Are you prepared for a natural disaster? The past couple of months have brought a disastrous Keller Fire to the Oakland hills, an atmospheric river of rain to the entire area, and a tsunami warning across the Northern California coast.
“Our community and our families need to stay up to date by creating an emergency preparedness plan and signing up for advanced warning systems to stay ahead of potential hazards,” Assemblymember Mia Bonta stated in a December 14 newsletter to constituents in District 18 (Alameda, Oakland, and Emeryville). The newsletter outlined emergency supplies and resources, and where to find tips on how to stay safe and dry this winter.
Bonta also noted that the effects of climate change have worsened many common natural disasters in California—fueling wildfires, worsening the effects of flooding, and exacerbating costs for our communities. “We will continue to stand in support of fact-based environmental policy to protect our homes and ensure that Californians can live without fear of climate-based catastrophe,” she stated.
When natural disasters occur, “Communities can take action online easily by visiting the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) website Ready.Gov and Alameda County’s AC Alert to register for emergency warning alerts, create a shelter and evacuation plan, and build an emergency preparedness kit,” Bonta wrote. “Local resources including sandbags, plastic sheeting, and city-specific emergency hotlines.”
The newsletter presented guides for national and statewide preparedness, natural disasters with local alerts, and resources specifically for Alameda, Oakland, and Emeryville.
National and statewide preparedness
The National Emergency and Management Agency’s (FEMA) Ready Program is a national service that provides resources to the public to prepare for and respond to disasters and emergencies. Resources include information on disasters and emergencies, guidelines for making a plan, instructions on how to build a basic kit of supplies, and an entire section on a variety of social media toolkits.
Using Listos California, Californians can prepare for the most common natural disasters and emergency situations in the state, including extreme heat, wildfires and smoke, power outages, floods, earthquakes, and severe storms. For severe storms, Listos has resources on how to stay informed and prepare for flooding, strong winds, wildfires, and more.
Local alerts for natural disasters
When you register with AC Alert you can provide multiple methods of contact, including your cell, home, and work phones, along with email addresses. You can designate multiple locations in Alameda County where you want to receive emergency alerts. To receive up-to-date information on emergency alerts and natural disasters, sign up for the AC Alert System by clicking here and making an account.
Wildfires and tsunamis
Following the Keller Fire, Bonta’s office released a resource list to assist wildfire recovery. This includes recommendations from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) to prevent wildfires in high-risk areas, respond to nearby wildfires, and recover
To stay up to date on tsunami occurrences, visit the National Weather Service’s Tsunami Warning System online. For general tsunami preparedness, visit the Red Cross Tsunami Preparedness page to make a plan, and understand warning messages.
Power outages, downed lines, gas smell
Alameda uses PG&E for natural gas and Alameda Municipal Power (AMP) for electricity.
- Gas leak: If you smell natural gas, you should leave the area immediately and call 9-1-1. Then call PG&E at 1-877-660-6789.
- Downed power lines: If you see downed power lines, call 9-1-1 and don’t exit your car or home. Then call AMP at 510-748-3900. You can also check outage alerts online.
Signs of a possible gas leak:
- Sulfur-like smell or rotten egg smell.
- Hissing, whistling, or roaring sounds.
- Damaged connections to gas appliances.
- Dead or dying vegetation in otherwise moist areas, over or near pipeline areas.
- Unusual soil movement or bubbling water.
Alameda resources
The City of Alameda provides up to five free sandbags for Alameda residents and businesses. Sandbags can be retrieved anytime from a self-serve sandbag station on Lexington Avenue at West Ranger Avenue on Alameda Point.
For infrastructure disasters call 510-747-7900 (after 6 p.m. call 510-337-8340).For life-threatening emergencies, always call 9-1-1.
For those who are unhoused, the Warming Shelter at Christ Episcopal Church at 1700 Santa Clara Avenue, has a capacity of 25 guests, each of whom are provided a warm place to sleep, shower, and have breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Fresh socks, underwear, and other amenities are available as needed.
The shelter opened at the beginning of December and will remain open through March 31, operating only at night. The shelter will temporarily move to Trinity Lutheran Church at 1323 Central Avenue from December 22 through January 4, and to Twin Towers United Methodist Church at 1411 Oak Street February 10-24.
For more information visit the Warming Shelter website or email [email protected].
If you are currently homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless, call the Alameda Homeless Hotline at 510-522-HOME (4663) Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. During evenings or weekends, call 2-1-1 to access countywide resources.
