What was the role of maintenance in the 2019 California wildfires?
What are common preventative maintenance schedules and checklists for fire alarms and smoke detectors?
How can we reduce forest fires through better preventive maintenance?
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Major universities in California are canceling classes, closing campus buildings, and saving generator power for life-threatening emergencies and critical research projects in response to power outages associated with wildfires.
Widespread Preventive Power Shutoffs
Wildfires have become more destructive in the state over the last several years with record-breaking damages. October and November are typically the peak wildfire season. Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), the state’s main provider of electricity, has started instituting massive power shutoffs when high winds and dry weather conditions exist.
This preventive maintenance step by PG&E is designed to reduce the chances of starting additional wildfires in the area. This has affected more than 3 million customers with the possibility of that number growing even further.
Colleges and Universities Cope
Well-known schools such as Stanford University, University of California at Berkeley, University of California Los Angeles, and Mount St. Mary’s University are currently coping with the wildfires and power losses.
For example, a recent wildfire that was spreading by Santa Ana winds brought dangerous fires close enough to Mount St. Mary’s University to warrant an evacuation. At University of California at Berkeley, students are still milling around the campus but do not have power except for life-saving need and critical research projects.
Other area universities that have affiliated hospitals must weigh the risks and dangers with surrounding wildfires, smoke and air quality issues, and the difficulty in moving or providing care to patients.
Execution of Campus Preventive and Emergency Plans
After the record-breaking wildfire season in 2018, many California universities and colleges instituted their own safety, emergency and fire prevention plans. In some cases, this involved identifying assets, equipment or systems on campuses that could start a fire. In other cases, it meant creating a preparedness plan and finding alternative power sources in the case of shutoffs.