The Board heard two public‑safety and communications updates Oct. 7: a request from the county’s regional broadband coordinator for volunteer speed tests to support CPUC review, and a Southern California Edison (SCE) update about a possible public‑safety power shutoff (PSPS) during a forecasted wind event.

Scott Armstrong, the regional broadband coordinator covering Inyo and Mono Counties, asked residents of Independence to run an Internet speed test at connectedeasternsierra.net/speed and submit results using a computer (not a phone). Armstrong said the California Public Utilities Commission asked for documented speed tests to validate or refute claimed service speeds as it reviews broadband expansion applications.

SCE representative Matthew Pruella told the board the company had issued a “period of concern” for a forecasted wind event starting Oct. 8–9 in Owens Valley that could meet wind‑speed criteria for de‑energizing subtransmission lines. He said operations staff were coordinating with grid control and local generation to attempt to serve customers from local hydroelectric and other generation assets; if successful, SCE would cancel de‑energizations and send cancellation notices. Pruella warned, however, that some local distribution circuits could still meet PSPS criteria and that company alerts would go to affected customers.

Board members thanked SCE for transparency and urged residents to sign up for PSPS notifications. Armstrong said county staff would issue a press release linking to the speed‑test page.

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County staff and SCE said they would continue real‑time coordination on any PSPS event and urged residents to run CPUC‑linked speed tests and sign up for SCE alerts.