(Lawrence, N.J. – Sept. 4, 2024) PSE&G is committed to maintaining a safe gas distribution system. As part of our commitment, today we partnered with first responders from Lawrence Township in a safety exercise that simulated a gas emergency.

The four-hour exercise allowed PSE&G and local safety professionals to practice keeping the public safe in the event of a third-party damage to PSE&G natural gas facilities. The exercise, at 3131 Princeton Pike in Lawrence, also provided the opportunity to test incident command and evacuation procedures. 

"Keeping our communities, customers and employees safe is our top priority and these exercises enhance our emergency response and coordination to protect lives. It’s also always great to work with fellow first responders in real life situations to further strengthen our partnerships." said Wade Miller, PSE&G senior director, Gas Field Operations. "What we drilled today was a response to simulated motor vehicle accident where the vehicle hit a meter set, resulting in damaged and leaking gas equipment.” 

“Training is the key to any preparedness plan,” said Lawrence Township Fire Chief Jack Oakley. “This exercise with Public Service Gas is a testament to the commitment by all involved to keep our residents and citizens safe during a natural gas emergency. We are excited to partner with our gas utility provider.”

“This collaborative training exercise is an example of the strong partnership between the Lawrence Township Police Department and PSE&G,” said Lawrence Township Police Chief Chris Longo. “It demonstrates the commitment of both agencies to ensure that first responders are prepared to work alongside utility workers to safe guard our community during a gas emergency.”

Miller said we’re consistently working to educate customers, the public, and contractors, about protecting gas equipment and the law that requires a markout before digging to help keep underground equipment safe. Digging without a markout presents significant risk to the excavator, our communities, and natural gas infrastructure. The best way to prevent emergencies like we drilled today is to always abide by safety and markout laws. 

Last year, PSE&G responded to 853 calls concerning excavation damages (736 gas and 117 electric). The utility responds to 99.9 percent of gas emergency calls within one hour. Many of these leaks are avoidable with a simple call to 811. Digging without knowledge of the location of underground utilities can result in serious injuries, service disruptions and costly repairs.

Training with first responders also is important because some procedures for handling natural gas are different from those they are used to. For example, the evacuation distance is further for a gas emergency, turning off power may not be possible, and automatic generators or solar panels can be potential sources of ignition.

Exercise participants and observers included representatives from: PSE&G, Lawrence Township Fire and Emergency Medical Services, Lawrence Township Office of Emergency Management, Lawrence Township Police Department and Mercer County Office of Emergency Management.

This event marked PSE&G’s fifth gas safety exercise this year, with six total planned. These safety exercises and training initiatives are part of ongoing efforts to educate community members within PSE&G’s service area about emergency preparedness. 

Prevention is key:

• Call 811 at least three and no more than 10 business days before each job to have underground pipes, conduits, wires and cables located and marked. Markouts remain valid for 45 business days.
• Before work begins by excavators, contractors or customers, confirm that a call to 811 has been made and the markout was completed. By law, all digging projects require a call to 811.
• Both property owners and contractors must maintain and respect the marks. Always hand dig within 2 feet of marked lines, or the area known as the Tolerance Zone, to find the existing facility.
• Various colors are used when marking lines; to learn what each color represents, visit https://www.nj1-call.org/resources/faqs/#color.
  

What to do if you smell gas:

• Leave the building as quickly as possible and move 350 feet away from the structure. Take all others with you. If you smell gas outside, move well away from where you suspect the gas is leaking. 
• Call 911 immediately and call PSE&G at 1-800-880-PSEG (7734). (Do NOT call from inside the building. Wait until you are outside and a safe distance to call.)
  

Learn more about carbon monoxide poisoning:

• Carbon monoxide poisoning is preventable.
• More information about carbon monoxide and other gas safety tips are available on our website.

More information about 811 are available at nj1-call.org or on the PSE&G website: pseg.com/safedigging. #Call811   #CallBeforeYouDig   #PSEGSafety


PSE&G
Public Service Electric & Gas Co. is New Jersey’s oldest and largest gas and electric delivery public utility, as well as one of the nation’s largest utilities. PSE&G is the 2022 Edison Award recipient from the Edison Electric Institute. PSE&G has won the ReliabilityOne® Award for superior electric system reliability in the Mid-Atlantic region for 22 consecutive years. For the third consecutive year, PSE&G is the recipient of the ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year award in the Energy Efficiency Program Delivery category. In addition, in 2023 J.D. Power named PSE&G number one in customer satisfaction with residential and business electric service in the east among large utilities. PSE&G is a subsidiary of Public Service Enterprise Group Inc., (PSEG) (NYSE:PEG), a predominantly regulated infrastructure company focused on a clean energy future and has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for North America for 16 consecutive years (www.pseg.com).