Residents Say PG&E Warnings Weren't Enough Before Utility Cut Power

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POLLOCK PINES (CBS13) — Connie Fender says a PG&E representative called to tell her what to expect, 15 minutes prior to the lights going out.

PG&E voluntarily shut off power to 60,000 homes up in the foothills. It was unprecedented move officials say, to prevent a catastrophic wildfire.

But Fender says an advanced warning would've helped. Her oxygen generator shut off. And she had to wrestle in a huge backup tank from the garage so she can breathe.

"Why would you possibly think in the month of October that you'd be powerless?" she said.

PG&E says it began warning customers a day before the outage, when the Sierra began experiencing high fire danger, with wind gusts of up to 55 miles per hour.

In Santa Rosa last October, it was heavy winds that officials say downed power lines, and sparked the devastating wildfires.

Dave Campbell, the owner of Pollock Pines True Value ran out of generators for sale and for rent.

"It's a challenge. Fortunately we're in a community, close-knit. People understand what's going on even if there are frustrations," he said.

Ricardo Ramirez drove in from Stockton to get his mom's generator going.

"We need power to eat, power the refrigerator," he said.

Fender's food is quickly thawing. She has a generator but hasn't been able to start it without her husband, who recently passed away.

"My husband was doing the heavy work and I don't have anybody," she said.