Helpful information for declared emergencies (power outage, wildfires, or other emergencies).

Community news | Friday, August 28, 2020

Are you currently affected by a wildfire? We can help you get the care you need. Here is some information you can use right now to help keep you and your family safe.

Prepare for power shut-offs

In extreme weather conditions, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) may turn off power in certain areas in Santa Clara County due to high fire risk or to reduce strain on the power grid. Sometimes, unplanned blackouts may happen if equipment needs repair.

During these shut-offs, Santa Clara Family Health Plan Customer Service Representatives can still be reached during normal business hours at the following phone numbers:

Medi-Cal Customer Service

Phone: 1-800-260-2055

TTY: 711

Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday - Friday

Cal MediConnect Customer Service

Phone: 1-877-723-4795

TTY: 711

Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday – Friday

If you need a prescription refilled

SCFHP has allowed pharmacies to help process your refill so you can continue to have access to your prescriptions. For example:

Your prior authorization has expired but you need your prescription refilled.
You need a refill sooner than your next refill date.

You or your pharmacy can call SCFHP Customer Service for help or for more information.

If you require electricity for your medical needs

IMPORTANT:If PG&E needs to turn off electricity in an area for safety or if there is an unplanned power outage, all customers who receive power in that area will be affected.

Most medical equipment, such as oxygen, ventilators, and machines for home dialysis, comes with a spare battery. We recommend keeping your battery fully charged in case of a power shutoff. If you need to charge your battery during a shutoff, you can go to one of the PG&E Community Resource Centers.

If you require electricity for your medical needs, you may be eligible for PG&E’s Medical Baseline Program. If you are a Medical Baseline customer, your power can be shut off during a Public Safety Power Shutoff, but PG&E will provide advanced notice, giving you more time to prepare.

To learn more about the Medical Baseline program or to sign up, click here or call 1-800-743-5000.

The California Health and Human Services Agency has also established a non-emergency hotline to help medically vulnerable Californians and health and community care facilities find resources in their communities during power shutoffs. The hotline is 1-833-284-3473. During power shutoffs or potential power shutoffs, hotline assistance will be available 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Assistance is available in many languages. 711 Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS) are available for individuals with hearing or speech-related disabilities. You can find more information on 711 TRS.

Wildfire evacuation information

Evacuation orders and warnings are in place for portions of the Eastern Diablo Foothills in Santa Clara, Alameda and Stanislaus Counties. You can check your evacuation status on the CAL FIRE evacuation map for the SCU Lightning Complex Fire.

Evacuation Resource Centers are staffed by the American Red Cross. They assess needs and determine resources. For a list of Temporary Evacuation Points, visit http://bit.ly/LightningComplex-SCC.

If you need immediate sheltering support/assistance, please contact the American Red Cross at 1-866-272-2237 or visit their website at www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/fire/home-fire-recovery.html.

For those who are evacuating and have questions about where to go, please call County of Santa Clara EOC Wildfire Hotline at 1-408-808-7778.

For evacuation information, visit County of Santa Clara CZU and SCU Lightning Complex Wildfires website.

Prepare for emergencies

Get tips from CAL FIRE on how to get prepared for a wildfire: readyforwildfire.org.

PG&E offers these additional resources to help you get ready for the next emergency:

Language translation services are available in Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Tagalog for many of these resources.

For more details on planned or active shut-offs and the areas affected, visit the PG&E website. To sign up to receive email notifications from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, go to the Office of Emergency Services News website.

You can also visit our Health Library for more emergency preparedness tips and resources.