Public Safety Power Shutoffs
Public Safety Power Shutoffs initiated by power providers can mean widespread power outages.
To find if you are in the outage impact area visit https://co.my.xcelenergy.com/s/outage-safety/wildfires/power-shutoffs/event-update
Here are steps you can take to prepare:
- Fully charge electronic devices – including durable medical equipment, cell phones, backup lighting sources, battery backups, etc.
- Have non-perishable food that you can prepare and store safely without cooking or refrigeration.
- Wells will be impacted if power is out – if you are on well water, have drinking water for humans and animals available – at least 1 gallon per person/small animal per day, for 3 days.
- Consider having a back-up power source like a battery or fuel powered generator.
- Fuel or charge vehicles.
- Plan ahead with friends or family who are out of the outage area for a place to stay if you need access to power and have personal backup power.
- Set a meet up location to go to in order to get in touch with loved ones (this can be someone’s home, a parking lot out of the outage area, etc.) if cell coverage is out.
- Treat all traffic signals that are out as a four-way stop.
Public Safety Power Shutoffs are typically initiated by power providers on days when there is higher fire risk due to high winds and dried out vegetation. To be prepared on days with higher fire risk do the following:
- Sign-up for emergency alerts at bocoalert.org.
- Create an evacuation plan that includes:
- Which transportation options you have access to (a personal vehicle, ride with a neighbor or friend, biking, walking, etc.).
- What routes you could take.
- What important items (essential medications or devices, or irreplaceable items) you need to take with you.
To support early detection of fire and keep our community safe, the following resources or changes to response are used:
Smoke detection and infrared cameras – these cameras function 24 hours a day and are positioned around Boulder County to allow for early detection. You can view these cameras at https://alertwest.live/
Indices-based dispatching – more response units are dispatched on days with higher fire risk to support quick and effective fire suppression.