The official start of winter is still over a week away, but no matter what the calendar says, it is here now. Snow is falling as I type and I have heard all sorts of wild predictions. Everything from 1/2 of an inch of snow up to 20 inches. I always say to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Emergency preparations are never a waste of time in my book. I don't think anyone can be too prepared.
As we go around our homes preparing for winter weather and storms, lets not forget out pets and animals that are outside. Bring pets indoors when ever possible. If you can't bring them indoors with you, perhaps you could put them in a garage or other protected area of your home. If your pet must stay outdoors for some reason, please be a responsible owner and make sure that your pet has an adequate, clean, dry shelter complete with bedding such as straw and a few old rugs or blankets for warmth. These suggestions also apply if your pet is in an unheated space such as a garage or basement. Be sure they have plenty of fresh, clean food and water as well. Many outdoor pets enjoy something warm to eat as well.
It is also important to provide clean, dry, draft free shelters for other animals you may keep outside as well. Many animals, such as chickens, goats and horses, do fine in cold weather as long as they stay dry and draft free. They too also enjoy some hot water on these cold, snowy days. It helps warm them up from the inside out.
The CDC has some great information on their website about preparing for winter storms. Here is a link to their site and I will put it in the side bar as well.
http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/takesteps/
Please take some time to read over their site and make sure that you, your pets, your home and your car are prepared to deal with what ever Old Man Winter throws out at us.
Showing posts with label emergency situations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label emergency situations. Show all posts
Monday, December 12, 2011
Friday, November 18, 2011
Winter Survival
Here is a little something I wrote for the Idyllwild Town Crier. Hope it helps someone.
Winter Survival by Vicki Jakubac
Winter in the mountains brings to mind images of roaring fires in stone fireplaces, cute, snow covered cabins and children frolicking in the snow. However, there is another side to winter that everyone, whether visitor or local, needs to be aware of.
While winter in the mountains can indeed be beautiful and idyllic, it can also be dangerous. Preparing yourself, your car and your home prior to a storm arriving, will help you survive should a winter emergency befall us.
Some unique challenges we face here on the hill are frozen or broken water lines, power outages and dangerous or impassable roads. High winds and heavy wet snow can topple trees onto roads or houses and you can find yourself being housebound or isolated for the duration of a storm. Preparation is the key to warding off a potentially, life threatening situation.
Any time you come to the mountains to visit, make sure that you let friends and family members know where you are going to be. Power outages are common during winter storms and you cannot be sure you will have phone service or power to charge your cell phone if there is an extended outage. If you own a mountain home, it is best to keep one old fashioned corded phone in the house that does not rely on electricity to operate.
When planning a trip to the mountains, think ahead! Bring adequate amounts of the proper clothing and footwear for cold, wet, snowy weather for each person in your party. Many people are surprised at just how cold it can get during the winter and how wet snow can be. Having the proper attire and footwear will make your snow experience a more pleasant one.
Winterize your car and be sure to have a full gas tank prior to leaving for the mountains. Stock it with emergency items like tire chains, flash lights, snow scrapers, sand and a few old rugs. Make sure you have enough blankets, snacks and drinking water handy in case you get stranded in your car. And remember, if the roads are bad, it is always best to just stay home and wait until it is safe to venture out. Preventing an emergency situation is always easier than trying to rectify one.
If you are planning to stay on the hill for several days, be sure you have enough food and an emergency supply of drinking water to last through an extended power outage. People don’t always realize that if your pipes freeze, you will not have running water. With just a little forethought and preparation, you will have a much better chance of getting through whatever Mother Nature throws at you.
If you own a home here on the hill, winterizing it is the first step in preventing unexpected emergencies such as frozen or broken water pipes, which can cause leaks. Insulate all water pipes and faucets in unheated and outdoor areas before temperatures plummet. Disconnect and drain hoses from outdoor faucets allowing water to drain from the pipe. Seal off access doors, cracks and around vents. Winter winds whistling through overlooked openings can quickly freeze exposed water pipes. When you leave your mountain home, turning your water off at your customer valve is the single most important thing you can do to prevent coming home to frozen or broken water pipes.
Winter can be a magical time here in the mountains, so be informed, come prepared and you will leave with wonderful, winter memories!
Winter Survival by Vicki Jakubac
Winter in the mountains brings to mind images of roaring fires in stone fireplaces, cute, snow covered cabins and children frolicking in the snow. However, there is another side to winter that everyone, whether visitor or local, needs to be aware of.
While winter in the mountains can indeed be beautiful and idyllic, it can also be dangerous. Preparing yourself, your car and your home prior to a storm arriving, will help you survive should a winter emergency befall us.
Some unique challenges we face here on the hill are frozen or broken water lines, power outages and dangerous or impassable roads. High winds and heavy wet snow can topple trees onto roads or houses and you can find yourself being housebound or isolated for the duration of a storm. Preparation is the key to warding off a potentially, life threatening situation.
Any time you come to the mountains to visit, make sure that you let friends and family members know where you are going to be. Power outages are common during winter storms and you cannot be sure you will have phone service or power to charge your cell phone if there is an extended outage. If you own a mountain home, it is best to keep one old fashioned corded phone in the house that does not rely on electricity to operate.
When planning a trip to the mountains, think ahead! Bring adequate amounts of the proper clothing and footwear for cold, wet, snowy weather for each person in your party. Many people are surprised at just how cold it can get during the winter and how wet snow can be. Having the proper attire and footwear will make your snow experience a more pleasant one.
Winterize your car and be sure to have a full gas tank prior to leaving for the mountains. Stock it with emergency items like tire chains, flash lights, snow scrapers, sand and a few old rugs. Make sure you have enough blankets, snacks and drinking water handy in case you get stranded in your car. And remember, if the roads are bad, it is always best to just stay home and wait until it is safe to venture out. Preventing an emergency situation is always easier than trying to rectify one.
If you are planning to stay on the hill for several days, be sure you have enough food and an emergency supply of drinking water to last through an extended power outage. People don’t always realize that if your pipes freeze, you will not have running water. With just a little forethought and preparation, you will have a much better chance of getting through whatever Mother Nature throws at you.
If you own a home here on the hill, winterizing it is the first step in preventing unexpected emergencies such as frozen or broken water pipes, which can cause leaks. Insulate all water pipes and faucets in unheated and outdoor areas before temperatures plummet. Disconnect and drain hoses from outdoor faucets allowing water to drain from the pipe. Seal off access doors, cracks and around vents. Winter winds whistling through overlooked openings can quickly freeze exposed water pipes. When you leave your mountain home, turning your water off at your customer valve is the single most important thing you can do to prevent coming home to frozen or broken water pipes.
Winter can be a magical time here in the mountains, so be informed, come prepared and you will leave with wonderful, winter memories!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Emergency Situations
The guys at the fire station next door asked us to remind everyone that in the case of an emergency or fire, do not call the fire station directly. Call 911! All emergency help has to be routed through the 911 system. They may not be the closest help available and by calling them directly, valuable time is lost. So please remember that if you are experiencing an emergency, call 911 immediately and they will see to it that you get the help you need as quickly as possible.
Monday, May 16, 2011
In case of emergency
Just a reminder that during an emergency situation, you can tune in to WNKI radio at 1610 AM for the latest information regarding the emergency situation.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Cal Fire News Release
In light of the recent events in Japan, Cal Fire has put out a news release about earthquake safety. It is posted on our website at www.pcwd.org. It might be a good idea to pop over and take a look at it. It is easy to forget we need to be prepared as well. Sometimes fire seems to be our main adversary, but we can't let our guard down when it comes to earthquake preparedness as well. As for myself, I will be working on my to go box this week and making sure it is up to date and that everything that should be in there is. Once the weather warms up, I will get out in the shed and make sure my other supplies are up to date as well. It is easy to forget to replace the food in your emergency kit or make sure you have enough water stored and so on. I guess the old saying, prepare for the worst and hope for the best, applies here.
We see these disasters on TV and figure they will never happen to us, but they could. We could easily be isolated should a major disaster happen and who knows how long it would be until help would arrive. So it is best to prepare and hope it never comes to that. I hope as a community, everyone here in Pine Cove would come together and help each other out in a time of disaster. I know all of us here at the water district would do whatever we could to help out during an emergency situation such as an earthquake.
We see these disasters on TV and figure they will never happen to us, but they could. We could easily be isolated should a major disaster happen and who knows how long it would be until help would arrive. So it is best to prepare and hope it never comes to that. I hope as a community, everyone here in Pine Cove would come together and help each other out in a time of disaster. I know all of us here at the water district would do whatever we could to help out during an emergency situation such as an earthquake.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
4,000 Views!
We're back! Hope you had a great Martin Luther King Day. The weather this weekend has been absolutely spectacular. If this past weekend doesn't give you spring fever, then nothing will. It certainly doesn't feel like January out there. Most of the snow has melted and the sun has been shining. Quite the contrast to the 6 straight days of rain we had back in December. The swings in the weather are just amazing.
When I left the office on Friday afternoon, we had over 3900 hits to the blog and I was hoping we would hit the 4000 mark by the time I got back this morning. I was right. We have now had 4,073 hits to the blog! Wow, that is outstanding. We are very hopeful that this blog provides much needed information and perhaps a little entertainment and enlightenment to those viewing it. Please check it often to see what is happening here at the water district and around Pine Cove.
As always, I appreciate input from those reading here. If there is a topic you would like to see discussed, let me know. You can always email me at pcwd2675@yahoo.com and let me know what is on your mind. We try to keep things on the light side here with what is relevant to Pine Cove, green living, conservation, both inside and outside, and gardening. Much of the water use here on the hill revolves around those topics and so we try to provide information that is relative to those issues.
And don't forget to send your pictures. We love pictures here at the water district and are interested in what is happening around Pine Cove. Our goal in this new year is to get more pictures up on the blog. Is there something you are intersted in seeing from the water district? Let me know and I will try to get a picture of it posted. I posted some very pretty shots that were taken from the Rocky Point tank site, included a picture of the weather station.
We also wanted to thank everyone with their help with the recent leaks. We sent out an email to those who have left email addresses with us, to notify everyone of the high water usage that was occuring and to alert them that there were leaks somewhere. While some people took the email the wrong way and sent back messages that really had nothing to do with the leak situation, most took it seriously and many of you contacted us to check on your mountain home. It is like the old saying, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."
It is very important that we stay vigilant. Our water is precious and to see thousands of gallons of it wasted due to water not being turned off is such a shame. Lets try to prevent these types of situations in the future. And we hope that if we are ever in the position to send out an email alert again, that it will be taken seriously.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO TURN YOUR WATER OFF AT YOUR CUSTOMER VALVE WHEN YOU LEAVE YOUR MOUNTAIN HOME.
When I left the office on Friday afternoon, we had over 3900 hits to the blog and I was hoping we would hit the 4000 mark by the time I got back this morning. I was right. We have now had 4,073 hits to the blog! Wow, that is outstanding. We are very hopeful that this blog provides much needed information and perhaps a little entertainment and enlightenment to those viewing it. Please check it often to see what is happening here at the water district and around Pine Cove.
As always, I appreciate input from those reading here. If there is a topic you would like to see discussed, let me know. You can always email me at pcwd2675@yahoo.com and let me know what is on your mind. We try to keep things on the light side here with what is relevant to Pine Cove, green living, conservation, both inside and outside, and gardening. Much of the water use here on the hill revolves around those topics and so we try to provide information that is relative to those issues.
And don't forget to send your pictures. We love pictures here at the water district and are interested in what is happening around Pine Cove. Our goal in this new year is to get more pictures up on the blog. Is there something you are intersted in seeing from the water district? Let me know and I will try to get a picture of it posted. I posted some very pretty shots that were taken from the Rocky Point tank site, included a picture of the weather station.
We also wanted to thank everyone with their help with the recent leaks. We sent out an email to those who have left email addresses with us, to notify everyone of the high water usage that was occuring and to alert them that there were leaks somewhere. While some people took the email the wrong way and sent back messages that really had nothing to do with the leak situation, most took it seriously and many of you contacted us to check on your mountain home. It is like the old saying, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."
It is very important that we stay vigilant. Our water is precious and to see thousands of gallons of it wasted due to water not being turned off is such a shame. Lets try to prevent these types of situations in the future. And we hope that if we are ever in the position to send out an email alert again, that it will be taken seriously.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO TURN YOUR WATER OFF AT YOUR CUSTOMER VALVE WHEN YOU LEAVE YOUR MOUNTAIN HOME.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
URGENT ALERT!!!
PINE COVE WATER DISTRICT IS CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING AN UNUSUALLY HUGE DEMAND FOR WATER.
Last month's production: 42GPM average for the month
Yesterday's (1-3-11)production: 95 GPM & rising
What's causing this huge demand on our water? Customers who leave their water on. They are not turning their water off at their customer valve, which is located next to our water meter.
Many nights in the last week, temperatures have been below 20 degrees and pipes freeze, then thaw and then leak water.
Contact your neighbors or friends to check out your house & property if you are off the hill, or contact us here at the District office during regular business hours and for a fee of $15.00, we will send out on of our field employee's to make sure your water is off and that no water is flowing. We will notify you if we find a problem.
REMEMBER: ALL WATER THAT GOES THROUGH YOUR METER IS BILLED TO YOU AND YOU ARE 100% RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYMENT.
We are sending out emails to those who have provided us with email addresses. If you have not done so and would like to be added to our email list, please contact Becky at becky@pcwd.org and let her know you would like to be added.
Last month's production: 42GPM average for the month
Yesterday's (1-3-11)production: 95 GPM & rising
What's causing this huge demand on our water? Customers who leave their water on. They are not turning their water off at their customer valve, which is located next to our water meter.
Many nights in the last week, temperatures have been below 20 degrees and pipes freeze, then thaw and then leak water.
Contact your neighbors or friends to check out your house & property if you are off the hill, or contact us here at the District office during regular business hours and for a fee of $15.00, we will send out on of our field employee's to make sure your water is off and that no water is flowing. We will notify you if we find a problem.
REMEMBER: ALL WATER THAT GOES THROUGH YOUR METER IS BILLED TO YOU AND YOU ARE 100% RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYMENT.
We are sending out emails to those who have provided us with email addresses. If you have not done so and would like to be added to our email list, please contact Becky at becky@pcwd.org and let her know you would like to be added.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Happy New Year!
Just a reminder that the water district office will be closed tomorrow, January 31, 2010. We will be back in the office Monday morning at 9 am as per usual. We can still be reached in case of an emergency by calling 951-294-8282.
The sun is shining today, but it is bitterly cold out and all the rain and snow from yesterday is ice today. Highway 243 is fairly clear, but there are some patches of black ice, so be extra cautious if you will be out driving. The side roads may or may not be as clear.
The weather station up at the Rocky Point tank site has registered a whopping 11.61 inches of rain for the month of December. Wow, winter is off to a wet start. I don't know what the rest of the winter will be like, but hopefully it will continue to be wet.
It is hard to imagine in weather like this, but we are still in Stage One conservation. The drought is not over, so diligence with regards to water use is still a good idea. Conserving water should be a year round habit. The more we save now, the more we will have for later. And since we never know what Mother Nature is going to hand us, it is best to err on the side of caution and keep conserving.
So this will be my last post for the year 2010. I hope you enjoy reading it and I hope you find some helpful tips or information on it. I will continue the blog in 2011 and I hope that more of our customers will let us know their thoughts and opinions. We thank you for supporting us thus far.
Don't forget to check out the Water District's Website for minutes from the board meetings, rates, billing information and the webcam. Lots of information to be had there.
We hope all of our customers and visitors here in Pine Cove have a very happy, healthy and wet 2011. Happy New Year to everyone from the staff of the Pine Cove Water District.
Jerry H., Becky, Vicki, Jerry J., Jeremy and Stitch
The sun is shining today, but it is bitterly cold out and all the rain and snow from yesterday is ice today. Highway 243 is fairly clear, but there are some patches of black ice, so be extra cautious if you will be out driving. The side roads may or may not be as clear.
The weather station up at the Rocky Point tank site has registered a whopping 11.61 inches of rain for the month of December. Wow, winter is off to a wet start. I don't know what the rest of the winter will be like, but hopefully it will continue to be wet.
It is hard to imagine in weather like this, but we are still in Stage One conservation. The drought is not over, so diligence with regards to water use is still a good idea. Conserving water should be a year round habit. The more we save now, the more we will have for later. And since we never know what Mother Nature is going to hand us, it is best to err on the side of caution and keep conserving.
So this will be my last post for the year 2010. I hope you enjoy reading it and I hope you find some helpful tips or information on it. I will continue the blog in 2011 and I hope that more of our customers will let us know their thoughts and opinions. We thank you for supporting us thus far.
Don't forget to check out the Water District's Website for minutes from the board meetings, rates, billing information and the webcam. Lots of information to be had there.
We hope all of our customers and visitors here in Pine Cove have a very happy, healthy and wet 2011. Happy New Year to everyone from the staff of the Pine Cove Water District.
Jerry H., Becky, Vicki, Jerry J., Jeremy and Stitch
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
It's Snowing!
Well just in case there is anyone out there who hasn't looked out their window yet, it is snowing.
I have read several weather reports and frankly, I think they are way off base. One said 1/2" accumulation possible. I am not believing that because between 7:30 am and 8:30 am, I had to shovel off my deck and side walk twice. I cleaned off my car around 8:30 to come to work and by 8:45, it was covered again. So it is safe to say that weather forecast is out the window.
The next one I read said 3 to 8 inches and called for snow levels to drop to 4,000 feet later today. There was already snow in Mountain Center by 8 am this morning, so I think that one is wrong as well.
As for the total amount of snow we are going to get, I don't know. It seems to be coming down pretty fast and steady, so I can see us getting the full 8 inches with no problem. My personal opinion is that we are going to get more snow than they are predicting and the snow levels will be lower much sooner than they predicted. But what do I know?
This is a good time to remind you to turn off your water at your customer valve if you are leaving your mountain home. Also make sure your outside hoses are disconnected. Once you turn off your water at your customer valve, it is a good idea to go back inside and turn your faucets on to remove any standing water in the pipes. Be sure to turn them off again once they have drained out. This prevents the water from flying out of the faucets when you turn the water back on. Turning off your water is the easiest way to prevent water loss from frozen or broken pipes.
While the snow is beautiful, please be mindful of any pets you have outside. Be sure to provide them with a warm, dry shelter so they can get out of the snow. Warm water is especially appreciated during these cold days.
If you have to go out on the roads, be extremely careful. When I came in at 9 am, the side roads had not been plowed and Highway 243 was getting covered over again. It is best to just stay put if possible. There are not many things worth risking your life for.
To all our customers, stay warm, stay safe and enjoy this beautiful snow!
I have read several weather reports and frankly, I think they are way off base. One said 1/2" accumulation possible. I am not believing that because between 7:30 am and 8:30 am, I had to shovel off my deck and side walk twice. I cleaned off my car around 8:30 to come to work and by 8:45, it was covered again. So it is safe to say that weather forecast is out the window.
The next one I read said 3 to 8 inches and called for snow levels to drop to 4,000 feet later today. There was already snow in Mountain Center by 8 am this morning, so I think that one is wrong as well.
As for the total amount of snow we are going to get, I don't know. It seems to be coming down pretty fast and steady, so I can see us getting the full 8 inches with no problem. My personal opinion is that we are going to get more snow than they are predicting and the snow levels will be lower much sooner than they predicted. But what do I know?
This is a good time to remind you to turn off your water at your customer valve if you are leaving your mountain home. Also make sure your outside hoses are disconnected. Once you turn off your water at your customer valve, it is a good idea to go back inside and turn your faucets on to remove any standing water in the pipes. Be sure to turn them off again once they have drained out. This prevents the water from flying out of the faucets when you turn the water back on. Turning off your water is the easiest way to prevent water loss from frozen or broken pipes.
While the snow is beautiful, please be mindful of any pets you have outside. Be sure to provide them with a warm, dry shelter so they can get out of the snow. Warm water is especially appreciated during these cold days.
If you have to go out on the roads, be extremely careful. When I came in at 9 am, the side roads had not been plowed and Highway 243 was getting covered over again. It is best to just stay put if possible. There are not many things worth risking your life for.
To all our customers, stay warm, stay safe and enjoy this beautiful snow!
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
After Hours Emergency
Just a reminder that we can be reached in case of emergency by calling 951-294-8282.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Weather
Ok, where is the ark? This is the 6th straight day of rain. I don't know if this is a record breaker or not, but it sure feels like an unusual event to me. The weather station has registered 10.47 inches of rain for December. They are calling for some snow and if you haven't seen it yet, here is the messasge from the Nation Weather Service in San Diego.
Winter Storm Warning
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA
556 PM PST TUE DEC 21 2010
...PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOWFALL POSSIBLE IN THE MOUNTAINS THROUGH
WEDNESDAY...
.A FLOW OF MOISTURE FROM THE SOUTHWEST WILL BRING PERIODS OF
LIGHT SNOWFALL TONIGHT. FOR LATE TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...A
STRONGER...COLDER TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE FROM THE NORTHWEST WILL
BRING NUMEROUS SNOW SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY
SNOWFALL POSSIBLE ABOVE 6500 FEET.
CAZ055-056-221200-
/O.EXP.KSGX.WW.Y.0010.000000T0000Z-101222T0200Z/
/O.EXT.KSGX.WS.W.0010.101222T0800Z-101223T0200Z/
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-RIVERSIDE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...BALDWIN LAKE...
BIG BEAR CITY...BIG BEAR LAKE...FAWNSKIN
556 PM PST TUE DEC 21 2010
...WINTER STORM WARNING NOW IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO
6 PM PST WEDNESDAY...
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY WILL EXPIRE AT 6 PM PST THIS EVENING...
THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY WILL EXPIRE AT 6 PM PST THIS EVENING.
THE WINTER STORM WARNING ABOVE 6500 FOR HEAVY SNOW IS IN EFFECT
FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 PM PST WEDNESDAY.
* ELEVATION: ABOVE 6500 FEET.
* SNOW LEVELS: 6500 FEET TODAY...MAY RISE BRIEFLY THIS
EVENING...BEFORE LOWERING TO 5000 FEET OR LOWER WEDNESDAY.
* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: 2 TO 4 INCHES ABOVE 6500 FEET EARLY TONIGHT.
FOR LATE TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY...12 TO 24 INCHES ABOVE 7000
FEET WITH 4 TO 12 INCHES FROM 6000 TO 7000 FEET.
* TIMING: LIGHT SNOWFALL TONIGHT. NUMEROUS SNOW SHOWERS AND
ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS LATE TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING
WITH HEAVY SNOWFALL POSSIBLE...DECREASING WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON
AND ENDING WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
* LOCATIONS INCLUDE: BALDWIN LAKE...BIG BEAR CITY...BIG BEAR
LAKE...FAWNSKIN
* WINDS: SOUTHWEST 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 35 MPH EARLY TONIGHT.
SOUTH WINDS 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 50 MPH LATE TONIGHT...
BECOMING SOUTHWEST ON WEDNESDAY.
* VISIBILITY: AREAS OF NEAR ZERO VISIBILITY AT TIMES IN BLOWING
SNOW AND AREAS OF FOG.
* IMPACTS: A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE
WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT
AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS.
ONLY TRAVEL IN AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA
FLASHLIGHT...FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN
EMERGENCY.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF
SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN
AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT...
FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.
WHITLOW
We have sand and sandbags here at the water district office. If you need sandbags, please stop by the office during normal business hours and we will be happy to give you some. We have sand located behind the workshop.
If you are going to be out on the road, please take the appropriate precautions. It is better to arrive somewhere late, but safe and sound, than to not arrive at all. If you don't have to be out on the roads, then stay home. That is the best way to assure you will stay safe.
We hope everyone in the Pine Cove/Idyllwild area is staying warm, safe and dry. Don't forget to provide for your pets in this weather as well. They too appreciate a warm, dry place to hunker down while this storm plays out.
If we are all careful, we can make it through this.
Winter Storm Warning
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA
556 PM PST TUE DEC 21 2010
...PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOWFALL POSSIBLE IN THE MOUNTAINS THROUGH
WEDNESDAY...
.A FLOW OF MOISTURE FROM THE SOUTHWEST WILL BRING PERIODS OF
LIGHT SNOWFALL TONIGHT. FOR LATE TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...A
STRONGER...COLDER TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE FROM THE NORTHWEST WILL
BRING NUMEROUS SNOW SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY
SNOWFALL POSSIBLE ABOVE 6500 FEET.
CAZ055-056-221200-
/O.EXP.KSGX.WW.Y.0010.000000T0000Z-101222T0200Z/
/O.EXT.KSGX.WS.W.0010.101222T0800Z-101223T0200Z/
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-RIVERSIDE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...BALDWIN LAKE...
BIG BEAR CITY...BIG BEAR LAKE...FAWNSKIN
556 PM PST TUE DEC 21 2010
...WINTER STORM WARNING NOW IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO
6 PM PST WEDNESDAY...
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY WILL EXPIRE AT 6 PM PST THIS EVENING...
THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY WILL EXPIRE AT 6 PM PST THIS EVENING.
THE WINTER STORM WARNING ABOVE 6500 FOR HEAVY SNOW IS IN EFFECT
FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 PM PST WEDNESDAY.
* ELEVATION: ABOVE 6500 FEET.
* SNOW LEVELS: 6500 FEET TODAY...MAY RISE BRIEFLY THIS
EVENING...BEFORE LOWERING TO 5000 FEET OR LOWER WEDNESDAY.
* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: 2 TO 4 INCHES ABOVE 6500 FEET EARLY TONIGHT.
FOR LATE TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY...12 TO 24 INCHES ABOVE 7000
FEET WITH 4 TO 12 INCHES FROM 6000 TO 7000 FEET.
* TIMING: LIGHT SNOWFALL TONIGHT. NUMEROUS SNOW SHOWERS AND
ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS LATE TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING
WITH HEAVY SNOWFALL POSSIBLE...DECREASING WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON
AND ENDING WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
* LOCATIONS INCLUDE: BALDWIN LAKE...BIG BEAR CITY...BIG BEAR
LAKE...FAWNSKIN
* WINDS: SOUTHWEST 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 35 MPH EARLY TONIGHT.
SOUTH WINDS 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 50 MPH LATE TONIGHT...
BECOMING SOUTHWEST ON WEDNESDAY.
* VISIBILITY: AREAS OF NEAR ZERO VISIBILITY AT TIMES IN BLOWING
SNOW AND AREAS OF FOG.
* IMPACTS: A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE
WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT
AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS.
ONLY TRAVEL IN AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA
FLASHLIGHT...FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN
EMERGENCY.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF
SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN
AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT...
FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.
WHITLOW
We have sand and sandbags here at the water district office. If you need sandbags, please stop by the office during normal business hours and we will be happy to give you some. We have sand located behind the workshop.
If you are going to be out on the road, please take the appropriate precautions. It is better to arrive somewhere late, but safe and sound, than to not arrive at all. If you don't have to be out on the roads, then stay home. That is the best way to assure you will stay safe.
We hope everyone in the Pine Cove/Idyllwild area is staying warm, safe and dry. Don't forget to provide for your pets in this weather as well. They too appreciate a warm, dry place to hunker down while this storm plays out.
If we are all careful, we can make it through this.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Monday Musings
Hope you all made it through our wet weekend safe and dry. As we start the week, we are experiencing our 4th day of rain. I don't recall getting this much rain at one time in the 15 years I have lived up here. It will be interesting to see what the final totals are once this storm moves out of the area. I know many records in other areas are being broken left and right. As of right now, our weather station says we have received 9.53 inches in the month of December. Can you imagine if all this rain was snow?
We hope you are all staying warm and dry. Use caution if you are going to be out on the road. I know this is a busy time with Christmas fast approaching. People will be off to visit relatives, shopping or driving up here to spend the holidays on the hill.
Please make sure your outdoor pets have shelter to get in out of this rain. Provide them with some nice warm, dry bedding as well. It is up to us to take good care of our 4 legged companions.
We hope you are all staying warm and dry. Use caution if you are going to be out on the road. I know this is a busy time with Christmas fast approaching. People will be off to visit relatives, shopping or driving up here to spend the holidays on the hill.
Please make sure your outdoor pets have shelter to get in out of this rain. Provide them with some nice warm, dry bedding as well. It is up to us to take good care of our 4 legged companions.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Holiday Office Hours
Our office hours for the upcoming Christmas season are as follows. We will be closed on December 24th, 27th and 31st. We can be reached for emergencies by calling our after hours emergency number which is
951-294-8282.
Everyone here at the Pine Cove Water District hopes that each one of you has a very joyous holiday season and a happy and healthy 2011!
Jerry, Becky, Vicki, Jerry, Jeremy and Stitch
951-294-8282.
Everyone here at the Pine Cove Water District hopes that each one of you has a very joyous holiday season and a happy and healthy 2011!
Jerry, Becky, Vicki, Jerry, Jeremy and Stitch
It's Snowing!
I was surprised to see it snowing this morning. I heard it rain during the night and thought that was all we would get. However, when I looked out the window it was snowing. It has now turned to rain but not before leaving a dusting of white. Perfect weather to put you in the Christmas spirit!
If you are going to be out driving, please be careful. Wet, slick roads mixed with fog can spell trouble for mountain drivers. If you are planning to come up the hill for the holidays, please be sure to check road conditions and weather reports prior to heading out. Make sure you have all the necessary equipment for driving in snow or rain. Don't let being unprepared put a damper on you mountain visit.
As always, please be mindful of your pets in this weather. Please provide an adequate shelter for any animal you keep outside. Dry bedding that helps keep them warm is greatly appreciated. Fresh food and water daily is a must. A healthy animal is better able to withstand the harsh weather than one that is not in his prime. If your pet has a condition like arthritis, please consider keeping them indoors if possible. Remember it is your responsibility to provide for your pet's needs.
Don't forget to go to our website at www.pcwd.org and check out our webcam. You can see what is happening with the weather on our real time weather webcam.
If you are going to be out driving, please be careful. Wet, slick roads mixed with fog can spell trouble for mountain drivers. If you are planning to come up the hill for the holidays, please be sure to check road conditions and weather reports prior to heading out. Make sure you have all the necessary equipment for driving in snow or rain. Don't let being unprepared put a damper on you mountain visit.
As always, please be mindful of your pets in this weather. Please provide an adequate shelter for any animal you keep outside. Dry bedding that helps keep them warm is greatly appreciated. Fresh food and water daily is a must. A healthy animal is better able to withstand the harsh weather than one that is not in his prime. If your pet has a condition like arthritis, please consider keeping them indoors if possible. Remember it is your responsibility to provide for your pet's needs.
Don't forget to go to our website at www.pcwd.org and check out our webcam. You can see what is happening with the weather on our real time weather webcam.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Frugal Friday
Let's talk about frozen pipes. According to State Farm, approximately 250,000 families have their homes ruined and their lives disrupted each winter by water pipes that freeze and burst. When the outside temperature drops below freezing, water pipes with little or no insulation can freeze and break.
Now, what does this have to do with Frugal Friday you might ask? Well, think of the cost of preparing your pipes for winter vs. repairing the damage done when they freeze and break. This is obviously a no brainer. Why would anyone want to deal the mess and disruption of frozen, broken pipes when it is so simple to prevent it? While it might mean a small cash outlay initially, the time, money, worry and inconvenience you will save is priceless.
Before the cold weather hits:
Insulate pipes in unheated areas and those that run along outside walls, floors or ceilings. There are several types of insulation available for this job and you can decide which one will work best for your situation.
Seal leaks that allow cold air inside near where pipes are located.
Disconnect garden hoses and cover faucets with special insulated faucet socks.
Once the mercury drops, you can open your cabinet doors to allow heat to get to the piping under sinks and vanities.
If you do experience frozen pipes or a leak, call a plumber immediately and turn your water off at your customer valve. Do not try to thaw the pipe with a torch or other open flame and do not use electrical appliances in areas of standing water because you could be electrocuted.
The biggest thing you can do to prevent frozen pipes, is to turn your water off at your customer valve anytime you leave your mountain home. This is the single most critical step you can take in preventing frozen and burst pipes.
Don't let water damage dampen your life this winter. Spend a few minutes protecting your water pipes to save time and money down the road. Remember it is cheaper to prevent a problem than it is to repair one. And remember that there does not have to be snow on the ground for it to be cold enough for pipes to freeze.
Now, what does this have to do with Frugal Friday you might ask? Well, think of the cost of preparing your pipes for winter vs. repairing the damage done when they freeze and break. This is obviously a no brainer. Why would anyone want to deal the mess and disruption of frozen, broken pipes when it is so simple to prevent it? While it might mean a small cash outlay initially, the time, money, worry and inconvenience you will save is priceless.
Before the cold weather hits:
Insulate pipes in unheated areas and those that run along outside walls, floors or ceilings. There are several types of insulation available for this job and you can decide which one will work best for your situation.
Seal leaks that allow cold air inside near where pipes are located.
Disconnect garden hoses and cover faucets with special insulated faucet socks.
Once the mercury drops, you can open your cabinet doors to allow heat to get to the piping under sinks and vanities.
If you do experience frozen pipes or a leak, call a plumber immediately and turn your water off at your customer valve. Do not try to thaw the pipe with a torch or other open flame and do not use electrical appliances in areas of standing water because you could be electrocuted.
The biggest thing you can do to prevent frozen pipes, is to turn your water off at your customer valve anytime you leave your mountain home. This is the single most critical step you can take in preventing frozen and burst pipes.
Don't let water damage dampen your life this winter. Spend a few minutes protecting your water pipes to save time and money down the road. Remember it is cheaper to prevent a problem than it is to repair one. And remember that there does not have to be snow on the ground for it to be cold enough for pipes to freeze.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Applications for water service
We would like to thank all of you who have been so co-operative in signing and returning their applications for water service. We have been working on this project for quite a while and finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. We greatly appreicate everyone's efforts in getting these signed and returned to us.
Having a current application on each customer will help us keep your records updated and will provide us with your current contact information, enabling us to get in touch with your should the need arise. So thank you again for all your co-operation. We appreciate it very much!
Having a current application on each customer will help us keep your records updated and will provide us with your current contact information, enabling us to get in touch with your should the need arise. So thank you again for all your co-operation. We appreciate it very much!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Winterizing
It is not too soon to start thinking about winterizing. Preparing now can prevent problems down the road. One thing that is very important to do now while the weather is good, is to be sure you know where your customer valve box is and that you know how to turn your water off. Turning your water off when you leave your mountain home, is the single biggest thing you can do to prevent water damage from frozen pipes. It is a good habit to get into any time you leave your mountain home, but it is especially important in the winter. Leaks can occur at any time of the year and sometimes go undetected for long periods of time. In freezing temperatures, pipes can freeze and possibly burst. If this happens while your water is on and you are away, you will have a real problem on your hands. Turning your water off at your customer valve can prevent these types of things from happening to you.
Other things you can do to prepare for winter is remove hoses from outside spigots and cover the spigots with faucet socks. These are inexpensive and easily obtainable. This is a simple solution that can help keep your pipes from freezing up. Insulate water pipes in crawl spaces and and basements. There are many different types of pipe insulation available so you should be able to find something that suits your situation and your budget. Remember the saying, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." This is very true when it comes to your water. It is much easier to prevent a problem than it is to fix one after it has occured.
Many people are under the false impression that if they have a water leak or a pipe burs,t that they do not have to pay for the water that is lost. This is not true. Remember, you are responsible for every gallon of water that goes through your meter. Having a leak or a frozen pipe does not absolve you from this responsibility.
If you have any questions at all about how to winterize you water pipes, please feel free to give us a call at 951-659-2675, during normal business hours and we will be more than happy to give you some suggestions. If you cannot find your customer valve or do not know how to turn it off and on, call us and we will be happy to send someone out to help you, during normal business hours. It is your responsibility as the property owner to make sure you are protecting yourself as much as possible against a possible water problem. While all leaks and pipe breaks cannot be prevented, the damage from many of them could be minimized or even prevented, had the water been turned off.
Other things you can do to prepare for winter is remove hoses from outside spigots and cover the spigots with faucet socks. These are inexpensive and easily obtainable. This is a simple solution that can help keep your pipes from freezing up. Insulate water pipes in crawl spaces and and basements. There are many different types of pipe insulation available so you should be able to find something that suits your situation and your budget. Remember the saying, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." This is very true when it comes to your water. It is much easier to prevent a problem than it is to fix one after it has occured.
Many people are under the false impression that if they have a water leak or a pipe burs,t that they do not have to pay for the water that is lost. This is not true. Remember, you are responsible for every gallon of water that goes through your meter. Having a leak or a frozen pipe does not absolve you from this responsibility.
If you have any questions at all about how to winterize you water pipes, please feel free to give us a call at 951-659-2675, during normal business hours and we will be more than happy to give you some suggestions. If you cannot find your customer valve or do not know how to turn it off and on, call us and we will be happy to send someone out to help you, during normal business hours. It is your responsibility as the property owner to make sure you are protecting yourself as much as possible against a possible water problem. While all leaks and pipe breaks cannot be prevented, the damage from many of them could be minimized or even prevented, had the water been turned off.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Here we go again!
Well here we are enjoying mild weather for the past couple of weeks. The lilac bushes are budding up, the roses are coming back to life and many other trees and plants think it is spring and have started to leaf out or come up. As per usual, Old Man Winter has decided he isn't quite ready to leave the hill yet. Weather reports are calling for a storm today and possibly more snow! This seems to happen each and every year almost without fail. It is very frustrating for gardeners. However, there isn't anything we can do about the weather, so we just have to hang in there. Hopefully this will be a brief storm and it won't damage any of the plants or trees that think it is spring. Here's hoping we DO NOT have a white Easter!
Friday, February 26, 2010
Storm Brewing
Well it looks like old man winter isn't going away any time soon. Another storm is on the horizon and it looks like we are going to have a cold and snowy weekend ahead of us. Please make sure you have wood where to get easily get to it, propane in your tank, food in your cupboards and some emergency supplies on hand such as flashlights. You just never know when the electricty will go out. Don't go out driving on snow and ice covered roads if it isn't absolutely necessary. Please remember your pets. Don't let them outside in this kind of harsh, cold weather. Give them somewhere warm and dry to stay during the storm. Also check on neighbors if you know someone is elderly or has difficult getting around. Checking on each other can really help prevent a tragedy in cold weather emergencies. If you leave the hill, please remember to turn your water off at your customer valve. We cannot stress this enough. Keep warm and stay safe.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Hwy 243 OPEN!
Just in case you haven't heard yet, Highway 243 re-opened this past weekend. So we are free to come and go as we please to Hemet.
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