Natural Gas Safety Tips

Smell gas? Act fast! Natural gas is a safe and reliable form of energy. Leaks can occur, though, so it is important for you to know how to react if a natural gas leak happens on or near your premises.

Leak Recognition:

• Smell - A rotten egg odor or a strong unpleasant odor around a gas line or other gas facility may indicate a leak is present.
• Sound – sometimes you can hear a hissing noise when gas is escaping.
• Sight - in wet areas look for bubbles to indicate where a leak may be. Dead vegetation may also indicate a gas leak is present

If you suspect a gas leak:

1. Get everyone out of and away from the building.
2. After leaving the building, call Dalton Utilities, the Fire Department, Police Station or Sheriff. Designate an individual to be in charge of calling for help from an outside location. Do NOT use a cordless phone whose base is inside the building. Call from an outside location or use a cell phone outside the building.
3. Do NOT use telephones, cordless phones, intercom system or hand-held radios in the building. Cordless phones are dangerous if the transmitter is inside where you suspect the leak.
4. Do not use fire alarms or intercoms. Have individuals go door-to-door to alert those inside to vacate the building.
5. Do NOT turn anything ELECTRICAL on or off inside the building – like light switches, etc. Any electric current can set off a gas explosion.
6. Designate an area outside and away from the building for staff and/or customers to go during a natural gas emergency.

24 HOUR EMERGENCY CONTACTS:
Dalton Utilities – 706-278-1313 or Toll-Free (888) 337-1313, www.dutil.com
Fire Department, Police and/or Sheriff – 911

ADDITIONAL CONTACTS:

• National Pipeline Management System
• Georgia Utilities Protection Center - 800-282-7411
• www.safegas.org
• American Gas Association

Tools You Can Use

• MESSAGE ALERTS! If there are special alerts or news on major planned construction of the gas system, we will include them here. (Currently there are no alerts.)
• Natural Gas & Pipeline Safety: Click Here
• Current Monthly Natural Gas Rate: $7.004 per MmBtu*
• National Pipeline Management System

* Natural gas rate per MmBtu is gas index for January 2012 as published in the Inside F.E.R.C.'s Gas Market Report plus all applicable pipeline transmission, local distribution, and metering/billing costs.