Monday, October 1, 2018
Update on Ongoing Recovery Efforts - North Andover/Andover/Lawrence
Massachusetts
Emergency Management Agency
MASSACHUSETTS EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT AGENCY
SITUATIONAL
AWARENESS STATEMENT #18
Monday, October 1, 2018
4:30 PM
Re: Update on Ongoing Recovery
Efforts - North Andover/Andover/Lawrence
Situation
Gas service
remains shutoff to most of the 7,740 gas meters in portions of Lawrence, North
Andover, and Andover that are tied to the low pressure gas line that failed on
September 13th. Most buildings serviced by these meters are
without heat and hot water, and gas appliances, including gas stoves and gas
dryers, are inoperable. The target date for full restoration of gas
service is by November 19, 2018. Restoration will take place on a rolling
basis.
Restoration
Process
The restoration process includes two key steps – becoming “House Ready”
and becoming “Gas Ready”.
Becoming “House
Ready” includes first assessing the natural gas appliances and piping in a home
or business, and subsequently making necessary repairs and installing
identified appliances. A green tag is then placed on the meter bar representing
that the dwelling address is “House Ready”.
Becoming “Gas
Ready” includes replacing the main gas line that brings natural gas into the
area, replacing the line connecting the home or business to the main line, and
installing the gas meter on the home or business. A yellow tag is then placed
on the meter bar representing that the dwelling address is “Gas Ready”.
These key steps
must both be completed – although not in any particular order – before service
can be restored to a home or business.
For information on the restoration process from Columbia
Gas, visit ColumbiaGasMa.com
Construction Update
Beginning the week of October 1, you will see a significant
increase in construction activity as crews and partners continue rebuilding the
gas system and restoring service in the Andover, Lawrence and North Andover
communities.
Updated lists
on construction crews are available on ColumbiaGasMa.com.
Home Assessments
Crews are visiting impacted homes to begin
assessments. A qualified electrician and plumber will inspect the natural gas
appliances for damage, and test interior gas lines and electrical panels. This
assessment will include an evaluation of the space heat requirements and the
installation of smoke alarms/CO detectors as appropriate. If a home has the
electrical capacity to safely support a space heater, the assessment teams will
provide them when they visit a home. Residents should receive an automated
phone call several days before teams arrive in your neighborhood in order to
give you an approximate date for this assessment.
The streets targeted for assessments are
updated on ColumbiaGasMa.com
Updated information on assessments also is
available on ColumbiaGasMa.com
All personnel wear and display white
identification badges issued by Columbia Gas. If you are not sure about a phone
call, email, program, offer or person claiming to be affiliated with Columbia
Gas, call Columbia at 1-866-388-3239.
Mobile Customer Care
Mobile customer resource centers will be deployed to communities within the affected communities in the Greater Lawrence area. Representatives staffing the units will be able to answer questions and provide customers with helpful information.
For updated locations on mobile units, visit ColumbiaGasMa.com
Career Fair
Columbia Gas hosted a Career Fair today from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the ValleyWorks Career Center of Lawrence to recruit for linguists and customer care advisors. You can also contact the job hotline at 1-866-960-7285.
Columbia Gas Claims Centers
Columbia Gas
is accepting claims from both residential and business customers. Call 1-800-590-5571 to file a claim
over the phone or visit one of
our Property Claims Centers. Keep track of receipts and expenses.
Visit ColumbiaGasMa.com for
additional information.
Key Columbia Gas Phone Numbers
Customer Service Hotline for Affected
Customers: 1-866-388-3239
Gas Emergency: 1-800-525-8222
More information from Columbia Gas is available at ColumbiaGasMa.com
Safety Information for People in
Buildings Without Gas Service
·
If you smell gas or smoke,
notice damage to gas appliances, or other potential emergency situations, step
outside and call 9-1-1.
·
If you need non-emergency
assistance, please call 2-1-1.
·
Do not attempt to use any
gas appliances until gas service has been safely restored by the gas company.
·
If your gas meter has been
shut off by either the gas company or you, DO NOT attempt to turn your service
back on yourself. Please contact the gas company for assistance; they will send
a technician to turn it back on.
·
If you smell an odor of
natural gas,
o
Leave the building
immediately and move to a safe location
o
Call 911 from outside the
building and call the Columbia Gas emergency number at 1-800-525-8222.
o
Do not turn off gas to your
house or to any appliances.
o
Do not try to find the leak
yourself or operate pipeline valves.
o
Do not touch light switches
or use any appliances that could cause a spark, including telephones.
o
Do not light matches or
candles.
·
If you use a grill to cook,
place it at least 10 feet away from your home or anything that can burn. Grills
should not be used on porches or inside homes.
·
Use extension cords safely.
Do not overload them and always plug heavy-duty appliances, such as air
conditioners and space heaters, directly into wall outlets.
·
Make sure your smoke and
carbon monoxide (CO) alarms are working. The battery backup in plug-in or
hardwired alarms may need to be replaced after the extended power outage.
·
Be a good neighbor.
Check on family. Friends, neighbors, especially the elderly, those who live
along, those with medical conditions, and those who may need additional
assistance.
Recovery Assistance:
Residents of impacted homes may access social, health,
government and community services by calling 2-1-1. Trained 2-1-1
operators will conduct a brief intake and connect callers to government,
non-profit and private sector agencies and organizations in the Greater
Lawrence area that can address their needs.
Web hits for the same time frame are: 2156
Total number of calls to 2-1-1 through noon, Monday, October
1 regarding the gas emergency in Greater Lawrence: 5,818
Total number of visits to 2-1-1’s website noon, Monday,
October 1: 2156
Columbia Gas is operating a call
center for impacted customers. The phone number of the call center
is: 866-388-3239.
Customers who need alternative housing assistance from
Columbia as a result of the gas incident on September 13 should contact the
Claims Center at 1-800-590-5571.
There are no emergency shelters operating at this time.
