ENGLEWOOD, N.J.—On Sept. 27, Public Service Electric and Gas Co. held a joint emergency gas leak exercise in Englewood with Englewood Fire Department and Englewood Police Department Communications.
The three hour safety exercise that simulated a gas emergency was held at 83 South Dean St. It allowed PSE&G and local safety professionals to practice keeping the public safe in the event of a damaged underground gas line with gas blowing in the air. Grand and Dean RE, LLC allowed PSE&G to use the property for the exercise.
Chris LaRossa, PSE&G’s district manager for regulatory policy and procedure, gas distribution and field construction, explained, “We understand that our community members want to feel safe in their homes, want to know what to do if a gas leak should happen and need a quick and thorough response should an emergency occur. PSE&G’s concern for our community and our commitment to safety is why we train, exercise and educate year-round. It’s extremely important that we coordinate our response with police, fire and other local officials so we all know our roles and how to respond as safely and quickly as possible.”
The emergency exercise brought together 25 PSE&G responders and a dozen Englewood firefighters.
PSE&G’s Mike Weber, emergency preparedness manager, and Matthew Khaled, emergency preparedness compliance leader, directed the exercise in a large cordoned-off area. All the team members gathered at the scene to initiate the exercise that began with a call for help to PSE&G’s Call Center Emergency Line from an excavator who simulated hitting a gas main.
Responders began by securing the scene, establishing a “hot zone” evacuating residents, setting up an evacuee area and interviewing the excavator.
They then proceeded to locate and fix the gas leak with the safety of the responders and public as the main priority.
Throughout the exercise, evaluators took extensive notes on how everything was performed. After the exercise, a de-briefing highlighted the lessons learned.
Joseph Forline, vice president of PSE&G Gas Operations, said, “This exercise went very well.”
Forline said that PSE&G holds about six gas leak exercises each year and has an outstanding safety record.
At times, electric crews also must respond to gas emergencies and will coordinate de-energizing power with Unified Command. PSE&G has been the winner of the Northeast Mid-Atlantic Regional ReliabilityOne Award for superior electric system reliability for 17 years. The company has also received the 2018 Outstanding Customer Reliability Experience Award.
In 2018, PSE&G responded to more than 850 excavating damages to underground gas pipes. The utility responds to 99.9 percent of these calls within one hour. Many of these leaks are avoidable with a simple call to 811 to request a mark out of underground pipes and cables before digging. Digging without knowledge of the location of underground utilities can result in serious injuries, service disruptions and costly repairs. September was National Preparedness Month, #PreparedNotScared.
Protocols for responding to a gas leak are different from those in responding to a fire.
For example, the evacuation distance is further for a gas emergency (350-foot perimeter), turning off power may not be possible, and automatic generators or solar panels can be potential sources of ignition.
What to do if you smell gas
• Quickly open windows and doors to ventilate the building.
• Leave the building as quickly as possible and move well away from the structure. Take all others with you. If you smell gas outside, move well away from where you suspect the gas is leaking.
• Call PSE&G immediately at 1-800-880-PSEG (7734) and call 911.
Author’s note: The author would like to thank Lauren D. Ugorji, PSE&G Communications Consultant, for her assistance on the site of the Sept. 27 gas emergency exercise in Englewood and for providing additional information about PSE&G safety protocols.