East Valley residents worried about power poles falling again due to strong winds

Strong winds throughout much of the Coachella Valley typically mean road closure for many, but for residents in the parts of the east valley, it has meant days without power.

Over the past few years, strong winds have knocked down dozens of power poles throughout the area. There were two major instances within the past year.

In February 2021, the story cell brought down 14 power poles in the Bombay Beach area, leaving hundreds of customers in the east valley without electricity for nearly 2 days.

A few months later, in late August a major storm brought down 33 power poles in North Shore. Power was restored after a couple of days.

North Shore resident Maria Garcia went through the nearly week-long power outage in August 2021 caused by the 33 power poles knocked over.

"If the power company keeps alert on what's happening, and does a better job than what they did last time because they did take quite a long time to straighten everything out," said Garcia.

All power poles that fell last year in North Shore have since been replaced by Imperial Irrigation District with what they said are stronger poles. But some still have their doubts.

"I don't trust them," said Garcia. "You never know how bad it's gonna be. You know if it doesn't happen, that's great. But if it does happen, you know, that means they weren't that good."

IID spokesperson Robert Schettler said they have a crew on call 24/7.

"We watch the weather like a hawk. Okay, we know what high winds are predicted for certain days and whatever and staff is on standby," said Schettler. "The power poles that went in after this last outage are brand new, and they meet today's standards, so we expect them to be much more reliable."

He adds that if one pole goes down it's much more likely the others won't fall with it.

Residents hoping for the best but prepared for the worst.

"We just gotta be alert, you know, and try to do the same thing we did last year, you know, try to help each other out as much as we can," said Garcia.

IID has provided an emergency checklist so you can best prepare for an outage should it happen.

Monday has proven to be one of the windiest days of the year already, and it will remain that way until at least early Tuesday. A First Alert Weather Alert Day has been issued due to dangerous winds.

The National Weather Service has issued a Wind Advisory that will remain in effect until 4 p.m. today. Winds are expected to strengthen at that point, resulting in a High Wind Warning through early Tuesday morning.

Have you downloaded the 'KESQ First Alert' app yet? It's FREE! Click here.

You'll stay up-to-date with the latest weather videos. In addition, be able to monitor the changing conditions from wherever you are!

Wind Safety Tips:
(Courtesy of Southern California Edison)

Strong and gusty winds can topple trees, damage electrical equipment and cause power outages. When winds are in the forecast, planning and preparing are essential. Here are tips to ensure that they remain safe and prepared.

• Check emergency supplies to ensure you have a battery-operated radio, a flashlight and fresh batteries.
• Secure any temporary structures in your backyard or business, including backyard furniture and tents, as well as patio equipment and covers used in commercial settings
• If you see a downed power line, do not touch it or anything in contact with it. Call 911 immediately       
• Never try to remove a broken tree limb or branch that has come in contact with a power line
• Power outages in the area may impact traffic signals, so motorists should use extreme caution and treat all intersections as four-way stops during an outage        
• If you are in a vehicle with a fallen power line on it, remain calm and stay inside until help arrives. It is okay to use your cellphone to call 911. If you must leave the vehicle, remember to exit away from downed power lines and exit by jumping and landing with both feet together. Do not touch the vehicle and the ground at the same time. Proceed away from the vehicle by shuffling and not picking up your feet until you are several yards away        
• Use flashlights instead of candles to avoid fire hazards in your home or business       
• If you use a generator, place it outdoors and plug individual appliances directly into it, using a heavy-duty extension cord. Connecting generators directly to household circuits creates a “backfeed,” which is dangerous to repair crews. Please consult the manufacturer’s manual for operating the generator       
• Do not use any equipment inside that is designed for outdoor heating or cooking. Such equipment can emit carbon monoxide and other toxic gases.

SCE customers may report or inquire about outages at 800-611-1911. For information on outages, customers can check sce.com.outages. For more safety tips, visit sce.com/safety.