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A relative’s shutoff notice is a useful reminder to prepare, but it may be for a different utility and service area. Your own account address, contact channels and provider’s current notice belong at the center of the plan. California’s utility regulator explains the PSPS program; the checklist below turns that program information into a household contact and fallback record.
Check the territory and contact record
| Record | What to do before fire weather |
|---|---|
| Serving utility | Write down the utility name and its official PSPS page and phone number |
| Service address | Confirm the address and unit are correct in the account |
| Contact method | Update phone, email, and any other channel the utility supports |
| Notice source | Learn how the provider issues notices and how to check updated areas/timing |
| Household needs | If power supports essential equipment or care, make a device-specific plan with the clinician, supplier, manufacturer, utility, and local emergency resources as appropriate |
| Offline fallback | Keep key contacts, a charging plan, transportation options, and a safe alternate location available without home internet |
Programs differ. PG&E’s PSPS page describes PG&E’s own alert and resource process; it is not a statewide guarantee that every customer will receive a specific lead time or restoration estimate. Utility notices can change as weather and risk assessments change.
Keep three messages separate
| Message or record | Household decision |
|---|---|
| Current fire-weather alert | Read the full NWS message and separate local evacuation notices; weather risk is not the same as a scheduled shutoff. |
| Utility PSPS notice for your service address | Check affected area, expected window, contact channels, and any resource-center information in that utility’s current notice. |
| Restoration update | Recheck the utility’s estimate and its inspection/restoration conditions; retain a fallback until service is actually available. |
The CPUC program page covers several investor-owned utilities, including PG&E, Southern California Edison and SDG&E. Your serving utility matters: a family member’s notice from another service territory is not a notice for your address. The regulator’s historical PSPS dashboard is useful for past-event context; use the utility’s current status channel for an active event.
Treat estimates as updates, not promises
A forecasted shutoff window or restoration estimate helps you make decisions but cannot guarantee exactly when power will stop or return. Check the latest official notice, keep phones charged when conditions allow, and act on local emergency instructions. Do not wait for a final status message if household care needs require earlier relocation.
California’s Medical Baseline program has its own eligibility and program terms. Enrollment or notification status does not mean a home will keep power or be restored first. A person who relies on powered medical equipment should have a plan specific to the device, including supplier and clinician guidance; a generic outage page cannot calculate safe runtime or replace professional care planning.
Keep the ordinary outage plan ready
A PSPS may be planned in advance, but the household still needs ordinary outage choices for lighting, food, temperature, communication, and when to leave. Use the home resilience outage guide for those decisions. This page is limited to California PSPS program readiness; other states and utilities may use different names or processes.
