to help lower your monthly energy bill while keeping your home comfortable.
California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) Program: Save 30% or more every month on your bill. Eligibility is based on participation in certain public assistance programs, or household income and how many people live in your home. Visit sdge.com/CARE to learn more.
Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) Program: If you don’t meet the requirements for CARE, you may qualify for FERA. You could receive an 18 percent discount on your energy bill. FERA is only open to households with three or more people. Visit sdge.com/FERA to learn more.
Medical Baseline Allowance Program: If you or someone in your household has a qualifying medical condition or needs certain medical equipment in your home, you may be eligible for electricity or natural gas at a lower rate. To learn more or apply, visit sdge.com/MedicalBaseline.
Energy Savings Assistance (ESA) Program: You may receive no-cost energy-saving improvements for your home, such as new home appliances, energy-efficient lighting, insulation and more. To see if you qualify, visit sdge.com/ESAP.
For details about SDG&E’s customer assistance programs, visit sdge.com/Assistance. If you have additional questions, please email billdiscount@sdge.com or call 1-800-411-7343.
Article #5: A Bright Idea: No-Cost Class On Solar And Energy Savings For Homeowners
Are you a homeowner interested in solar and ways to save on energy costs? Mark September 11 on your calendar and learn about solar and how to make your home more energy-efficient. SDG&E is hosting energy experts from the Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE) to explain the fundamentals of energy efficiency and solar technologies for your home. Learn how to identify the major energy users around your house, like an inefficient water heater, and how to prioritize upgrades to amplify your energy and cost savings. This no-cost class examines the benefits of solar water-heating technology, including water and energy. Register at bit.ly/2Uamv7i.
Learn how to:
- Prioritize home energy upgrades
- Properly size a home solar system
- Research and find solar contractors
- Identify areas in your home that use the most energy
Date: Wednesday, September 11, 2019
Time: 5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Location: The Energy Innovation Center
Address: 4760 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., San Diego
This is a popular class so REGISTER NOW and learn how to reduce your home energy use.
Article #6: When You Use Energy Matters
With SDG&E’s Time-of-Use (TOU) pricing plans, your billing is based not only on how much energy you use, but also WHEN you use it. With these plans, prices will be lower all day, except between the on-peak hours of 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. when prices are higher. This new approach to pricing gives you more choice and control over your energy costs by allowing you to save in two ways: using energy during lower-priced off-peak hours and reducing your overall use. By shifting your energy use to off-peak hours, you’ll also help decrease demand on the power grid, which benefits the environment and saves you money. Everyone wins. Learn more at sdge.com/whenmatters.
Here are some ways to cut down on energy costs:
- Shift your use – When doing laundry, wash and dry full loads and use a cold water setting. Save even more on a Time-of-Use plan by doing laundry outside the hours of 4 p.m. – 9 p.m.
- Fire up the grill – Take the heat out of your kitchen by cooking outside. It’s also a good excuse to get your family outside and away from electronics.
- Prepare meals in a slow cooker outside the hours of 4 p.m. – 9 p.m.
- Raise your thermostat just one degree to reduce your bill by two percent. *
- Close cooling vents in unused rooms and keep doors to unused rooms closed.
- To reduce the load on your refrigerator, allow hot foods and liquids to cool off for up to one hour before placing them in the refrigerator.
- Place lamps in the corner of a room rather than against a flat wall to reflect light from two wall surfaces instead of one.
- Properly caulk and weatherstrip doors and windows to reduce heating and air conditioning usage 10 – 20 percent.*
- Turn off incandescent lights when you aren’t in the room. Ninety percent of the energy that incandescents use is given off as heat and only about 10% results in light.*
*Source: https://www.firstenergycorp.com/content/dam/customer/get-help/files/brochures/100waysbrochure.pdf