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Safety · First Responders |
Emergency officials play an important role in natural gas safety. In the rare event of a pipeline leak, you are usually the first to arrive at the scene. Natural gas companies count on you to take charge and establish a safety zone until company representatives have arrived.
Prevention: the best defense against leaks
The best defense against natural gas leaks is prevention and awareness. Most incidents occur due to lack of knowledge. Natural gas companies work hard to keep our pipeline system safe for everyone. As an emergency official, you can do your part by keeping the following safety tips in mind:
Use your senses of sight, hearing and smell, along with any of the following signs, to alert yourself to the presence of a gas leak:
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It makes sense to trust your senses.
Help keep residents safe during a natural gas emergency
Here are some simple DOs and DON’Ts for emergency officials to remember if dispatched to a pipeline incident (the following tips are general guidelines; they are not meant to replace an existing emergency response plan):
DO…
DON’T…
How natural gas companies respond
Once the appropriate natural gas company is notified, personnel are immediately dispatched to help handle the emergency, keep emergency officials informed and take necessary steps (e.g. starting and stopping equipment, closing and opening valves) to correct the problem.
To learn more…
For more information about natural gas emergency response and training, or about how we plan for emergencies contact your local natural gas company. More valuable online resources include: