Call 211 for Bay Area Tsunami Info

Santa Cruz County residents: Call 211 for Flood Evacuation Info

March 24, 2011 By Maria Stokes Leave a Comment

United Way’s 211 Call Center is providing information about flood evacuation in Santa Cruz County.

In Santa Cruz County, flood warnings and evacuation advisories in effect until approximately 5 p.m. today for the following areas:

Felton Grove evacuate to Safeway Parking Lot on Gramhill Road
Gold Gulch evacuate to higher ground
Paradise Park evacuate to higher ground

If you need assistance evacuating, call 911 directly.

No new shelters have been set up at this time, but 211 can refer you to the Red Cross if you need shelter because of flooding.

Filed Under: Disaster Preparedness Tagged With: 2-1-1, 211, Disaster Preparedness

Call 211 for Information about Radiation from Japan

March 17, 2011 By Maria Stokes Leave a Comment

Residents in the San Francisco Bay Area, who are concerned about radiation from Japan’s nuclear emergency can call 211 for updated information.

Currently, the Bay Area’s departments of public health are emphasizing that there is no danger to Bay Area residents from Japan’s nuclear emergency. They also discourage taking potassium iodide, which can have serious side effects and should not be taken unless recommended.

Residents are discouraged from calling 911 unless they are experiencing a life-threatening emergency. During times of disaster, the 211 helplines provide critical information to local residents, relieving 911 operators from answering non-emergency calls.

The Bay Area’s 211 call centers will continue to communicate actively with County Departments of Emergency Services in the Bay Area to provide residents with the most current information.

211 is free, confidential and available 24 hours a day in more than 150 languages. Residents who cannot dial 211 should call 800-273-6222 to reach a local 211 call center. For the hearing impaired, dial 711 or 415-808-4440 (TTY). Information is also available at www.211BayArea.org.

Filed Under: Disaster Preparedness Tagged With: 2-1-1, 211, Bay Area, Disaster Preparedness

Call 211 for Bay Area Tsunami Info

March 11, 2011 By Maria Stokes 1 Comment

Call 211 to get information about whether the tsunami will impact where you live.

Residents in the San Francisco Bay Area, who are concerned about the local impact of tsunami waves generated by the 8.9 earthquake off Japan early this morning, can call 211 for information about areas that are being evacuated, shelters and evacuation centers, and check points for boat owners.

Residents are discouraged from calling 911 unless they are experiencing a life-threatening emergency. During times of disaster, the 211 Bay Area helplines provide critical information to local residents, relieving 911 operators from answering non-emergency calls.

“Our 211 Bay Area call center is actively communicating today with the Offices of Emergency Services for Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Cruz Counties, so that we can provide residents with the most current information about evacuation areas, road closings and other coastal warnings,” said Helen Rosen, vice president of operations for United Way’s 211 call center.

“Our phone lines have been quite busy, and we encourage residents to call 211 for tsunami information, so that 911 operators can remain focused on life-threateningemergencies,” Rosen said.

211 providers all along the California coast are also providing information to residents in their areas,including call centers in Los Angeles, Monterey, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Sonoma and Ventura counties.

Learn more about 211 at www.211BayArea.org.

Photo courtesy of Hamed Saber via Creative Commons license.