After a natural gas line was accidentally struck during a road project in Durham earlier this spring, officials at the Durham Fire Department realized that additional gas safety training could benefit their firefighters.
“We had new firefighters on duty that day and one of their first responses was to a severed one-inch gas service line, which resulted in an active gas leak in front of a multi-story apartment building located next to a physician’s office. It could have been a scenario from a hazardous materials or promotional exam,” Durham Fire Chief Dave Emanuel said as he recalled the incident that prompted the department to reach out to Unitil to plan a series of natural gas and emergency response training sessions for all of its members.
Unitil, a provider of electricity and natural gas to customers in New England, offers gas training to fire departments throughout its service territories annually with additional outreach throughout the year.
Durham firefighters have been participating in the highly specialized training sessions with members of Unitil’s gas division during their shifts in recent weeks to gain a deeper understanding of the utility’s natural gas system and how to respond to an emergency.
Firefighters from Dover Fire and Rescue and the Epping Fire Department also recently took part in similar training, which aims to better prepare local first responders, strengthen communication, and improve overall situational awareness in the event of a gas-related incident.
The training covers a variety of topics related to the properties of natural gas and key safety precautions, including an overview of the gas system in each community, regulator stations, Unitil’s emergency response procedures, responses to odor complaints and third-party damage, and damage prevention efforts.
“These training sessions with our local public safety partners are a great way for us to share critical information about our natural gas system in order to ensure a rapid, informed, and coordinated response,” said Amanda Vicinanzo, Unitil’s External Affairs Manager. “This is also an opportunity for us to establish protocols and better understand each agency’s roles and responsibilities. It’s important that first responders at all levels have the knowledge and skills they need to respond in a quick, effective, and safe manner. We value the strong partnerships we have with the fire and rescue crews in our service territories and appreciate the time they spent with us during these sessions.”
The training was provided by Mark Dupuis, Unitil’s Director of Gas System and Transmission Operations, Stacey Kilroy, Manager of Technical Training and Quality Management, Kurt House, Service Department Supervisor, and Jim Riordon, Damage Prevention/Distribution Supervisor.
Unitil serves 97,600 natural gas customers in Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
While the Durham Fire Department took advantage of Unitil’s gas training in the past, Emanuel said it’s been several years since firefighters had participated. The recent training has been a refresher for some, but for newer members of the department, it’s been an opportunity to learn crucial safety information.
“Following the recent gas leak, we really recognized the need for increased training and interagency cooperation. Small fire departments simply don’t have the bandwidth to have expertise in all hazard areas without supporting partners and technical experts, so when parties such as Unitil can join us in the classroom and provide training to our firefighters and officers with significant resources, assets, skills, knowledge and abilities, it helps us tremendously,” Emanuel said.
This is the first time that the Epping Fire Department has participated in the gas training with Unitil.
“Having Unitil as a training resource is a tremendous benefit to area fire departments. As recognized experts in natural gas and pipeline safety, Unitil provides our responders with up-to-date information on the latest technology. Their program helps ensure the safety of the public and our responders. I appreciate their commitment to the community,” Epping Fire Chief Ken Berkenbush said.
Photo Captions:
- Front Photo: A firefighter examines a piece of pipe during a gas safety training session in Dover.
- Top Photo: Durham firefighters listen to a recent gas safety presentation provided by Stacey Kilroy, Unitil's Manager of Technical Training and Quality Management.
- In-Text Photo: Mark Dupuis, Unitil’s Director of Gas System and Transmission Operations, performs a demonstration during a gas safety training session with Dover firefighters.
