Your hosts
Call or text, any hour, for anything
Locked out, a leak, a strange noise from an appliance, a cat behaving oddly — none of it is too small. Text first if you can; call if it's urgent.
The address, for dispatchers and drivers: 9 Ramona Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94103 — a one-block street running between 14th and 15th Streets, between Dolores and Guerrero.
Fire
Extinguisher under the kitchen sink
- Small kitchen fire? The fire extinguisher is under the kitchen sink. Pull the pin, aim at the base of the flames, squeeze, sweep. For a pan fire, slide a lid over it and turn off the gas — never use water on oil.
- Anything larger — get out. Close doors behind you, take the cats if you can do so safely (do not go back for them), and call 911 from outside.
- Then call us. We will handle the rest.
Medical
Nearest ER, urgent care and pharmacies
For a true medical emergency — chest pain, difficulty breathing, serious injury — call 911 rather than walking to the ER.
All the numbers
Tap any one to call
| Emergency · Fire · Police · Ambulance | 911 |
|---|---|
| City services — water, fallen trees, power lines, storm damage | 311 |
| Police, non-emergency | 415-553-0123 |
| Gas & electric — PG&E (24/7 outages & gas leaks) | 877-660-6789 |
| Poison Control | 800-222-1222 |
| Animal Care & Control (San Francisco) | 415-554-9400 |
| American Red Cross | 866-272-2237 |
| OakVet 24/7 animal hospital | 510-879-4888 |
| Harry | 317-625-0490 |
| Yang | 650-387-5436 |
Power, gas & water
When something stops working
- Power outage. Check whether the neighbors are dark too. If so, it's PG&E — report it or check the outage map at pge.com/outages. If it is only us, the breaker panel is in the garage (the garage clicker is on the entry bench). Look for a switch that has flipped the other way from its neighbors and push it firmly back. Text us if it trips again.
- Gas. The range is gas. If you smell gas, see above — leave first, call second.
- Water leak. Put a towel or pot under it and turn off the nearest fixture's valve if there is one (under the sink, behind the toilet). For anything that will not stop, the main water shut-off is in the garage. Then call us.
- Wi-Fi down. The router is in the living room, to the left of the fireplace. Unplug it for 30 seconds, plug it back in, wait two minutes. Ninety percent of the time that is it.
- Heat not working. Check the Nest thermostat by the TV is not in Eco/Away mode; if the screen is dark, tell us.
The cats
Escapes and illness
If a cat gets out: don't chase. Shake the bag of treats from the laundry room — the sound brings them back — leave the door ajar, and text us. Full instructions →
If a cat seems ill or injured: text us first, then — if it is serious or after hours — go to OakVet Animal Specialty Hospital, 1133 7th St, Oakland, (510) 879-4888, open 24/7. Daytime, our regular vet is the SF SPCA Veterinary Hospital, 201 Alabama St, (415) 554-3030.
Earthquakes
Rare, usually small — and worth 30 seconds of reading
Small tremors happen in the Bay Area a few times a year; most people never feel them. If you do feel one:
- Drop, cover, hold on. Get under a sturdy table or against an interior wall, away from windows, and cover your head. Do not run outside while it is shaking.
- When it stops, check yourself and others, then check for the smell of gas. If you smell it, leave and call PG&E from outside.
- Expect aftershocks. Text us; we will check on the house and the cats with you.
Your phone will receive ShakeAlert warnings automatically in California (Android) or via the MyShake app (iPhone).