Fires smoldered at several locations on the SFPUC’s watershed lands the week of April 3. The SFPUC’s watershed staff could not have been happier. The SFPUC owns approximately 23,000 acres of watershed land in the San Mateo Creek Watershed on the Peninsula. Although these lands support high concentrations of rare and endangered species of plants…
Category: Preparedness
Meet Jeff Harp, SFPUC Head of Security
After spending 21 years with the FBI, Jeff Harp retired in 2015 and began his second career. Harp spent two and a half years in corporate security and then joined the SFPUC as one of the leaders on the Emergency Planning and Security team. Harp started working at the SFPUC in December 2017 and enjoys…
While Shelter-In-Place Orders are in Effect, the SFPUC Stormwatch and Strike Teams Prepare for Rain
According to the National Weather Service, there is a good chance of rain this weekend and potentially through early next week. Even as residents are sheltering-in-place, the SFPUC is gearing up in preparation for the wet weather. So as most people are indoors, peering out of window sills, the SFPUC’s Stormwatch and Strike Teams are…
Why Javier Padilla Believes Staying at Home Literally Saves Lives
For Javier Padilla, the call for help was sudden and urgent, but he knew he had the responsibility to respond. Padilla, SFPUC Environmental Justice & Land Use Analyst, had a plan for the work week and what he needed to accomplish for his projects. When the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management (SFDEM) requested City…
How to Safely Store and Treat Water for Emergencies
March 22 marks 63rd anniversary of the 1957 San Francisco earthquake, also known as the Daly City earthquake of 1957. The 5.7 magnitude quake occurred in the Peninsula right off the San Andreas Fault. Luckily, the earthquake yielded minimal damage. There is a 63% chance of a major earthquake occurring in the Bay Area within…
Meet Josh Gale, Who Prepares for the Worst Case Scenarios
It was 1989 and the San Francisco Giants were playing against the Oakland A’s in the World Series. Fans waited for the highly-anticipated game three of the series to start. Then an earthquake happened. “I always think back to the Loma Prieta earthquake at Candlestick Park during the World Series. After the shaking stopped, there…