PG&E prepares for upcoming storm

CENTRAL COAST, Calif. (KION) Thousands of PG&E crew members are on standby due to the potential widespread outages an expected storm can bring over the weekend.

According to PG&E, the Central Coast is one of the areas that is expected to see the highest
impact.

“These wet and windy conditions can be very troublesome," said PG&E spokesperson Mayra Tostado. "Because of the drought intensified conditions that we've already experienced. And once passed, there is some probability that trees can continue to come down, striking powerlines damaging power poles and other electrical equipment and causing widespread outages. So it's very important for people at home to prepare.”

PG&E vegetation management crews also began to work in order to keep trees away from the power lines. But in case power outages do occur PG&E said they’re ready to respond.

“We have stockpiled power poles, transformers, power lines, and other equipment that we may need to be able to restore power to our customer safely and as quickly as possible,” said Tostado.

The Monterey County Regional Fire District is also encouraging people to be prepared by placing sandbags around their homes. Especially those near burn scar areas since it may lead to mudflow.

Monterey County Regional Fire District Deputy Fire Marshal and Public Information Officer Dorothy Priolo said, "If you see that rain or debris or mud are impeding your ability to leave your neighborhood or you see that it could affect our emergency response, you can contact the 911.

According to Priolo, it's important for people to avoid driving through flooded areas as they’ve had several cases of people getting stuck in their vehicles.

Sandbags and sand pile locations can be found on the Monterey County Emergency Resources and Services site.