LOS ANGELES, Oct. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In observance
of the 13th annual Great California ShakeOut event,
Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) today reminded customers
about the importance of emergency preparedness. Natural disasters
such as earthquakes can happen at any moment, almost always without
warning... SoCalGas encourages customers to be aware of their
surroundings after an earthquake and not to turn off their natural
gas unless there are signs of a natural gas leak and it is safe to
do so.
"The safety of our communities is a priority at SoCalGas and we
are proud to participate in The Great California ShakeOut to help
bring awareness about the importance of being prepared for an
earthquake or other emergency," said Angelica Espinosa, vice president and chief risk
officer at SoCalGas. "We want to take this opportunity to educate
our customers on some simple steps they can take to help keep their
families safe."
California is at a higher risk
for earthquakes compared to the rest of United States and natural disasters can happen
at any moment. Last year, over 10.9 million Californians
participated in the Great California ShakeOut event, which offers
many ways for individuals, businesses, schools, and others to
practice what to do during and after an earthquake.
"The Great Shakeout event is crucial in helping us all be aware
of the risk from earthquakes and take the steps to prevent further
harm to ourselves and our families. With the ongoing pandemic, many
of us continue to remain sheltered in place at home – it's even
more important now than ever to emphasize preparedness actions that
can reduce risks from earthquakes," said Dr. Lucy Jones, seismologist and founder of the Dr.
Lucy Jones Center for Science and Society. "Remember to practice
drop, cover, and hold on with family and friends to make sure you
remain safe in the next real earthquake, and take one other step to
protect yourself, your family, and your community."
SoCalGas offers the following tips:
- Know where your gas meter is located and keep a 12" or larger
adjustable wrench with your emergency supplies, near your building
exit or next to your gas meter shut-off valve. Do not store the
wrench on the gas meter or other gas piping.
- Be prepared to turn off your natural gas meter but ONLY in the
event you smell natural
gas, hear the sound of natural gas escaping
or see other signs of a leak--and ONLY if it is
safe to do so. ***Depending on how many customers are without
natural gas service, it may take an extended period of time for
SoCalGas to turn your natural gas services back on. Remember there
may not be a need to shut your natural gas off. Learn more
here.
- If you turn off gas to the meter, leave it OFF. Do not turn it
back on yourself. Interior gas piping and appliances must be
inspected for possible damage before service can be safely
restored.
- Call SoCalGas to turn the gas back on, relight the pilots and
service your appliances. (Note that certain repairs may have to be
performed by your plumber or heating contractor. However, only
SoCalGas field employees are allowed to turn on the gas to the
meter.)
- DO NOT ignite a flame or use any electrical appliances, light
switches or other devices that can cause a spark until you are sure
there are no gas leaks.
- Check safety devices, such as smoke and carbon monoxide
detectors, to ensure that they are functioning properly.
For more natural gas safety information,
visit socalgas.com/stay-safe/emergency-information/emergency-preparedness.
About SoCalGas
Headquartered in Los Angeles, SoCalGas® is
the largest gas distribution utility in the
United States. SoCalGas delivers
affordable, reliable, clean and increasingly renewable gas service
to 21.8 million customers across 24,000 square miles of
Central and Southern California, where more than 90 percent of
residents use natural gas for heating, hot water, cooking, drying
clothes or other uses. Gas delivered through the company's
pipelines also plays a key role in providing electricity to
Californians— about 45 percent of electric power
generated in the state comes from gas-fired power plants.
SoCalGas' vision is to be the cleanest gas utility in
North America, delivering
affordable and increasingly renewable energy to its customers. In
support of that vision, SoCalGas is committed to replacing 20
percent of its traditional natural gas supply with renewable
natural gas (RNG) by 2030. Renewable natural gas is made from
waste created by dairy farms, landfills and wastewater treatment
plants. SoCalGas is also committed to investing in its gas delivery
infrastructure while keeping bills affordable for our customers.
From 2014 through 2018, the company invested nearly $6.5
billion to upgrade and modernize its pipeline system to
enhance safety and reliability. SoCalGas is a subsidiary
of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), an energy services holding
company based in San Diego. For more information
visit socalgas.com/newsroom or connect with SoCalGas
on Twitter (@SoCalGas), Instagram (@SoCalGas)
and Facebook.
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SOURCE Southern California Gas Company