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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 09122006 - SD.7 Sb 7 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM: Mark DeSaulnier - Contra Costa DATE: September 12, 2006 County SUBJECT: County Response to Heat Wave/ Policies on Adequate Energy Resources SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION: Ask the Chief Administrator's Office and the Office of Emergency Services to coordinate on drafting a report to the Board of Supervisors concerning the recent heat wave that struck Contra Costa County from mid to late July. Ask the two offices to report on positive accomplishments made by the County in responding to the needs of our citizenry during these days of extraordinary temperature. Ask the two offices, also, to indicate where improvements might be made to be more responsive in the future. The report should also include any statistics regarding injuries or fatalities known to the County to have been caused as a result of the heat wave in our county. RECOMMENDATION: Ask the Community Development Department to draft a report to the Board describing those policies it has in effect,if any, in which it evaluates how demand for electricity will be adequately met when a new development is approved in the unincorporated part of Contra Costa County. �j FISCAL IMPACT:None to general fund. I: CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(Sh ACTION OF BOARD ON O APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X_ OTHER Directed that Health Services, Emergency Medical Services,and the Fire Protection District should be contacted for ie report; Directed staff to work with the Office on Aging and the cities to ensure a comprehensive list of Safe 1-lavens/Cooling Centers is made current and is easy for residents to find and use. VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE UNANIMOUS(ABSENT AND CORRECT COPY OF AN AMON TAKEN : AYES: NO AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. ATTESTED (!)"( Z) JOHN CULLEN,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR Contact cc: BOS CAO t BY ,DEPUTY BACKGROUND: From mid to late July, Contra Costa County suffered an extraordinarily prolonged heat wave that affected many individuals. In Concord, the temperature stood at 100 degrees or higher during many days in July, with a record-breaking 1 l 2-degree temperature recorded on July 23. A heat advisory—made when temperatures are high enough to be considered harmful to the public—was issued by the National Weather Service for Concord and other Contra Costa cities for several days around the July 21 to 24 timeframe. Temperatures for Concord were a scorching 103, 107, 112 and 104 degrees during those four consecutive days. Temperatures in Walnut Creek registered 103, 106, 109,and 103 degrees during those same four days; 110, 114, 111,and 108 in Antioch;and 86, 94, 96 and 88 in Richmond.' During this extreme heat wave,many Contra Costans suffered from its effects. Paramedics treated 153 people for heat-related illness at the Sleep Train Pavilion in Concord on July 23. 35 of them were taken to the hospital. The situation was critical enough for the Concord Police Department to activate its mass casualty protocol to assist people attending the event at the Pavilion. In addition to Concord's Police Department,the Contra Costa Fire District, California Highway Patrol and Walnut Creek Police Department assisted people suffering ill effects at the event. Power outages plagued many communities, including several in the District IV cities of Concord, Pleasant Hill and Clayton. Some residents had power outages for longer than 24 hours and many had power off and on for several days in a row. A total of 462,000 Bay Area residents lost power during the weekend of the highest July temperatures. 32,000 households and businesses lost power in Contra Costa County. After the July heat wave had subsided, 138 deaths were attributed to its intensity in California, two of which were in Contra Costa County. Most victims were elderly individuals,many of whom had pre-existing medical conditions. Analyzing the County's response to this environmental event to determine if there is any room for improvement in assisting our county's citizenry is an important and necessary undertaking. In the years ahead, we could experience similar or more terrible heat-related events. Making sure we are on our guard and respond with appropriate resources during times of need is crucial to saving lives and protecting property. Also,making sure that our county has an appropriate plan that requires adequate energy resources to be made available to new communities constructed within the unincorporated areas of the county is essential if we hope to avoid power outages and prevent us from returning to the days of rolling blackouts. 'All temperature statistics gathered from the Contra Costa Times. >CLa Z 3 a ° CD 0 D � ° t9 3 m N CD n N o -o n m CD N Z � o o o � o ro CD o o "I N CD rn (PQtsID \ a o °�► CD CD w 0 CD N = o , :3 — I © m (CID) W 1� N o � CD CD 4 CD CD . (DZ 't D m` o ? `D � v G n CD 0 0 La r* N m CD ICD T- G C n r+ N CL Q N co., n @ m 3 Or CD Q ol,, Q � S" � (U CD N CD 0 o' ZS N to O �o CD 03 ° w � Or m o `+ o,�. V oqp CD LO �. a a