Direct Relief offering power to charge devices for those affected by shutoffs

Santa Barbara-based nonprofit Direct Relief says they are making their headquarters available for anyone who may be without power due to possible Public Safety Power Shutoffs.

Anyone whose power has been shut off can charge their phones, computers, portable batteries, or any other devices at the charity’s headquarters at 6100 Wallace Becknell Road in Goleta.

Direct Relief’s building can maintain power even if the grid goes down. The facility has a microgrid built by Tesla which allows the facility to keep running and protect their inventory of cold-chain medicine.

The microgrid utilizes solar power, battery storage and diesel generators as backup. Tesla deployed similar grids during the Puerto Rico blackouts following Hurricane Maria.

Direct Relief also has an inventory of mobile power generators and charging stations that are available to deploy in the event of blackouts, in coordination with Southern California Edison, Santa Barbara County Public Health, and Santa Barbara Office of Emergency Services.

KEYT 2019