2022 Hurricane Season is here!
VIRGINIA
BEACH, Va., June 7, 2022
/PRNewswire/ -- Only a week into the 2022 Hurricane Season and
Tropical Storm Alex became the first named storm of the six-month
season, flooding parts of southern Florida. Now that hurricane season is
officially upon us, now is the time to make sure your family is
prepared in the event of any severe weather conditions.
Officially beginning June 1 and
running through November 30,
forecasters at the Climate Prediction Center are calling for an
above-average Atlantic hurricane season, predicting at least 14-21
named storms and six to 10 hurricanes – four of which could be
Category 3 or higher.
But while forecasting is not an exact science, it is important
to keep in mind that just one storm could have a significant impact
on homes, property and lives.
That's why Virginia Natural Gas is providing customers with the
following recommended natural gas safety guidelines for use before,
during and after a weather emergency:
Meter Safety
- DO NOT turn off your gas supply at the main meter. Only
Virginia Natural Gas or emergency personnel should turn the valve
on or off.
- Leaving natural gas meters on helps to maintain proper pressure
in the gas piping within homes or businesses and can prevent water
from entering the fuel lines should flooding occur.
- Customers are encouraged to know the location of their natural
gas meter.
- Following a weather emergency, customers should ensure the
natural gas meter is visible, and the area surrounding the meter is
free of trash and debris. Mechanical equipment used after the storm
to clean up a location may damage the meter if it is hidden.
- If a natural gas meter is damaged or an underground gas line is
exposed, customers should immediately leave the area, and call the
Virginia Natural Gas 24-hour emergency response line at
1.877.572.3342 or 911 from a safe location.
Appliance Safety Before and After the Storm
- Customers are advised to leave their natural gas service
operational during a hurricane or severe storm. Most modern gas
appliances have safety valves that shut off the flow of natural gas
automatically with a loss of gas pressure or flooding of the
appliances.
- Electronic ignition appliances will not come on when the power
source has been impacted.
- If you are uncomfortable leaving your appliances operational,
contact a trained professional (certified plumber or HVAC
contractor) to shut off your appliances at the cutoff valves. When
it is safe to do so, have them return to turn the valves back on,
leak test the line and turn on to test the appliance for safe
operation. Find a qualified natural gas contractor.
- If flooding occurs at a residence or business and the gas
appliances are underwater, customers are advised not to operate
their appliances until a safety inspection is conducted by a
certified plumber or HVAC contractor.
Damage Prevention
- Strong winds and saturated ground could cause trees to become
uprooted. Before removing downed trees, customers should contact
VA811 to have the location of underground utility lines marked
since downed trees could become tangled with natural gas lines.
- If a natural gas meter is damaged or a natural gas line is
exposed, customers should immediately leave the area and call the
Virginia Natural Gas 24-hour emergency response line at
1.877.572.3342 or 911 from a safe location.
Detecting Gas Leaks
- If customers smell the distinctive "rotten-egg" odor associated
with natural gas, they should leave the area immediately and move a
safe distance away from the potential leak, while avoiding any
action that may cause sparks.
- Look for blowing dirt, discolored vegetation or continued
bubbling in standing water.
- Customers should never try to identify the source of a leak or
stop the leak themselves.
- Avoid using any sources of ignition, such as cell phones,
cigarettes, matches, flashlights, electronic devices, motorized
vehicles, light switches or landlines, as natural gas can ignite
from a spark, possibly causing a fire or explosion.
- Customers should call the Virginia Natural Gas 24-hour
emergency response line at 1.877.572.342 or 911 once they are in a
safe place out of the area of the suspected leak. They should also
stay away until Virginia Natural Gas or emergency personnel
indicates it is safe to return.
Generator safety
- Generators can be useful after a storm but dangerous if not
properly used. The primary hazards to avoid when using a generator
are carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning from the toxic engine exhaust,
electric shock or electrocution and fire.
- NEVER use a generator in enclosed or partially enclosed
spaces.
- NEVER try to power the house wiring by plugging the generator
into a wall outlet, a practice known as "backfeeding."
- Plug appliances directly into the generator. Or use a heavy
duty, outdoor-rated extension cord that is rated (in watts or amps)
at least equal to the sum of the connected appliance loads.
- During a power outage, natural gas generators provide
continuous fuel supply from an existing natural gas line. While
these units are available in a range of sizes to meet various
energy needs, customers are encouraged to contact Virginia Natural
Gas before purchase and installation to determine whether their
service line and meter meet load requirements for the generator's
safe and efficient operation.
Personal Safety
- Your personal safety is the most important thing before, during
and after a storm. The Red Cross urges everyone to be prepared
before the storm hits. This means having an emergency
preparedness kit that includes among other things, a seven-day
supply of medications, copies of important documents such as
insurance policies, non-perishable food items and water for two
weeks, extra cash, batteries for flashlights and radios, and
personal hygiene products. Visit the Ready.gov national
preparedness website for more tips.
- Flooding and storm surge are historically the leading cause of
hurricane-related deaths in the United
States. Know your flood zone and potential risk hazards in
your area. Visit the Virginia Department of Emergency Management
website and simply enter your address to "Know Your Zone."
How to connect with us
During a storm, Virginia Natural Gas communicates information to
customers through the news media and
on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Nextdoor.
For more information about natural gas safety,
visit virginianaturalgas.com/safety.
About Virginia Natural Gas
Virginia
Natural Gas is one of four natural gas distribution companies of
Southern Company Gas, a wholly owned subsidiary of Southern Company
(NYSE: SO). Virginia Natural Gas provides clean, safe, reliable and
affordable natural gas service to more than 300,000 residential,
commercial and industrial customers in southeast Virginia. Consistently ranked in the top
quartile for customer satisfaction by J.D. Power and Associates,
the company also has been recognized by the Virginia Department
Energy (Virginia Energy) and the Virginia Oil and Gas Association
for its safety, innovation, environmental stewardship, community
outreach and educational programs, and has been named Local
Distribution Company of the Year five times since 2015. The company
has been ranked by its business customers as one of the most
Trusted Business Partners in the utility industry according to
Cogent Reports, and a Top Workplaces in Hampton Roads by Inside Business. For more
information,
visit virginianaturalgas.com and
connect with the company
on Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram,
LinkedIn and Nextdoor.
About Southern Company Gas
Southern Company Gas
is a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE:SO),
America's premier energy company. Southern Company Gas serves
approximately 4.3 million natural gas utility customers through its
regulated distribution companies in four states with approximately
600,000 retail customers through its companies that market natural
gas. Other nonutility businesses include investments in interstate
pipelines and ownership and operation of natural gas storage
facilities. For more information, visit southerncompanygas.com.
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SOURCE Virginia Natural Gas