Public Awareness

To burn properly natural gas must mix with the right amount of air and be ignited by a spark or flame. Burning natural gas without enough air produces a deadly gas – carbon monoxide. Breathing natural gas is harmful because it contains no oxygen. And because natural gas is colorless and odorless, a chemical with a distinct smell is added to alert you of a leak. The added odor smells like rotten eggs. Teach all members of your family to recognize the “rotten egg” smell of natural gas, so they will know what to do if they smell it.

A faint odor of gas may mean that a pilot light has gone out and should be relit; however, a strong odor means you should leave the home at once and call your local utility or emergency personnel from a neighbor’s home. Do not turn any electrical switches on or off or use a telephone or flashlight, because an electric spark could ignite the gas and cause an explosion. Never try to locate a leak yourself – it could be fatal. When in doubt – GET OUT! Let the experts who work for your local gas provider or emergency personnel handle this.

Be sure to keep all natural gas appliances clean. Never use the kitchen range as a space heater. This can produce dangerous carbon monoxide gas. Have your natural gas appliances installed, serviced and repaired by professionals. Keep chimney flues and vents for all appliances clean and in good condition. Keep areas around your gas water heater and furnace clean and free of flammable substances.

Teach small children to stay away from all gas burning appliances. Take them on a tour of your home’s gas-burning appliances, emphasizing the importance of safe operation. Explain to them that they must never swing from or play with pipes leading into your home or to appliances or any outdoor meters.

Practice safety drills and emergency home evacuation drills. Keep emergency numbers handy and teach young family members how to call for help when needed.

EMERGENCY NUMBERS
Fire 911

Police 911

Medical 911

Gas Company 770-464-2380 or 911

Audience:

Customers

Messages:

Hazard Awareness & Prevention

Leak Recognition & Response

Demand for natural gas in the United States continues to grow. Residential consumers as well as commercial, industrial and electric generation customers know that it’s safe, reliable and efficient. Today nearly three out of five U.S. homes are heated with natural gas. Domestically produced natural gas is transported to 160 million customers through a 1.6 million mile pipeline system, and in your community The City of Social Circle maintains the pipeline infrastructure that serves their more than 1000 customers.

All natural gas appliances should be installed, maintained and vented by a licensed or qualified professional installer or service technician. Have your gas water heater, furnace and flue inspected periodically. Keep the area around your furnace and water heater clean. Never store or use flammables near gas appliances. Drain a pail full of water from your water heater at least twice a year to remove sediment that may accumulate in the bottom of the tank. Check the flame on your gas range. It should be blue. Keep the range and burners clean. Never let flames “lick” over the sides of cooking pot. Keep a dry chemical fire extinguisher in the kitchen. Never use the kitchen range as a space heater. This can produce deadly carbon monoxide gas. Read and follow manufacturers’ instructions on your gas appliances. Know how to shut them off in an emergency.

If you use a gas space heater anywhere in your home, vent it to the outside. Never sleep in a room with an un-vented gas or kerosene heater.

Natural gas is colorless and odorless. A “rotten eggs” smell is added to the gas, so you can smell a leak. If you detect a strong odor, touch nothing – no electrical switches, no phones or flashlights – leave the building immediately and call for help 911 from a neighbor’s home or nearby business.

Gas safety is a family affair – teach your family how to recognize the smell of gas and what to do when they smell it and you are not home. Teach small children to stay away from gas-burning appliances and to never play on or with pipes leading to appliances or into your home from meters.

Be prepared and practice. Safety drills help everyone understand their role in an emergency.

Natural gas is America’s clean-burning, reliable, and efficient fuel. Keeping these simple tips in mind can help you and your family enjoy the comfort and safety of natural gas too!

Audience:

Customers & Local Area Residents

Excavators, Local Officials

Messages:

Pipeline Purpose and Reliability

Hazard Awareness & Prevention

Leak Recognition and Response, Damage Prevention

Natural gas is America’s most popular home heating fuel – heating more households than all other energy forms combined. In all, 52 percent of all heated U.S. households have natural gas heat.

Natural gas is increasingly popular for use by homeowners, schools, businesses, factories and electric power -generation plants because it is efficient, clean, reliable and a relative bargain compared to alternative energy sources.

In our community, The City of Social Circle provides natural gas to more than 1000 customers through a network of underground distribution lines. Main gas lines branch into household service lines. The pipes are typically made of “caution yellow” plastic or tar-coated steel which helps prevent corrosion. As an industry steel pipes are being replaced with the more durable plastic piping. The main lines are typically 2-inches in diameter and are located roughly two-feet below the surface, while service lines are typically half-inch to three-quarter-inch in diameter and buried 12- to 18-inches below the surface.

That’s why it’s important to “Call Before You Dig” or move earth in any way. Whether you’re installing an underground dog fence, running water to an outbuilding or post-hole digging for a new mail box post, underground piping and other utilities can be damaged. When you call Georgia One Call at 1-800-282-7411, they will locate all buried utility lines on your property, so you can safely dig and prevent a potentially hazardous condition. In 2004 the Federal Office of Pipeline Safety recorded 48 cases of third party excavation damage to distribution lines nationwide resulting in more than $10 million dollars worth of property damage and four injuries. Calling before you dig can prevent a costly or even deadly mistake.

Natural gas is a colorless, odorless gas; however, a chemical that smells like rotten eggs is added to help detect a possible leak. If you smell gas, or just think you might be smelling gas, leave the area immediately and call your local gas provider at 770-464-2380 or 911 from a neighboring home or business. Never turn on or off switches or use a flashlight or phone in the presence of the gas smell, because an electric spark could ignite the gas, causing an explosion.

Do your part to familiarize yourself and your family with these natural gas safety tips and continue to enjoy the value, comfort and benefits of America’s cleanest, most efficient energy source!

This message is brought to you by The City of Social Circle as a public service. To learn more about our natural gas service and the benefits of natural gas, call 770-464-6908.