Firefighters from Exeter and Hampton are receiving critical electrical and natural gas safety training from Unitil as the company works with local first responders to enhance their emergency response capabilities.
Representatives from Unitil’s electric operations recently met with members from the two departments to offer training that raised awareness of hazards and other public safety issues. Gas training was also provided to Hampton firefighters and will soon be held in Exeter as well.
Unitil, a provider of electricity and natural gas to customers in New England, offers the safety training to fire departments throughout its service territories in Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire on an annual basis, with additional outreach throughout the year.
“We work closely with first responders in all emergency situations and understand the importance of having a strong partnership to ensure the safety of the public and those working in the field,” Unitil External Affairs Director Alec O’Meara said. “Providing these training opportunities for local departments in the areas we serve is one way to make certain that we have a rapid, effective, and collaborative response in the event of a regional emergency.”
The training features overviews of Unitil’s electrical and gas systems and critical infrastructure. On the electric side, the training includes topics such as downed wires, potential electrical hazards that can cause electrocution, the response during storm-related outages, and generator backfeeding.
The gas training includes a look at regulator stations and the protection and security measures that are installed to guard against over-pressurization. Operations personnel also review Unitil’s response to hit gas lines, odor complaints, and other emergency preparedness and mitigation strategies. The training includes a discussion of potential ignition sources, warning signs of a gas leak, as well as damage prevention measures. Additionally, the training covers the functions of the gas control center, which continuously monitors pressures and flows for all of the company’s service territories and dispatches emergency crews to the field. The gas control center serves as the direct line of contact for police and fire, and initiates internal notifications for emergencies and incidents.
Hampton Fire Chief Michael McMahon said the training was especially helpful for newer firefighters who may be less familiar with some safety protocols, but added that it also served as a refresher for more experienced members.
“I remember learning about the gas and electrical infrastructure early in my entry-level firefighter training, but that’s not always covered anymore. This is really important because we respond to a lot of calls that involve electrical infrastructure and a lot of motor vehicle crashes and other storm-related incidents. We also respond to a fair amount of gas-related calls and work with the folks from Unitil fairly regularly through emergency operations and the emergency management side of the house,” McMahon said.
Exeter Deputy Fire Chief Ryan Booth, who oversees Exeter’s training, said the recent electrical safety training was beneficial to members of his department and that he’s looking forward to upcoming plans for gas training as well.
“As firefighters we occasionally encounter emergency situations involving downed power lines, especially during storms and accident calls, and to have individuals from Unitil available to us with these highly specialized skill sets that are more specific is really important,” Booth said.
Photo Captions
Top Image: Hampton Fire Lt. Sean Murray and Firefighter/AEMT Anastasia St. Pierre take a closer look at a combustible gas indicator, which is a tool used to identify and measure the presence of natural gas in the air, during a recent training session provided by Unitil.
Teaser Image: Patrick Aquilina, manager of Electric Operations for Unitil's Seacoast territory, speaks about reporting pole incidents during a recent training session held with members of the Hampton Fire Department.
