Winter storm knocks out power to schools

Association of California School Administrators

A tree fell on a portable at Alta-Dutch Flat School in Placer County after a winter storm that also knocked out power and heat to the school.

January 10, 2022

A strong winter storm caused power outages affecting nearly 49,000 PG&E customers in El Dorado, Nevada, Placer and Sierra counties during the final days of 2021.

The storm knocked out power at Alta-Dutch Flat School in Placer County and caused a tree to fall on a propane tank that heated the school and a large tree to fall on a portable building.

“It’s a huge tree — around 16 inches in diameter, that’s how big they are around,” said Alta-Dutch Flat Union Elementary School District Superintendent/Principal Karen Mix. “Thankfully we were only using the portable for storage.”

Crews from Cal Fire and the California Conservation Corps help remove downed trees and shovel shoulder-deep snow at Alta-Dutch Flat School on Jan. 2 and 3. Crews worked all day scraping hallways and clearing snow from any doorway marked as an exit.

“Being part of a small community, Daria, a school board member, rallied our local church and they provided a warm lunch for crews at the school board member’s house across the street, since the school did not have power,” Mix said. “I love small communities.”

Her students were scheduled to return from winter break on Jan. 3, but were delayed one day until heat and power were restored and walkways were dug out. Mix said 67 of the school’s 91 students were able to return Jan. 4 despite many still not having power at their own homes.

“We sent a message that we have heat, power, internet and food,” she said. “I’m communicating with the tools I have, and relying on other people to communicate with each other.”

Cal Fire and CCC crews shovel snow at Alta-Dutch Flat School, allowing for students to return to school from winter break.

A winter storm knocked out power and blankets Sierra schools in snow right as students return from winter break.