After three days and nights without power, I had never felt so lucky. We had shelter, we had water, and we had our families and community. The threat of wildfire has never felt so close to home.
We know that, here in Marin, a major wildfire is not an “if” – it’s a “when.” In the days of the public safety power shutoff, we had all the same conditions as the Camp and Tubbs fires: hot, dry, windy weather conditions and 100 years of built-up fuels. The only thing that was missing was an ignition event. Fire is a function of fuels, topography and weather. We can only control the first one.
After this PSPS event, which we are told will be the first of many over the next 10 years, we have learned a few things, on the jurisdictional side and personally. I will start with the personal.
In this together
We were one of the only places that lost power to the entire county. We need to take care of each other, and I saw that happen in our community. Local businesses pitched in and served as our refrigerators, our Wi-Fi and our charging stations. Mill Valley opened up the Community Center for showers as well, with our library staff pitching in as guides to help community members.
On my own street, we all had a group text going to keep each other informed and raise each others’ spirits. We shared food and flashlights, and we looked after our neighbors that had access and functional needs. We had playdates and helped each other out with childcare when the schools were closed. This is the spirit of Marin – neighbors helping neighbors, so we can get through tough times together.
Not prepared enough
“Don’t do math underwater,” is a lesson they teach scuba divers. Do the calculations beforehand – what do you need to eat and sleep and comfort your children without power? I live and breathe preparedness, but I still found myself off-guard. This was our first real test of sheltering in place.
As predicted, at least half the cell towers went out immediately. But text messages were still going through, so we could communicate with relatives that we were OK. In addition, we had to temporarily relocate our business operations to a hotel in San Francisco, so we could keep serving our East Coast clients. It took some creativity and flexibility, from adults and kids alike.
Public safety is well-prepared
On the jurisdictional side, we learned that our public safety professionals are a well-oiled machine. I have traveled across the state talking to other jurisdictions about how they are preparing for wildfire, and I am always impressed that nearly all the things they suggest are things Marin County has been doing for years.
Our fire and police departments have trained and drilled together. They were pre-positioned. They were resourced. We were ready. The fires that did break out were contained so rapidly that residents were barely inconvenienced. In addition, we have a high-functioning VOAD (Volunteer Organizations Active in a Disaster) that coordinates all the non-profits and faith-based organizations and acts as an information conduit with the Office of Emergency Services.
Power shutoffs not the solution
By presuming that fires on transmission routes are caused by the Pacfic Gas and Electric Co., the state sets up an incentive for the company to shutoff the power preemptively. I am working with city and special district elected officials from across the state, so that we can advocate at the state level for more options and better protections. We need to focus on what is important here: saving lives and protecting the most vulnerable, including those that require power for their medical needs.
In the end, I have learned a lot about what it takes to take care of my family and neighbors in a blackout. Each of us needs to take that journey, and you have to figure out those very personal needs on your own. A connected community is a resilient community. Let’s find ways to become more connected and help each other. More information on how to prepare is at ReadyMarin.org.
Sashi McEntee is vice mayor of Mill Valley, co-chair of the disaster preparedness subcommittee of the Marin County Council of Mayors and Councilmembers and an active Community Emergency Response Team member.
