Southern California Edison, PG&E join California 211 emergency response network

Southern California Edison (SCE) and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) announced a joint agreement to provide emergency preparedness support for customers during Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS).

The two power companies will use the 211 California Network, which allows customers to call or text 211 during PSPS events to facilitate connections with local resources. The 211 California Network will directly connect customers to local community-based organizations that assist with transportation and shelter needs, portable backup power, home meal delivery, food replacement, bill assistance programs and support for those who may have physical, intellectual, or developmental disabilities.

“The 211 California Network is a powerful resource that considers all of our diverse customers’ unique needs,” Jill Anderson, senior vice president of Customer Service for SCE, said. “For those customers who may experience a PSPS, particularly those with access and functional needs, 211 offers a toolkit that considers each customer holistically and helps to tailor a resiliency plan that works for them.”

The service will be available to customers 24 hours per day during PSPS events, which occur when power is shut off temporarily to avoid the risk of catastrophic wildfires.

“It is our commitment to not only identify and connect with members of the AFN community who we serve, but to provide information to help them plan for emergency situations and to facilitate access to resources that can help them navigate through challenging situations,” Marlene Santos, PG&E executive vice president and chief customer officer, said.

When not assisting during PSPS, 211 will focus on outreach to at-risk customers, including those living in high fire risk areas who are eligible for income-qualified assistance programs. The focus during these periods will be to evaluate these customers’ resiliency plans and connect them with existing programs that can help them prepare for outages.

“The 211 California Network is excited to work with the utility companies to provide additional support to their customers,” Kelly Brown, Interface 211 community information officer, said. “This partnership with SCE and PG&E will expand our ability to connect customers to critical resources during Public Safety Power Shutoffs.”