Emergency Planning for Seniors

No matter your age, you should always have an emergency plan in place, but this is especially true for older adults and individuals with medical or independent living needs.

Read below and then share this page with family, friends and neighbors so everyone is prepared for an emergency.

Remember these tips when making your emergency plan:

Plan escape routes from your home with accessibility concerns in mind.

Implement a buddy system or phone tree with family or neighbors to check in on you during emergencies or natural disasters.

If you rely on electricity for a medical device, pre-charge your devices, consider backup power options, and keep icepacks and a cooler ready for medication that requires refrigeration. 

Practice opening your garage door manually in case you lose power.

Pack your emergency supply kit and remember to restock every 6-12 months.

Practice, practice, practice your emergency plan with every member of your household (including pets).

If severe weather threatens a portion of the electric system, it may be necessary for PG&E to turn off electricity in the interest of public safety. This is known as a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS). Here are a few resources to consider before a PSPS.

If you rely on power for medical needs, consider signing up for PG&E's Medical Baseline Program so you can receive extra notifications in advance of a PSPS event.

PG&E's Self-Generation Incentive Program offers incentives to cover the purchase cost of battery storage. Battery storage may be able to keep the power on during an outage from several hours up to multiple days. 

PG&E has partnered with the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers to provide eligible customers with disabilities and older customers with backup power, lodging and more during PSPS events and emergencies.

Call 211 to identify other available resources in your county.

PG&E will open Community Resource Centers during PSPS events to offer water, snacks, charging stations and other resources.

Did you know as a PG&E customer you can...

Apply for Vulnerable Customer status. Households with one or more individuals who have a serious illness or condition that could become life threatening if their electric or gas service is disconnected can receive an in-person visit from a PG&E representative before disconnection. To learn more about the program and how to apply, click here. 

Have PG&E inspect or re-light your gas appliances. Click here to schedule an appointment.

Request a larger print or braille bill. Call PG&E customer service at 800-743-5000.

Add someone to your account, like a friend or family member, so they can speak on your behalf, receive account notifications and help you when you need it. Call 800-743-5000.

Designate a surrogate regarding your bill. Third-party notifications will notify a friend or relative if you miss paying a bill because of illness, hardship, or other issues. Click here to learn how to sign up.

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