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From: Van Gorder, Mark <MKV5@pge.com>
Sent: Friday, May 8, 2020 4:01 PM To: Van Gorder, Mark <MKV5@pge.com> Subject: PG&E Hosting Series of Webinars to Keep Customers and Communities Informed About Work to Prevent and Mitigate the Serious Risk of Catastrophic Wildfire The Sonoma / Napa Webinar was this week May 6 and the presentation can also be found and downloaded at the following link. The full webinar schedule, along with more information about PG&E’s Community Wildfire Safety Program, can be found at www.pge.com/wildfiresafety. Mark van Gorder| Sr. Government and Public Affairs, North Bay 415-521-0487 Cell| mark.vangorder@pge.com PG&E Hosting Series of Webinars to Keep Customers and Communities Informed About its Continuing Vital Safety Work to Prevent and Mitigate the Serious Risk of Catastrophic Wildfires Weekly events through the summer, will give customers an opportunity to get local information on wildfire prevention efforts and ask questions SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) today shared that as its crews and contractors remain in the field performing essential work to maintain gas and electric service, improve the safety of the system, further mitigate wildfire risks, and reduce Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) impacts, the company also is taking the steps necessary to keep communities informed about this vital wildfire prevention and safety work.. PG&E is hosting a series of county webinars to detail the progress of its numerous actions being executed as part of the Community Wildfire Safety Program and share how any needed PSPS events in 2020 are expected to be smaller in scope, shorter in duration and smarter for customers. With these webinars, even amid the ongoing COVID-19 health impacts, PG&E will keep customers and communities informed about its continuing important safety work to prevent and mitigate the serious risk of catastrophic wildfires while keeping customers and communities healthy and safe. The schedule has been set up so that customers in adjoining counties can participate and hear details specific to their county. The webinars will feature a brief presentation and provide ample opportunity for participants to ask questions and provide feedback. “As we all work to meet the challenge of COVID-19, we also know wildfire season is around the corner,” said Laurie Giammona, Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer for PG&E. “We want to ensure our customers understand the steps that we are taking in their community to prepare and improve for this year.” PG&E has sought feedback and is listening to customers and communities about how it can do better, make improvements and take action. Since last year’s wildfire season, PG&E has participated in nearly 200 meetings with state and federal agencies, local emergency managers, local elected leaders, customers and community groups to listen, partner and improve. PG&E is continuing to conduct outreach to counties and tribes for coordination meetings, in addition to weekly webinars. Given COVID-19 guidelines, these meetings have transitioned from in-person to web-based gatherings and the company continues to share its plans, seek feedback and make additional improvements. This year, PG&E is enhancing and expanding its efforts to reduce wildfire risks and keep customers and communities safe. Changes reflect feedback from customers, elected leaders and other stakeholders. This includes:
The webinars will take place on Wednesdays from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., beginning April 29 and continuing through the summer. The following are the webinars planned through May:
Although the webinar events will highlight work in the listed counties, they will be open to all PG&E’s customers throughout the service area. Closed captioning will be available in English, Spanish and Chinese, and there will dial-in numbers for those who aren’t able to join online. PG&E will share the web address and phone number closer to each event. The full webinar schedule, along with more information about PG&E’s Community Wildfire Safety Program, can be found at www.pge.com/wildfiresafety. From: FIRESafe MARIN <info@firesafemarin.org>
Sent: Monday, May 4, 2020 3:02 PM To: Kutter, Rhonda <RKutter@marincounty.org> Subject: Marin Wildfire Preparedness News FIRESafe MARIN News View this email in your browser Today's Wildfire Preparedness News:
Wildfire Preparedness Webinars begin TONIGHT (May 4, 2020)On May 04, 2020 02:04 pm You are invited to join FIRESafe MARIN for our first Wildfire Preparedness Webinar tonight (May 4, 2020) at 6pm! An extension of our popular "Living With Fire" community education seminars, we're launching a regular series of 30-60 minute online webinars to help Marin residents and homeowners prepare for wildfire. Read the full article » Wildfire Preparedness Week Day 3: Focus on "Zone Zero"On May 04, 2020 01:26 pm A simple, 7 day guide to improving your home and family's wildfire preparedness with easy, inexpensive tips.Day 3: Clear Combustibles Within 5' of Your HomeThe area nearest your house, from 0' to 5', including the surfaces of the structure itself, is the most vulnerable area. We call this "ZONE ZERO," because it's ground-zero when it comes to protecting your home from embers. It's the area closest to your house, including plants, decks, outdoor furniture, and the outside walls and coverings. This area is most vulnerable and should be more aggressively maintained for fire resistance. There should be ZERO combustibles in this zone!
Read the full article » Wildfire Preparedness Week Day 2: Cut Your Grass!On May 03, 2020 12:01 pm It's Wildfire Preparedness Week. Follow our daily updates for an easy, step by step guide to protecting your home!This week, FIRESafe MARIN will provide a simple, 7 day guide to improving your home and family's wildfire preparedness with simple, easy, inexpensive tips. Day 2: Cut Your Grass!Marin's grasslands provide the fuel for our most frequent and fast moving wildfires. Dry grass is particularly susceptible to ignition - carelessly dropped cigarettes, illegal fireworks, mower blades, and hot car mufflers frequently ignite grass fires. These fast-moving fires damage and destroy homes every year in California and Marin, often in the first few minutes of a wildfire before firefighters arrive. Read the full article » Recent Articles:Wildfire Preparedness Week, Day 1: Clean Your Roof and Rain Gutters FIRESafe MARIN to host "pop-up" Living With Fire programs May 4 & 6 3 Marin Firewise Sites Receive Wildfire Prep Day Grants Wildfire Community Preparedness Day: Saturday, May 2 Upcoming NFPA Wildfire Webinars: Wildfires and Insurance Is Your Neighborhood FIREWISE? Click here to learn about the Firewise USA program and benefits! NEW! Weather Radios & Evacuation AlertsThese battery powered NOAA Weather Radios can send an evacuation or weather alert, even when power and cell service is out. Used successfully during the 2019 evacuation in Sonoma county, your radio purchase will protect your family and support FIRESafe MARIN. ORDER NOW: Midland - ER310, Solar, AA battery, Hand Crank Evacuation Alerting AM/FM Weather Radio About UsFIRESafe MARIN is a nonprofit dedicated to reducing wildfire hazards and improving fire-safety awareness in Marin. We foster community involvement by building partnerships and providing resources for mitigating fire danger. "Living With Fire"Have you attended one of our informative "Living With Fire" seminars? Find upcoming events and classes here! Fire WeatherLearn about Red Flag Warnings and see updated NWS Fire Weather information. EvacuationEvacuation preparedness must begin before a fire strikes. All Marin Residents should register for Alert Marin AND Nixle to receive evacuation notifications (Alert Marin) and emergency information (Nixle) by cell phone or VOIP. Learn more about evacuation preparedness... Protect Your HomeIf your home is to survive a wildfire, you must createDefensible Space and take steps to "harden" the structure. Marin CWPPLearn about Marin's Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) Donate!FIRESafe MARIN is a 501(c)3 non-profit, and your donation may be tax deductible. Our funding goes directly to wildfire preparedness projects in Marin, and will directly benefit your community and neighborhood. Please donate today! FIRESafe MARINP.O. Box 2831 San Anselmo, CA 94979 info@firesafemarin.org Website YouTube Was this email forwarded to you by a friend? If so, please consider signing up to receive our locally oriented wildfire safety updates in your inbox, weekly. You can unsubscribe at any time. Was this message forwarded to you? Join the FIRESafe NEWS Mailing List! Copyright © 2020 FIRESafe MARIN, All rights reserved. You opted in to receive alerts from FIRESafe MARIN. Our mailing address is: FIRESafe MARIN PO Box 2831 San Anselmo, CA 94979 Add us to your address book unsubscribe from this list update subscription preferences For the Covid-19 incident, the Point Reyes Disaster Council (“PRDC”) is remotely activated, ie, for communications. I would like to thank our many community volunteers.
The PRDC’s super volunteer operations group/think-tank (Rich Clarke, Peggy Day, Madeline Hope) assists with activities, including Marin HHS food-sufficiency conference calls & Point Reyes Disaster Council planning. Early on, all three gave input to social distance posters that Madeline & her son Peter made, which were distributed to other disaster councils requesting them. PRDC Neighborhood Liaisons and Area Coordinators made an estimated headcount for the county’s Emergency Ops Center of population by age group in PRS, Olema, Inverness Park & Marshall, to help with planning for possible future food needs. The PRDC Coordinator posts relevant info on West Marin Commons (as do dedicated locals), NextDoor Point Reyes/Inverness and, organized by topic, on pointreyesdisastercouncil.org/Safety Info. The PRDC Coordinator participates in the twice-weekly conference calls run by Marin HHS about food sufficiency, distribution & future planning, with West Marin Senior Services; the food pantries in Point Reyes Station (West Marin Community Services), Tomales (Town Hall), San Geronimo Valley (Community Center), Bolinas (Community Center);Walnut Place; and the disaster council coordinators in Bolinas, San Geronimo Valley and Tomales. PRDC Neighborhood Liaisons and Area Coordinators made an estimated headcount for the county’s Emergency Ops Center of population by age group in PRS, Olema, Inverness Park & Marshall, to help with planning for possible future food needs. The PRDC also participates, as needed, in a weekly conference call run by Marin VOAD; and agreed to supply Coastal Health Alliance with certain equipment for any future testing needs. Lynn Axelrod, Coordinator pointreyesdisastercouncil.org From: Supervisor Dennis Rodoni <camarin@public.govdelivery.com> Date: March 31, 2020 at 2:19:20 PM PDT To: p.bridges@mac.com Subject: COVID-19 UPDATE: Stay-at-Home & Parks Closure Orders Reply-To: camarin@public.govdelivery.com Dear District 4 Resident: Please take a moment to read the following information from with regards to our Shelter-in-Place and Parks Closures Orders. New restrictions have been applied. To read the updated the COVID-19 FAQs page, containing clarifying information related to Short Term Rentals and Construction Projects, click here. Bay Area Health Officers Issue Updated Stay-at-Home Order;Marin Releases Updated Parks Closure OrderMore time and additional restrictions needed to slow the spread and reduce future impact on local hospitals from COVID-19 San Rafael, CA - Health officers in seven Bay Area jurisdictions – including Marin County -- are updating a previous stay-at-home order through May 3, 2020 in order to preserve critical hospital capacity across the region. The previous three-week order was set to expire on April 7. While the prior order has been effective in reducing the rate of transmission of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), it is not enough. There has been a significant increase in the number of positive cases, hospitalization and deaths from COVID-19, which is beginning to strain healthcare resources. The health officers have determined that more and stricter social distancing is needed to slow the rate of spread, prevent deaths, and stop the health care system from becoming overwhelmed. “Extending the stay-at-home order should reduce the number of sick patients seeking care at one time, giving us time to acquire more medical supplies for providers who will be providing care to people sick with COVID-19,” said Dr. Chris Farnitano, health officer for Contra Costa County. “The extension will allow doctors and nurses to better treat those who do get sick and save countless lives.” The new stay-at-home order will supersede the previous order and go into effect at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31. It is a complement to the indefinite statewide stay-at-home order issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom earlier this month. Like the previous local order, the new order requires people to stay at home except for doing essential activities, such as grocery shopping, in six counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara, as well as the city of Berkeley. Non-essential businesses will remain closed. The new order adds some clarifying language around essential business and activities, as well as some new directives, including: · Use of playgrounds, dog parks, public picnic areas, and similar recreational areas is prohibited. These areas must be closed to public use. · Use of shared public recreational facilities such as golf courses, tennis and basketball courts, pools, and rock walls is prohibited. These facilities must be closed for recreational use. · Sports requiring people to share a ball or other equipment must be limited to people in the same household · Requires essential businesses to develop a social distancing protocol before April 3 · Most construction—residential and commercial—is prohibited · Funerals limited to no more than 10 people attending · Essential businesses expanded to include service providers that enable residential transactions (notaries, title companies, Realtors, etc.); funeral homes and cemeteries; moving companies, rental car companies and rideshare services that specifically enable essential activities · Essential businesses that continue to operate facilities must scale down operations to their essential component only In addition to the updated regional Shelter in Place Order, Marin County Public Health issued an updated Park Closure Order that provides clarity on park and open space access in Marin county. In summary, the new order states that individuals may access parks and open space areas that are local to their homes and are easily accessible by foot, bicycle or other non-motorized means, strictly for the purpose of engaging in exercise, as defined by the updated Shelter In Place order. Driving to access parks or open space areas is prohibited, except for individuals with disabilities with vehicles possessing current and valid Disabled Person Parking Placards or License Plates. Above all, all visitors to any park location must continue comply with social distancing requirements and are expected to stay local to the greatest extent possible. Social distancing is the most powerful tool to slow the spread of COVID-19, a virus so new that it has no approved medicines or vaccines. “What we need now, for the health of all our communities, is for people to stay home,” said Dr. Grant Colfax, director of the San Francisco Department of Public Health. “Even though it has been difficult, the Bay Area has really stepped up to the challenge so far, and we need to reaffirm our commitment. We need more time to flatten the curve, to prepare our hospitals for a surge, and to do everything we can to minimize the harm that the virus causes to our communities.” For more information about COVID-19 activities in these areas, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Santa Clara, San Francisco, San Mateo, or BerkeleyCOVID-19 websites. Thank you all for sharing your concerns about the heavy influx of visitors to West Marin. Please continue to follow the shelter in place order. We are working to correct the misunderstanding that traveling outside of your community for exercise is appropriate. (See yesterday’s county press release and Covid-19-Status update, pasted below).
Also, there is a new sign plan for all of the major arteries to the coast; signs should be already be in place. They should read: “Public Health Order, Coastal Access Restricted” Additional closures are recommended by PRNS in order to improve safety for staff, visitors and our local community. See their press release attached as well. Thank you for your patience and feel free to share widely. Take care, RhondaMarin County COVID-19 status update: March 21, 2020 COVID-19 activity in Marin: Marin County Emergency Operations Center COVID-19 Dashboard Confirmed Cases 38 Hospitalizations (Positive Patients) 4 California Cases 1,279 Persons Tested (at point of testing site) 430 Deaths 0 California Deaths 23 Marin County Public Health continues to advance policies to limit community spread and support our excellent healthcare partners’ capacity to respond. Public Health Order reminderThe Marin County Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is urging Bay Area residents not to travel beyond their communities as they engage in outdoor activities during the statewide shelter-in-place order. Marin County’s coastal communities saw an unusual influx of visitors – residents from around the Bay Area – amassing for the purpose of being outdoors. State and county park parking lots and bathrooms are closed due to the shelter in place order, adding to further congestion and creating problems with sanitation. Marin County Public Health reminds Marin residents and visitors to: · Stay local. Many local neighborhoods are walkable or have trails and parks nearby that are easily accessed by foot or bicycle. Avoid driving whenever possible, and stay close to home when enjoying fresh air and outdoor activity. · Continue to practice social distancing. It’s tempting to meet with friends for a day at the beach, but to prevent the spread of COVID-19 everyone needs to be at least 6 feet away from others when outside the household.Where to make donationsWe’ve been contacted my multiple community members asking about donations. In lieu of physical donations from community members, and in keeping in line with social distancing, the Marin Community Foundation has set up a COVID-19 relief fund. The fund will be used to soften the social and economic impacts of the pandemic with five main efforts: · Emergency rental assistance for low-income residents · Expanded food for economically disadvantaged families · Expanded meals for seniors · Wi-Fi mobile access for economically disadvantaged students · Emergency childcare for health care workers and emergency respondersCOVID-19 surveillance and data reminderMarin County Public Health has developed a system to try to detect early outbreak activity. Two main indicators of potential COVID-19 virus transmission locally include the number of confirmed cases and the number of people experiencing severe respiratory illness. Tracking this will help our healthcare providers and partners know when COVID-19 activity may be increasing in Marin. Marin County Public Health receives regular updates on the number of respiratory illness cases from all Marin County emergency departments (ED’s) and from Emergency Medical Services (EMS), our countywide 9-1-1 ambulance response system. We track these over time, and evaluate these trends by age because older adults infected with COVID-19 experience more severe disease. Knowing there are always ups and downs in our usual activity, we're looking for significant changes. This is mainly intended for our clinicians, but others may be interested in seeing the trends. You can track these trends online by visiting MarinHHS.org/Coronavirus/Data. A message from your Deputy Public Health OfficerFor today’s update, Dr. Lisa Santora talks about the large amount of visitors to our coastal region, the dangers it causes for our vulnerable population and why it is imperative that we adhere to the Public Health Order. (Click on the photo or watch the video on YouTube) Where to get the latest information:Visit the official Marin County Coronavirus webpage (MarinHHS.org/coronavirus) to review answers to frequently asked questions, access guidance for special groups and subscribe for email updates. To view past status updates concerning COVID-19 activity in Marin County, click on the resources tab on the Coronavirus webpage. Have questions? Individuals can contact Marin Health and Human Services with non-medical questions about the coronavirus by calling (415) 473-7191 (Monday – Friday, 9:30am to 12-noon and 1pm to 5pm) or emailing COVID-19@marincounty.org. You are subscribed to Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates for County of Marin. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Not all events are sponsored by the County of Marin. County of Marin sponsored events are required to be accessible. If you are an individual with a disability and require an accommodation to participate in a County sponsored event, please call (415) 473-4381 (voice), (415) 473-3232 (TTY), or dial 711 for CRS or email Disability Access at least six work days in advance. Documents in alternative formats are available upon request. SUBSCRIBER SERVICES: Manage Preferences | Unsubscribe | Help This email was sent to rkutter@marincounty.org using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: County of Marin Rhonda Lynn Kutter Aide to Supervisor Dennis Rodoni Marin County Board of Supervisors 3501 Civic Center Drive, Suite 329 San Rafael CA 94903 (415-473-3246; leave a message and I’ll get back to you—I’m currently working remotely) RKutter@MarinCounty.org Subsribe at https://coronavirus.marinhhs.org/ for Covid-19 updates Caltrans work from Olema to North of Point Reyes Station
Here is the link to Caltrans site that explains upcoming work they plan to do, from Olema to north of Pt Reyes Station. There are quite a few projects listed. They will be having a Community Meeting this Wed.March 11 at 6:00 at the West Marin School Gym. This is an important meeting as the public comment period ends March 24. Thank you Laura Arndt PRSVA https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-4/d4-projects/sr1-marin-capital-preventive-maintenance Commission membership opportunities I would like to invite you and residents in your communities to participate in some unique opportunities where you can serve on various commissions/committees to help represent West Marin and our D4 Communities at the County level. Besides openings in the Inverness Flood Zone 10 and the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Commission, you or your fellow neighbors, association members and colleagues, may be interested in serving on the new Measure W Oversite Committee. This Committee is mandated by the language of the measure to assure that both the Housing side and the Fire side are spending their monies in accordance to the language of measure W. (Note: you must live in the district to serve on the committee.) The Oversite Committee will typically meet once a year, and Roy Given or a representative from his office will go over their audit/review of the Measure W income/expenses etc. for the fiscal year to be reviewed and approved by the Oversite Committee. On current plans the yearly meeting will be held in early November at the Civic Center. I will be the staff person assigned to this committee. Here is a link to our commissions page which lists all of our current commission openings. To fill out an application, please go to this pageand you will find more information and links to the application (remember to save any longer pieces of information outside of the application and cut and paste as the form does not save as it goes and occasionally folks lose their work!). We would welcome your application for the Oversite Committee or other commissions as openings come up! Please contact me if you have any questions and please share this information broadly. Thanks, Rhonda Rhonda Lynn Kutter Aide to Supervisor Dennis Rodoni Marin County Board of Supervisors 3501 Civic Center Drive, Suite 329 San Rafael CA 94903 415-473-3246; RKutter@MarinCounty.org The Alliance of Coastal Marin Villages issued their final recommendations. The recommendations were sent to Senator Mike McGuire's Working Group on Community and Tourism. There will be a Town Hall Meeting with Senator McGuire, Supervisor Rodoni, County, State and Federal agency representatives Thursday, Feb.21, 6:30pm, Dance Palace Community Center to discuss the following final recommendations: Traffic Problems 
Parking Recommendations
Garbage
Sharing our Roads
Long-Range Policies
Despite Greenery, Wildfire Season Approaches
Is your home defensible? Assess vegetation and help reduce fire fuels San Rafael, CA – After an epic soak over the past few months, vegetation in Marin County is lush – like we haven’t seen it in years. The drought is in the rear-view mirror, but the inevitable wildfire season is coming back into view. “As odd as might sound to us now, we’re starting to look at increased seasonal staffing like we do every year,” said Chief Jason Weber of the Marin County Fire Department. “Most of our residents live either within or very close to those beautiful undeveloped hills and valleys that attracted many of us here in the first place. Because of that, we’re going to have periods of heightened alerts as it gets drier.” The Marin County Board of Supervisors plans to recognize Wildfire Awareness Week, May 1-7, at its May 9 meeting. By adopting a resolution, the Supervisors will urge Marin residents to heed important safety messages and support public safety activities of Marin’s fire and emergency services agencies. A home might be the most valuable investment you ever make, and defensible space – the buffer zone between a building and nearby vegetation – is essential to improve chances of it burning in a wildfire. Residents are urged to take steps now to create defensible space and protect their investment through responsible landscaping and the use of fire resistant construction materials. “Defensible space increases the survival chances of your home while making it safer for firefighters who might be called upon to defend your home,” Weber said, “and I can assure you that we really appreciate the support.” The Bay Area’s weather over the past few months added a new dynamic to this coming fire season, which is due to begin in late spring. The end of California’s five-year drought left behind a buildup of dead trees and shrubs interspersed among incredible vegetation growth from Marin’s wettest winter in more than 20 years. “Everybody’s saying we’re all wet and green now, and that’s true, but it’s all going to be fuel when it becomes dry enough to burn,” said Battalion Chief Christie Neill, who focuses on wildfire protection and vegetation management. “Green material will burn … it just has to get heated to a point at which all the moisture dries off. If we get windy days, that will accelerate the drying.” No matter how wet a winter is, light and medium fire fuels such as grass and brush always dry out in California, said Deputy Chief Mark Brown. “During the summer, the vast majority of homes destroyed by vegetation fires in Marin are caused by wildland fires burning primarily in grass and brush,” he said. There have been many severe wildfires in Marin’s history, the most recent in 1995 when 12,354 acres and 45 structures burned during the Vision Fire in Inverness. Although there were no deaths or major injuries in that blaze, 422 people had to be evacuated and dozens of families were rendered homeless. The largest wildfire in Marin history was in 1929 when 40,000 acres burned between Lucas Valley and Bolinas. Local events during Wildfire Awareness Week include:
Contacts: Jason Weber CHIEF Marin County Fire Department 33 Castle Rock Ave. Woodacre, CA 94973 415 473 6717 office 415 717 1500 cell CRS Dial 711 jweber@marincounty.org Mark Brown DEPUTY CHIEF Marin County Fire Department 33 Castle Rock Ave. Woodacre, CA 94973 415 473 6717 office 415 717 1501 cell CRS Dial 711 mbrown@marincounty.org |
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