Stephanie Marquez has found immense purpose in her career and how she can make a difference in her community. As a Security Analyst as part of the SFPUC’s Emergency Planning and Security Team, Marquez supports the administration of the SFPUC’s security systems, maintenance of video recording and access control equipment, incident reporting and response, alarm…
Category: Emergency
How the SFPUC Prepares for Wildfire Season
Wildfire season is upon us and 2021 is shaping up to be the worst year yet. Over two million acres have burned in over 7,000 fires—and it’s only September. Climate change is considered a key driver of this trend. Warmer spring and summer temperatures, reduced snowpack, and drier conditions all play a role. According to…
Why the SFPUC Takes Advantage of Dry Weather to Prepare for the Rainy Season
“We bring our trucks out that have cranes on the back end. We carefully lift the wastewater pumps from 30 feet down. It takes precision, practice and most of all, teamwork to do it.” Julio “Jules” Fontes is a Senior Stationary Engineer for the SFPUC’s Wastewater Enterprise at the Southeast Treatment Plant. Every year during…
How to Prepare for Wildfire Season and Public Safety Power Shutoffs
With warmer weather in the summer and fall comes the increased risk of wildfires. To reduce the risk of wildfires, planned power outages called Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events may occur to keep the public safe. PG&E will issue a PSPS in response to extreme weather, such as intense heat and strong winds. During…
Why You May See Smoke at the SFPUC’s Peninsula Watershed
Firefighters and watershed keepers are passionate about preventing the SFPUC’s lands from being devastated by a catastrophe like a wildfire. Year after year they work together to stage controlled burns to keep the face of earthen dams from accumulating dried vegetation that could contribute fuel to turn a small burn into a devastating fire. Just…
How the SFPUC is Preparing for the Next Big Quake
Being ready for the next big earthquake is something all San Francisco residents, businesses and government agencies have to plan for, which is one reason why the SFPUC launched the Sewer System Improvement Program. “Investing in the entire system, top to bottom, in order to withstand the inevitable earthquake is one of the most important…