Posts tagged Douglass Elementary School
Gas “outage” comes at a bad time
Dec 6th
Xcel Energy is working to address a gas outage that is impacting a significant number of homes in parts of the city and Boulder County. Boulder Fire-Rescue is offering tips to help keep people safe during the outage.
ü If your pilot light is out after gas service is restored and you don’t know how to re-light it, you may contact Xcel to come to your home to relight the pilot for you. Xcel is asking individuals who need assistance to call 1-800-295-4999 to provide a cell phone for crews to contact you; if you will be home when crews come by, please leave your porch light. Call a professional contractor if you don’t wish to wait for Xcel.
ü If your pipes freeze, avoid using blow torches or open flames to try to heat them. Just yesterday, Dec. 5, 2013, someone caused a fire in a mobile home while using a blow torch to heat frozen pipes. Although no one was injured, the mobile home suffered extensive damage from the fire.
ü If you have neighbors who are elderly or who are physically/mentally challenged, please check on them to make sure they’re okay. If they are in need of medical attention, call 9-1-1.
ü If you plan to use an electric space heater, consider the following precautions:
· Keep space heaters at least 3 feet away from flammable objects like curtains, furniture and bedding.
· Make sure to keep a 3-foot “kid-free zone” around space heaters and fires.
· Use space heaters only when you’re present in your home or business, and only while you’re awake. Never use space heaters while you sleep.
How to Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas which can be produced when a furnace or other appliances are not working properly. It can also be produced when wood-burning fireplaces are not vented properly.
Carbon monoxide is a colorless and odorless gas, and inhaling it can cause death. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include feeling out of breath, dizziness, nausea and headaches. If you or any of your family members experience these symptoms, leave the building immediately and call 9-1-1.
ü Make sure to install a carbon monoxide detector in your home or business. Check the batteries regularly to ensure that it’s working properly.
ü Don’t use a charcoal or wood grill indoors or in a garage.
ü Never operate kerosene or propane heaters indoors without proper venting.
ü Never use your oven to heat your home.
Emergency Contacts and Shelter Information
In case of emergency, contact 9-1-1. For other calls, the non-emergency dispatch number is 303-441-3333. To report outages, please contact Xcel directly at 1-800-895-2999.
The American Red Cross will be opening a warm shelter for people impacted by this emergency. The shelter will be available starting at 3 p.m. today and is located at Douglass Elementary School, 840 75th St. near 75th Street and Baseline Road.
–CITY–
7,000 B.C. homes are without heating gas
Dec 6th
To supplement our Colorado crews working to restore natural gas service to customers in Boulder County affected by this morning’s outage, we have called in additional Xcel Energy crews from around the state and from Minnesota and Wisconsin. We have also contacted utilities in California and New Mexico plus private companies too. With temperatures hovering in the single digits, we want to restart service as quickly and safely as possible. Approximately 7,000 homes are without service. We estimate 90 percent of customers will have service by noon tomorrow. Crews will work around-the-clock to restore service to customers.
We will call customers in advance to alert them that crews will be in their neighborhoods to relight pilots for natural gas appliances. It is important that we can reach you with this information. If you have not given us your cell phone number in the past, please call us at 1-800-895-4999 to provide your cell phone number or another alternate phone number.
To help our crews restore your service tonight, please turn on an outside light if you will be available to let them into your home. A person who is at least 18 years old must be at home to allow our crews access to your home. If not, we will need to return later. Please do not attempt to re-light natural gas appliances yourself. Not only can your appliances or equipment be damaged by improper re-lights but you can place yourself and your family in danger.
Our employees will check your appliances and re-light them for you free of charge. The American Red Cross opened a warming shelter for people affected by the natural gas outage. The center is located at Douglass Elementary School, 840 75th St. near 75th Street and Baseline Road.