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You should select an alternative meeting place, away from home, in the case of evacuation. Each member must be familiar with the chosen location and a dry run, much like a fire drill, should be practiced. If things go wrong during the exercise, you’ll have plenty of time for re-do’s.

Familiarize Yourself with Breakers & Shut-Offs

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Here’s an example: in the 80’s, two men from the gas company were sent to inspect a gas leak in a derelict building. Most of the bare light bulbs in the hallway of the building had been broken out; so one of the men flicked his Bic lighter. The result made him a candidate for the Darwin Awards.

Natural gas has an odorant added to it so it is easily detected. Natural gas must have the right concentration of fumes for it to be life threatening, but don’t risk it! If you detect a gas leak, get everyone outdoors, pronto, and keep the door open on the way out to let the dangerous fumes escape.

If you have propane appliances or a heating system, it is important to understand that unlike natural gas, propane is heavier than air, and does not dissipate into the air as readily as does natural gas. The same rules apply for a propane leak as they do with natural gas—get everyone outdoors, leaving the door open. Propane will settle to the lower levels of your home such as the floor, a basement, or crawl space and it will take longer to clear out of living spaces.