Libby Rainey
is a general assignment reporter. She covers the news that shapes Los Angeles and how people change the city in return.
Published April 2, 2025 5:42 PM
A fast food worker at an L.A. City Council meeting who gave public comment in support of a motion that could eventually help expand fast food worker protections cheers after it was passed.
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Samanta Helou Hernandez
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LAist
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Topline:
The Los Angeles City Council voted today to look into how it could expand rights on the job for fast food workers and establish a "Know Your Rights" training program for the industry.
What's the history: In 2022, the council passed a law, the Fair Work Week Ordinance, that established protections for workers at large retail establishments. The law included advanced notice of scheduled hours, the ability to request preferred shifts, and priority for current employees to pick up additional hours before the employer brings on new workers.
What does that law mean for fast food workers? The law does not apply to the fast food industry. On Wednesday, however, the City Council voted to ask for a report on what it would take to expand the law to do so.
The Los Angeles City Council voted Wednesday to look into how it could expand rights on the job for fast food workers and establish a "Know Your Rights" training program for the industry.
In 2022, the council passed a law, the Fair Work Week Ordinance, that established protections for workers at large retail establishments. Those protections include advanced notice of scheduled hours; the ability to request preferred shifts; and priority for current employees to pick up additional hours before the employer brings on new workers.
The law does not apply to fast food workers. On Wednesday, however, the City Council voted to ask for a report on what it would take to expand the law to do so.
"This is an industry that is just rife with wage theft, issues of scheduling, people living in poverty," said Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez, who introduced the proposal. "We have to address it. We have to do something."
How have fast food jobs changed recently?
Los Angeles has more than 2,500 large chain fast food restaurants, according to Soto-Martínez's motion. The council's vote comes a year after California implemented a $20 minimum wage for fast food workers across the state, and as those workers and their advocates continue to push for changes to their conditions.
A recent report from Rutgers and Northwestern University found that 1 in 4 L.A.-area fast food workers were paid less than minimum wage in 2024. A 2023 report from the research organization Economic Roundtable found that one in 17 unhoused people in California works in fast food.
At Wednesday's meeting, multiple fast food workers spoke during public comment in favor of expanding the Fair Work Week ordinance, including one worker who said she is homeless.
"I work my butt off to work for a multi-million [dollar] company… and they keep lying and saying they can't afford stuff," said Anneisha Williams, who works at a Jack in the Box in Hawthorne. "And it's just not fair for workers like me today that we have to keep begging and begging and pleading and pleading just for simple little things."
Franchise owners and fast food employers also showed up to the meeting to oppose efforts that could lead to the law's expansion.
"Hours will be slashed, entry-level jobs will be lost," said one business owner who said she ran two fast food locations in Northridge. "Fast food restaurants cannot afford any more costly mandates. We are still struggling with the aftermath of the $20 minimum wage."
What debate is there over cost and impact?
The request for a report from the Chief Legislative Analyst is just a step in a longer process that will require the council to weigh in again before any changes take place.
But City Council members clashed at the meeting over the potential effects expanding fast food worker rights would have on employers and the economy. Some of the arguments mirrored ongoing arguments between labor unions and the fast food industry about how raising the minimum wage for fast food workers has affected employment and restaurant prices.
The council narrowly rejected a proposed amendment from Councilmember Bob Blumenfield requesting a "detailed economic analysis" of the proposed recommendations, after Councilmember Soto-Martínez spoke out against it, saying the burden on city staff would delay action for months and that the city already has enough reports.
Blumenfield said he wanted to have "eyes wide open" about economic effects, "especially at a time when we are seeing a lot of closures of restaurants and businesses."
Councilmember Monica Rodriguez proposed a separate amendment that would have asked the city's legislative analyst to look into exempting fast food restaurants in food deserts and areas the where the city has tried to bolster economic development and healthy food offerings.
" We're creating an environment that is inhospitable to their existence," Rodriguez said of fast food businesses in those areas.
The council rejected that part of Rodriguez's amendment. Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson said that many fast food workers live in the neighborhoods where she was seeking exemptions.
" Food deserts are, in fact, at least partly caused because people who live in those neighborhoods work all day, every day, sometimes two, three jobs, and they barely make enough to get by," he said.
What happens now?
The City Council did request that the chief legislative analyst seek input from small businesses, and to clearly lay out which businesses would be included.
Councilmember Ysabel Jurado argued that expanding protections to fast food workers would create more stability for workers and their employers in Los Angeles.
" It's about having better jobs, better protections, and better retention," Jurado said. "Do we want low-paying jobs where there's so much turnover that small businesses cannot survive because they are always chasing a new set of workers? No."
Keep an eye on your own local government
The best way to keep tabs on your own local government is by attending public meetings for your city council or local boards. Here are a few tips to get you started.
Find meeting schedules and agendas: City councils usually meet at least twice a month, although larger ones may meet weekly. Committees and boards tend to meet less often, typically once a month. You can find the schedule and meeting agenda on your local government’s website, or posted physically at your local city hall. Find more tips here.
Learn the jargon: Closed session, consent calendars and more! We have definitions for commonly used terms here.
How to give public comment: Every public meeting allows community members to give comment, whether or not it’s about something on the agenda. The meeting agenda will have specific instructions for giving public comment. Review more details here.
Earvin "Magic" Johnson is this year's Grand Marshal for the 137th Rose Parade in Pasadena. We have tips on making the most of the parade in person.
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Damian Dovarganes
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AP
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Topline:
The Rose Parade is right around the corner, and thousands of people are already preparing to flock to Pasadena for the New Year’s Day festivities. One curveball: It seems likely to be the first rained-on parade in 20 years.
Why it matters: Whether you’ll be camping out the night before, or heading over with blankets in tow in the early morning hours, here’s what you need to know this year.
Why now: In its 137th year, the parade theme is “The Magic in Teamwork," and with a theme like that there's only one choice for Grand Marshal: Laker icon Earvin "Magic" Johnson. The event kicks off at 8 a.m. sharp.
Read more ...about parking, public transit, tickets, and so much more.
The Rose Parade is right around the corner, and thousands of people are already preparing to flock to Pasadena for the New Year’s Day festivities.
In its 137th year, the parade theme is “The Magic in Teamwork,” with Laker icon Earvin "Magic" Johnson as the Grand Marshal. It kicks off at 8 a.m.
Whether you’ll be camping out the night before, or heading over with blankets in tow in the early morning hours, keep in mind that the weather is currently forecast to be rainy. Yes, that's rare. If it does pour on the parade it will be the first time in 20 years and before that it had been 50 years since the last rainy parade day.
Here’s what you need to know this year.
Parade details and closures
The Rose Parade route lasts two hours, with its 5.5-mile journey starting at Green Street and Orange Grove Boulevard.
The floats, bands, and horses will head north along Orange Grove at a slow but steady 2.5 mph pace before turning east onto Colorado Boulevard for a majority of the show. It’ll then head north onto Sierra Madre Boulevard, wrapping up at Villa Street.
Police and city officials will start closing off part of the route to cars as early as 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 31, through 2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 1.
That includes Colorado Boulevard from Orange Grove Boulevard to Sierra Madre Boulevard, and Sierra Madre Boulevard to Paloma Street. So if you’ll be hosting viewing parties or are overdue for a delivery, Tournament of Roses officials recommend telling everyone to arrive before the closures kick in Wednesday night.
Unless you have a need to be in the area during the parade, you might want to avoid this stretch of the city until it's all over.
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CityOfPasadena.net
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If you’ll need to drive to or through the downtown Pasadena area, you can use:
Walnut Street or the 210 Freeway for east-west travel north of Colorado Boulevard
Del Mar Boulevard or Cordova Street for east-west travel south of Colorado Boulevard
There will be limited crossing for north-south travel during the closure (see map for details)
Please note: There will be a 5K race at midnight to celebrate the New Year from Pasadena Avenue to Hill Street. Several intersections will close to cross traffic at 11 p.m. Dec. 31 and re-open at the end of the race event at about 2 a.m., including Pasadena, Fair Oaks, and Marengo avenues (see full list on map.)
Tickets
You can still snag grandstand tickets — we found ones from $80 to $130, depending on where you want to sit. You’ll need to have your ticket handy.
The Rose Parade of 2022 represented a long-awaited return to Pasadena's New Year’s tradition.
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Alborz Kamalizad
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LAist
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The parade is scheduled to begin promptly at 8 a.m. Organizers recommend that ticketholders aim to be seated by 7 a.m. In order to do that, you should plan to arrive in the area by at least 6 a.m. to give yourself plenty of time to work through the crowds and traffic.
Note that there is a "clear bags only" policy in place for grandstand seating at the Rose Parade, the Rose Bowl game and several other events. You can find details here.
Curbside seating and camping
Curbside seating is free, and lots of people will set up shop and camp overnight, which is only allowed on Dec. 31. If you’ll be bringing your kids or teens along, they need to be with an adult during the overnight hours.
There are plenty of ways to enjoy the parade without paying for seating. You just need to plan. And plan to arrive early!
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CityOfPasadena.net
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You can grab your sidewalk spot starting at noon Dec. 31, but all your blankets and chairs have to stay on the curb until 11 p.m., at which point you’ll be able to move up a bit closer to the blue “honor-line.” Tents, sofas, unoccupied chairs, and boxes that can be used as stools or seats are not allowed along the route.
You can warm up with a small elevated barbecue, but it needs to be away from buildings and you have to have a fire extinguisher available. Bonfires and fireworks are banned, period.
Most importantly, don’t forget to drink water and dress for cool temps and the possibility of rain. (You can always sit on that extra jacket).
Given the weather conditions, it's important to note that the rules call for no umbrellas. The City of Pasadena advisers parade goers to use rain jackets and ponchos, which they optimistically describe as "a great alternative so everyone can enjoy the show!"
Pasadena city officials are reminding people than umbrellas are not allowed along the Rose Parade route ahead of a forecast of rain on the parade for the first time in 20 years.
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Courtesy City of Pasadena
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LAist's Sharon McNary, a longtime Pasadena resident who has offered great tips on making the most of the parade in the past, points out this might be a very popular year for what she calls "The People’s Grandstand.”
That said, Sharon notes "it’s kind of a locals-only institution. Fans create their own little wooden seats that fit nicely into the notches in the stones lining the sloped wall of the 210 Freeway overpass over Sierra Madre Blvd. In the rare rainy year, they have shelter, and in the more typical warm years, they have shade. And they get to view the spectacle of the taller floats folding themselves down to fit under the overpass and opening back up on the other side."
Local craftspeople make small wooden seats that fit in the mortar notches in the sloped wall under a the 210 Freeway overpass at Sierra Madre Blvd.
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Sharon McNary
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LAist
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Parking
There is no parking allowed on the parade route, but you can purchase reserved spots. Pasadena recommendations include Sharp Seating, the city itself, and LAZ Parking. Parking at Metro rail stations are another option you can check on before you head out.
Authorities urge that you pay for parking in advance to guarantee your spot. Otherwise, parking is on a first-come, first-served basis and of course that supply is limited.
Once again: Arriving extra early is your best bet so you can avoid the traffic hassles and any unintended GPS glitches. Authorities warn: "Please do not rely upon your GPS as road closures will be in effect and may not reflect on the GPS application."
The last time it rained, in 2006, the bleachers were far less packed than usual.
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Anne Cusack
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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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All parking meters are free and time limits will not be enforced on New Year’s Day, and overnight parking restrictions will not be enforced until 2 a.m. Jan. 4, according to the city. But keep an eye out for red curbs, “No Parking” signs, fire hydrants, and driveways, as the usual restrictions still apply. You don't want to risk getting your vehicle towed.
Public transportation
Where possible, public transit might be your easiest way to go, and Metrolink will be offering special early morning hours on the San Bernardino, Antelope Valley, Orange County, Ventura County, and 91 Perris Valley lines for the parade. (Note that Metrolink’s Riverside County Line is not running on New Year’s Day.)
From the Metro website: "On New Year’s Eve and early New Year’s Day (Dec. 31 to Jan. 1), we’ll be running service all night on the A, B, D and E Lines with additional early morning service to help get you to Pasadena on time for the parade, which begins at 8 a.m. sharp." Metro will also have buses traveling to areas near the route and Rose Bowl game.
These are the A Line stations in Pasadena that closest to the parade:
Del Mar Station (walk .3 miles north to the parade route)
Memorial Park Station (walk .2 miles south)
Lake Station (walk .4 miles south)
Allen Station (walk .4 miles south)
Metro will also have buses traveling to areas near the route and Rose Bowl game, which you can find more information on here
Metro is offering free fares on buses, trains, Metro Bike Share and Metro Micro from 4 a.m. Dec. 31 until 3 a.m. Jan. 1. For Metro Bike Share, use code 123125 on New Year’s Eve. For Metro Micro riders, use promo code RING26.
Accessible viewing
Three street-level viewing areas are reserved for people with disabilities and up to four of their guests.
Each of those areas along the parade route will have a section with audio descriptions for visually impaired people and another with sign language interpreters.
Diane Gagnon among Rose Parade floats on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023.
Please note: no seats are provided, so you’ll need to bring your own arrangements.
There’s also limited wheelchair accessible grandstand seating sold through Sharp Seating.
Rose Bowl game
The Rose Bowl game, the oldest of bowls dating back to 1902, immediately follows the parade. The Rose Bowl Stadium parking lot opens at 4 a.m. Jan. 1 and the stadium gates open at 10:30 a.m. The game starts at 1 p.m.
A quick scan turned up tickets that are still available for the Indiana vs. Alabama matchup for a little as $130.90 and as much as $2,683.13.
General parking is available in certain lots at the stadium, with spots going for $69 that you buy it in advance.
For public transportation, you can take the Metro A line and exit at the Memorial Park station. You can find more information here about getting to the stadium.
Please note: the stadium has a clear-bag policy, which means backpacks, purses, and camera cases are not allowed.
If you want more info
If you’re dying for more details, you can download the official Rose Parade app here or here. You’ll be able to see the full line-up, maps, and get more information about the participants.
If you skimmed over the rules and your car gets towed on New Year’s Day, you can call (626) 577-6426 from 5 p.m. Dec. 31 until 6 p.m. Jan. 1.
And if you still have questions that have not been answered here, you can try the visitor hotline at (877) 793-9911.
Destiny Torres
is LAist's general assignment and digital equity reporter.
Published December 29, 2025 4:02 PM
Money from a potential new tax could help pay for hiring more firefighters.
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Patrick T. Fallon
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Getty Images
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Topline:
A petition proposing an additional 0.5% sales tax in the city of Los Angeles was approved for circulation. The plan is for funds to go to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
What’s the process: The petition must receive more than 139,000 signatures by April to qualify for the November ballot.
What happens if it makes the ballot: If approved by voters, the money would help pay for hiring firefighters, equipment, facility upgrades and more. The ordinance would be to “supplement, not replace,” the department’s current funding.
Read on … for more on LAFD’s need for funding.
L.A. shoppers could see an additional 0.5% sales tax that would help fund the Los Angeles Fire Department.
A petition to get the sales tax on next year’s General Election ballot was approved by the City Clerk on Dec. 26 for signature gathering.
If approved by voters, the money gathered from the tax would help pay for hiring firefighters, equipment, facility upgrades and more. The ordinance would be to “supplement, not replace,” the department’s current funding, according to the ordinance.
In a statement, the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City said the LAFD is half the size needed to keep LA safe.
"Due to decades of underinvestment, our fire department currently operates with the same number of firefighters as in the 1960s, six fewer stations, and five times the call load,” the union representing the city’s firefighters said.
What we know
The petition must gather more than 139,000 petition signatures by mid-April for the initiative to be on the upcoming November ballot.
If voters approve the ordinance, the funds generated by the tax would be kept in a separate account. It would also require annual audits and a citizens’ oversight committee to monitor spending.
More on the fire department’s needs
An LAist report found the department is one of the smallest for a big city in the U.S.
According to the department, there are 106 fire stations — six fewer than in the 1960s — and 3,412 sworn firefighters — only 33 more than in 1965.
In 2024, the International Association of Fire Fighters conducted a “Standards of Cover” report on the LAFD. It found that the department had overwhelming needs, according to the union.
The report concluded that for L.A.’s current population, LAFD should have 7,360 firefighters – 4,000 more than its current force. It also identified that the department needs 52 new fire stations, dozens of new dispatchers, EMS stations and more.
What about the city's budget?
In June, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass signed a $13 billion budget that included cuts to LAFD's street medicine teams. The department's budget is $76 million —higher than last year's to allow fire officials to hire more firefighters and buy new fire trucks. The 9% increase in the fire budget is the highest among departments.
Keep up with LAist.
If you're enjoying this article, you'll love our daily newsletter, The LA Report. Each weekday, catch up on the 5 most pressing stories to start your morning in 3 minutes or less.
Rob Reiner (center) and wife Michele Singer Reiner and son Nick Reiner attend an event at The Grove on Aug. 9, 2013 in Los Angeles.
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Michael Buckner
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Getty Images for Teen Vogue
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Topline:
The L.A. County medical examiner on Monday sealed the autopsy records of Rob Reiner and Michelle Singer Reiner, who were stabbed to death earlier this month in their Los Angeles home.
The move was ordered by a Los Angeles Superior Court judge and keeps the details of how the Hollywood couple died hidden from the public’s view for now.
The context: The Los Angeles Police Department requested the move, which is common in homicide investigations. The Reiners’ son Nick has been accused of killing his filmmaker father and photographer mother.
Rob Reiner directed “This Is Spinal Tap,” “When Harry Met Sally” and "A Few Good Men," among more than a dozen other films.
Jordan Rynning
grew up in Minnesota, where temperatures in the 50s are cause for celebration.
Published December 29, 2025 3:18 PM
The downtown L.A. skyline is shrouded in rain clouds on Christmas Eve. Expect a gloomy New Year's Eve and New Year's Day too.
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Apu Gomes
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AFP via Getty Images
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Topline:
Two rain storms are coming to ring in the new year, according to the National Weather Service.
The forecast: The heaviest rain is expected to hit L.A. on Wednesday night and into Thursday, New Year’s Day, in what is likely to be the first time rain has fallen on Pasadena’s Rose Parade since 2006. The rains could cause some roadway flooding, according to the NWS. The storm should lighten on Friday before a second storm arrives Saturday.
Not like last week: That Christmas storm was a doozy — the storm arriving Wednesday won't drop nearly as much rain.
Read on ... to learn about snow levels and a detailed forecast for the week ahead.
Santa Ana winds are blowing in some parts of Southern California Monday, and two rain storms are coming to ring in the new year, according to the National Weather Service.
Drivers should be aware of strong crosswinds and the risk of fallen trees throughout the day today, with mountain areas facing gusts of up to 85 mph. The winds are expected to weaken by Tuesday, according to Mike Wofford, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
Then we’re in for some rain.
The heaviest is expected to hit L.A. on Wednesday night and into Thursday, New Year’s Day, in what is likely to be the first time rain has fallen on Pasadena’s Rose Parade since 2006. The rains could cause some roadway flooding, according to the NWS.
The storm should lighten on Friday before a second storm arrives Saturday, Wofford told LAist.
“We don’t think the rain rates are going to be quite as high as what we saw with the last event,” Wofford said, referring to the record rainfall around Christmas. “But we still could be looking at quarter- to half-an-inch-an-hour rates at times during those peak periods.”
What about the roads?
Holiday travelers heading over the Grapevine on the 5 Freeway and the Cajon Pass on the 15 Freeway shouldn’t need to worry about the rain turning to snow, with snow levels staying over 7,000 feet.
Rainfall could total 1 to 3 inches throughout the coast and valleys, and 2 to 5 inches in the mountains, according to the NWS.
Wofford said that although this storm is bringing less rain than last week’s, the ground is still saturated. That could cause runoff to move quickly, leading to issues with roads and mudslides in the canyons.
Another storm could be coming to L.A. early next week, according to the NWS.
Forecast
Monday: Santa Ana winds begin, with sunny skies and temperatures from the 40s to a high of around 70 in the valleys and near the coast. The mountains and deserts will have lows in the 30s and highs in the 50s.
Tuesday: Winds will continue at lower speeds, with the skies turning mostly cloudy. Coastal and valley areas will have lows in the 40s and highs in the 70s. The mountains and deserts will have lows in the 20s and highs in the 50s.
Wednesday: Light rain is expected to begin in the morning, with heavier rain coming in the afternoon and evening. Temperatures in the 50s and 60s are forecast for the coasts and valleys. The mountains and deserts are expected to be in the 40s and 50s.
Thursday: Rain expected throughout the day with a 10% to 15% chance of thunderstorms. Coasts and valleys will have lows in the 50s and highs in the 60s. Mountains and desert areas will have lows in the 40s and highs in the 50s.
Friday: Lighter rain expected. Coast and valley areas will have lows in the 50s and highs in the 60s. Mountain and desert areas will have lows in the 40s and highs in the 50s.
Saturday: Second storm to bring more rain. Coasts and valleys will have lows in the 50s and 60s. Mountain and desert areas will have lows in the 40s and highs in the 50s.
Sunday: Mostly cloudy with a chance of more rain. The coasts and valleys will see temperatures between 40s and 60s. Mountain and desert areas will be in the 40s and 50s.
If you're in L.A. County and need sand bags, you can find some at local fire houses.
Staying safe when the winds are high
Watch for traffic signals that may be out. Approach those intersections as four-way stops.
Make sure you have a battery-operated radio and flashlights. Check the batteries to make sure they are fresh. Use flashlights for lighting during a power outage; do not use candles because they may pose a fire hazard.
If you’re in a vehicle with a fallen power line on it, stay in the vehicle and remain calm until help arrives. It is OK to use your cellphone to call 911. If you must leave the vehicle, exit away from downed power lines and jump from the vehicle, landing with both feet together. You must not touch the vehicle and the ground at the same time. Then proceed away from the vehicle by shuffling and not picking up your feet until you are several yards away.
Water and electricity don’t mix. Water is an excellent conductor of electricity. Do not step in or enter any water that a downed power line may be touching.
Do not use any equipment indoors that is designed for outdoor heating or cooking. Such equipment can emit carbon monoxide and other toxic gases.
If you use a generator, place it outdoors and plug individual appliances directly into it, using a heavy-duty extension cord. Connecting generators directly to household circuits creates “backfeed,” which is dangerous to repair crews.
Leave the doors of your refrigerator and freezer closed to keep food as fresh as possible. Place blocks of ice inside to help keep food cold. Check food carefully for signs of spoilage.
Check on your neighbors to make sure everyone is safe.
