How to safely turn off utilities after a natural disaster

02/09•KF•2M

For more information on disaster preparedness, please go to mlgw.com or e-mail us at corpcomm@mlgw.org to request a copy of our “Weathering Nature’s Fury” brochure.

purchaseavalvecutoff key,shapedlikea“T”,whichcanbepurchasedathomeimprove-mentstores.

• Foryourconveniencekeepseveralgallonsof storableemergencydrinkingwateronhandwhichshouldbechangedoutperi-odically.

Whenanaturaldisasteroccurs,itispos-sibleforcomponentssuchaswater,gas,andelectricitytobedamaged,resultinginasafetyhazard.Immediatelyfollowingacatastrophevisuallyinspectyourgas,waterandelectricallinesandappliancesfordamage.If younoticeanydamage,donottouchtheappliancethatisaffected. Knowingwhereandhowtoshutoff elec-tric,gasandwatermainswitchesandvalvesisessentialfollowingacatastrophy.Also,donotturnonthegasorelectricityagainuntilMLGWhasinspectedyourservices.Tofur-therensureyoursafetyafteraneventsuchasanearthquake,tornadooranynaturaldisaster,pleasefamiliarizeyourself withspecificsafetyprecautionsforeachof thethreeservicesasshown.

Electric Electric-ityservesasoneof thevitalcomponentsof ourdailylives.However,itcanbeextremelydangerouswhenwecomeincontactwithunharnessedenergyresultingfromdowned“live”powerlines.If younoticeanyelectrical

damagesinoraroundyourhome,immediatelyperformthesesimplesteps:• Donottouchorcomeclosetodowned

powerlines.• Locatethecircuitbreakerinsideyourhome.• Turnoff themainswitch;itisthefirstand

largestswitchonthecircuitbreaker.

Gas Anaturaldisas-tercandamageorbreakpipes,mainsandappliances,causingpotentiallydeadlygasleaks.If yousmellastronggasodorinyourhome,pleasetakethefollowingactions:• Donotsmoke,usecandles,matches,or

otherflammableitems,anddon’toperateanyelectricalequip-ment,includinglightswitches.

• Openthewindows,evacuateyourhomeandshutoff yourgasmeter.

• Locatethegasmeteroutsideyourhomeandfindtheshut-off valve,whichisusuallyonthelineleadingtothemeter.

• Usingawrench,turnthevalvetotheposi-tionof “off ”asshownintheillustration.

Thevalveisinan“off ”positionwhenitisperpendiculartotheline/pipeonwhichitislocated.

• Donotturnonthegasagainorre-enteryourhomeuntilMLGWhasdeemeditsafetodoso.

Water Wateriscrucialtolife.Itisimportanttohaveaccesstosafewaterintheeventof acatastrophe.Toensureyourwater’squality,fol-lowthesesuggestions:• If youhearreports

of brokenwaterorsewagelines,youshouldshutoff yourincomingwatervalvetopreventcontaminat-edwaterfromenteringyourhome.Youmayhavetoturnoff yourwateratthemeter,whichisusuallylocatedunderametalcoverneartheside-walkorstreet.

•Turnthevalvetoshutoff thewaterfromenteringyourhomeasdemon-stratedintheillustra-tion.Youmayhaveto

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