Snow and Ice Safety

NATIONAL GRID CAUTIONS PUBLIC, WORKERS OF POTENTIAL DANGERS FROM SNOW AND ICE BUILD UP

• Clear Snow, Ice from Roofs and Around Gas Meters and Vents
• Stay Away from Large Snow Piles and Steer Clear of High-Voltage Equipment

Waltham, Mass. – As snow piles quickly become snow mountains, and ice and snow continue to fall and accumulate, National Grid urges everyone to take precautions to avoid the potential hazards the wintry weather may present.

Ice and Snow Build Up Poses Risk to Gas Equipment:
The build up of ice and snow around or over gas meters and vents for natural gas appliances can pose a serious safety risk. Ice and snow falling from a roof can damage gas meters or service connections to customers’ homes or businesses, resulting in potential gas leaks. Ice and snow blocking vents have the potential to cause carbon monoxide (CO) to back up into a building, resulting in carbon monoxide poisoning to those inside.

To avoid these dangers, National Grid advises natural gas customers to closely inspect areas around and over gas meters, service hook-ups and vents, for ice and snow. Customers are also encouraged to test CO detectors in the home to ensure that they are in working order.

If you suspect carbon monoxide is present in your home, go outside immediately and breathe deeply; if symptoms are severe, call 911 immediately.

After calling 911, call the following emergency National Grid contact number in Massachusetts: (800) 233-5325.

Snow Mountains Make Electric Wires/Equipment Difficult to See Electric lines and equipment may be covered by snow, but remain live and can be hazardous. Always stay at least ten feet away from wires, poles or other company equipment. Don’t climb snow piles below or near overhead lines, and keep pets and children clear of the area. National Grid cautions the public that snow plows, blowers, roof rakes, shovels and other equipment easily become conductors if they come into contact with energized equipment.

Consider any downed wire to be live and dangerous. If you see any fallen lines, broken poles or trees touching wires, keep people and animals away, and please contact National Grid immediately.

Who to Call In New England
In New England, National Grid customers should report electric-related incidents or concerns by contacting the company’s Customer Service Contact Center at (800) 322-3223.

National Grid also provides real-time outage information 24 hours a day, including the option to report an outage, in the Outage Central section of the company web page at www.nationalgridus.com. National Grid is an international energy delivery company. In the U.S., National Grid delivers electricity to approximately 3.3 million customers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island, and manages the electricity network on Long Island under an agreement with the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA). It is the largest distributor of natural gas in the northeastern U.S., serving approximately 3.4 million customers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island. National Grid also owns over 4,000 megawatts of contracted electricity generation that provides power to over one million LIPA customers.