City of Carlsbad business owners learned about summer energy conservation and emergency preparedness during a late June meeting organized by the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce's Ready Carlsbad Business Alliance, an emergency preparedness business task force. The session took place at the City of Carlsbad's new Safety Training Center on Orion Way.
During the June 28 meeting, business owners learned about SDG&E's summer energy outlook and how they can do their part to conserve energy.
David Geier, vice president of electrical operations for SDG&E, said he is optimistic about the summer.
"We hope to make it through the summer without any rolling blackouts," he said, adding that "as long as nothing catastrophic happens, we should be okay."
Considering issues like the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station being temporarily out of service, Geier said SDG&E has response plans in place to address high-demand energy days.
Geier said SDG&E has developed programs to encourage energy conservation, including the Reduce Your Use Day rewards, which offers residential customers bill credit for usage reduction, as well as the 2012 summer gen plan, which proposes that certain commercial customers use backup generation during a SDG&E system emergency or a statewide emergency.
In addition, Geier discussed Flex Your Power's Flex Alert program, which allows residential and commercial customers to be notified of expected high peak days.
Geier said it is necessary for everyone, including businesses, to work together to address high energy demand during the summer.
While SDG&E is planning for the high-demand periods, which is generally late-August through early September, he said the company also hopes that people will do their part in helping to reduce energy strains.
"It takes all of us working together for public safety," Geier said.
Ted Owen, president and CEO of the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce, said the Ready Carlsbad Business Alliance's sessions are an important way for business owners to come together to discuss emergency preparedness.
"They are informative and necessary," Owen said. "Everyone has a piece of wisdom that they didn't come here with today."
In addition to training sessions, Deb Beddoe, co-chair of the Ready Carlsbad Business Alliance, said the task force is seeking to identify local businesses who have supplies, services and products that would be needed to assist the community recover from the effects of a disaster.
Beddoe said the task force vision is to also offer a Business Emergency Safety Training Certification to help businesses and employees prepare for an emergency. The alliance will be open to all interested Carlsbad businesses.
"If Carlsbad faces a disaster, we can look to our businesses big and small for help," she said, adding that advance preparations "will make that a more organized process."
For more information on the Ready Carlsbad Business Alliance, contact David Harrison at [email protected]. and visit the task force’s website at www.readycarlsbad.com.
During the June 28 meeting, business owners learned about SDG&E's summer energy outlook and how they can do their part to conserve energy.
David Geier, vice president of electrical operations for SDG&E, said he is optimistic about the summer.
"We hope to make it through the summer without any rolling blackouts," he said, adding that "as long as nothing catastrophic happens, we should be okay."
Considering issues like the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station being temporarily out of service, Geier said SDG&E has response plans in place to address high-demand energy days.
Geier said SDG&E has developed programs to encourage energy conservation, including the Reduce Your Use Day rewards, which offers residential customers bill credit for usage reduction, as well as the 2012 summer gen plan, which proposes that certain commercial customers use backup generation during a SDG&E system emergency or a statewide emergency.
In addition, Geier discussed Flex Your Power's Flex Alert program, which allows residential and commercial customers to be notified of expected high peak days.
Geier said it is necessary for everyone, including businesses, to work together to address high energy demand during the summer.
While SDG&E is planning for the high-demand periods, which is generally late-August through early September, he said the company also hopes that people will do their part in helping to reduce energy strains.
"It takes all of us working together for public safety," Geier said.
Ted Owen, president and CEO of the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce, said the Ready Carlsbad Business Alliance's sessions are an important way for business owners to come together to discuss emergency preparedness.
"They are informative and necessary," Owen said. "Everyone has a piece of wisdom that they didn't come here with today."
In addition to training sessions, Deb Beddoe, co-chair of the Ready Carlsbad Business Alliance, said the task force is seeking to identify local businesses who have supplies, services and products that would be needed to assist the community recover from the effects of a disaster.
Beddoe said the task force vision is to also offer a Business Emergency Safety Training Certification to help businesses and employees prepare for an emergency. The alliance will be open to all interested Carlsbad businesses.
"If Carlsbad faces a disaster, we can look to our businesses big and small for help," she said, adding that advance preparations "will make that a more organized process."
For more information on the Ready Carlsbad Business Alliance, contact David Harrison at [email protected]. and visit the task force’s website at www.readycarlsbad.com.