As Crews Work to Restore Power, SCE Mobilizes to Provide Water, Flashlights and Bags of Ice

The utility is providing industrial generators to buildings with Medical Baseline customers throughout downtown Long Beach. The city also opens a shelter.
By Mary Ann Milbourn and Caroline Aoyagi-Stom

A steady stream of residents flowed through the aid center on Pacific Avenue where bags of ice, bottles of water and flashlights were being handed out by Southern California Edison (SCE) to customers affected by the power outage in downtown Long Beach.

Lashonda, who had been without electricity since 6 p.m. Wednesday, said it's been a tough couple of days, and appreciates the water and ice.

"It's nice having this," she said, raising two armfuls of bottled water. "Now I'm going to get some ice."

A second distribution center was set up by the Long Beach Fire and American Red Cross on Chestnut and 3rd.

Ed Robinson, SCE Local Public Affairs principal manager, said the company understands how difficult it has been so they came out to provide some aid.

"We also are here to provide emotional support and show that we are concerned about them by putting feet on the ground," he said.

SCE is working with the city staff to provide industrial generators for Medical Baseline customers, senior citizen homes and government buildings in downtown Long Beach. As of Friday afternoon, there were four generators up and running on Broadway, 6th and Pacific Avenue. Additional generators were planned by SCE in partnership with the city of Long Beach.

The city of Long Beach, in partnership with the Red Cross, has set up a shelter at: Cesar Chavez Park at the Jenny Oropeza Community Center, 401 Golden Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90802.

SCE crews continue to test and energize its electrical system in the downtown Long Beach area, and work is continuing to restore power to an increasing number of customers.

SCE is not able to provide customers with specific information on restoring electric service at this time, and customers may continue to experience intermittent short outages as power is restored and the system is tested and repaired.

The utility apologizes for the inconvenience to its customers. For more information, visit www.sce.com/outages or 1-800-611-1911.