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SCE Staffs More Crews as Rare October Heat Wave Engulfs Southland

The utility has also canceled some planned outages for today due to the excessive temperatures.

With a rare October heat wave making its way through the Southland, Southern California Edison has increased the number of its crews on standby in case of increased power outages. The utility has also canceled some planned outages for today.

The National Weather Service has issued heat and wind advisories through much of Los Angeles and Ventura counties until the middle of the week with some areas reaching highs of 106 degrees. The weather service has also issued red flag warnings for the same areas.

“We understand that having outages during this extreme heat is difficult and an inconvenience for our customers and we are working to reschedule planned outages where appropriate,” said Terry Ohanian, SCE director, Distribution Construction & Maintenance. “Some planned outages for today have been rescheduled, and we will continue to assess the others on a daily basis.”

With temperatures reaching well into the 100s for several parts of the service area, SCE crews are on standby for any additional outages. During extreme weather, SCE looks at planned outages on a case-by-case basis and factors such as public safety and reliability needs are considered.

During extreme heat conditions, electric equipment can experience additional stress and on occasion can fail and result in power outage for some customers.

“For this reason, maintaining and upgrading the grid throughout the year is critical, especially during these high heat conditions,” said Ohanian.

As always, safety is SCE’s top priority, for both customers and its employees. If you see a downed power line, stay away and call SCE at 800-611-1911 or call 911.

Customers can report or inquire about outages at 800-611-1911 and get the latest information using the SCE outages app at sce.com/outages. They can also stay informed by visiting sce.com/staysafe, twitter.com/sce and facebook.com/sce.

Here are some additional safety tips during a heat wave:

  • Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water regularly, even if you do not feel thirsty. Avoid drinks with caffeine or alcohol.
  • Limit your exposure to the sun, if possible. If you must be outside, be sure to wear a hat, use sunscreen and dress in loose-fitting, lightweight and light-colored clothes that cover as much skin as possible.
  • Use a buddy system when working in extreme heat and remember to take frequent breaks. Try to avoid strenuous work during the hottest part of the day.
  • Check on elderly family, friends and neighbors who live alone or do not have air conditioning to make sure they’re safe.
  • Never leave children or pets in enclosed vehicles, even with the windows "cracked" or open.