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Preparing for Wildfires

Wildfire and Power Outage Preparedness

Oregon’s wildfire seasons are now longer and more intense, increasing the risk of weather-related events and power outages. To help businesses prepare—especially for Public Safety Power Shutoffs—ORLA has curated resources with preventative steps to help reduce disruption for the hospitality industry.

Steps You Can Take

Preventative

  • Make sure all emergency exit signs and lighting are operable in the case of power outage
  • Keep a crash box in case power goes out without notice. Include flashlights, batteries, carbon paper receipts to hand write credit cards.
  • Make sure the POS System is plugged into a battery back-up so you can print receipts.
  • Include any emergency procedures or checklists in printed form inside of the crash box in the event you do not have access to computer files.

Training / operations

  • Communicate with staff on a plan of action. Example: If a power outage is unplanned and non-emergency will you continue to serve guests who are seated? Your exhaust hood systems will go off and you need to turn off fryers and gas cooking equipment, but flat top grills may still be hot enough to finish a few orders if lighting allows and it fits into your plan of action.
  • Are there any breakers or power switches that need to be turned off if you are closing for the day? If power resumes and you are not there you want to make sure that cook tops, hot plates, and equipment that could cause damage of fire do not turn back on.
  • Make sure pilot lights on gas equipment remain lit.
  • Refrigeration. Get perishable products into refrigeration that has the best chance/plan for holding temperature (consider using a generator or dry ice if possible). Get product secured and keep units closed.

Re-opening when power is returned

  • Did your credit cards (from any transactions on day of power outage) process? Does your POS System automatically run end of day and restart upon power returning?
  • Have a system for temperature checks and discarding food.
  • If you have used dry ice to help maintain temperatures in walk-ins make sure staff understands that dry ice produces carbon dioxide and will need to be vented off before entering walk-ins.

Management

  • Communicate with vendors. Incoming deliveries may be coming from an area unaffected by power outages and vendors may be unaware of your closure.
  • Communicate with your insurance provider. In the case of extended outages are you covered for business interruption or loss of product?

Other Helpful Resources

Pacific Power
Turning power off in areas experiencing hazardous weather conditions may be necessary to ensure the safety of your community. Public Safety Power Shutoffs will be targeted, precise and informed by robust, real-time data about the situation on the ground. Pacific Power will notify customers as soon as possible through phone, email, text, social media and media advisories if extreme weather conditions combined with on-the-ground observation signals that a Public Safety Power Shutoff is required to safeguard customers against a wildfire from starting.

Portland General Electric
Residential and small business customers will automatically receive text alerts from 898-793 (TXT-PGE) when there's a power outage affecting you, and another text when the power is restored.

U.S. Food & Drug Administration

Oregon Department of Emergency Management
Visitors and residents are encouraged to sign up for emergency mobile alerts on oralert.gov.

Additional Resources Online