Customers and communities impacted by Hurricane Ian should follow key tips
As southwest Florida and other areas impacted by Hurricane Ian begin cleanup and recovery activity, Peoples Gas wants residents and business owners to stay safe.
Key things to know
- If you smell natural gas (the odor of rotten eggs) or notice damage to natural gas equipment, move to safety, call 911, then call Peoples Gas at 877-832-6747.
- Ask for ID. All Peoples Gas team members and contractors have photo ID badges. For safety reasons, a gas technician may need to access the appliances in your home or business. Always ask to see an ID before allowing entry.
- Use care when clearing fallen trees and other debris. Call 811 and allow at least two full business days before digging roots, repairing fences or doing other work that requires digging to avoid damaging underground utility lines. Please be patient and wait for local utilities to mark the area with flags or paint, making it easier to dig safely.
- If natural gas service has been shut off at your home or business, call Peoples Gas at 877-832-6747 to arrange for service to be restored.
What Peoples Gas is doing
Peoples Gas has a team of people assessing damages and organizing restoration of natural gas service throughout the area. Workers from our Panama City, Jupiter and Miami offices have arrived in Fort Myers and Sarasota to assist local crews and we are prepping for additional support as needed.
How we restore natural gas service
Peoples Gas follows carefully planned and established restoration procedures. We prioritize the safety of our customers and communities as we work to bring critical services like hospitals, shelters and nursing homes back in service first, then we work to get the largest number of customers back in service quickly.
Unlike what customers may be used to with electric service restoration, natural gas service restoration takes a little longer.
First, we make our system safe:
- In areas that sustained widespread damage or damage to a natural gas main, our crews isolate and shut off the natural gas supply.
- Every impacted meter is turned off and locked as part of our safe repair and restoration process.
- Crews then make repairs, test the system and repressurize the system to prepare it for gas flow.
Next, we begin restoring natural gas service:
- Once repairs are complete, each meter is unlocked.
- Technicians will need to access each home or business to relight pilot light(s) and perform safety checks before service can be turned back on.
- If no adult is available, Peoples Gas will leave a door tag with instructions on how to schedule an appointment.
- If a home or business sustained extensive damage, Peoples Gas may be unable to restore service until repairs are made by the resident or business owner.
What residents and business owners can do
- Leave natural gas service on at the meter. The valve at the meter should be turned on or off only be a qualified Peoples Gas representative or emergency personnel. Customers may choose to turn off natural gas to individual appliances using the supply value at each unit.
- Customers who suspect their natural gas appliances have been flooded or damaged due to the storm should have the equipment inspected and serviced by a qualified plumber or appliance-service contractor.
- Be aware of scams. Peoples Gas will never call to demand immediate payment and threaten disconnection. Be wary of scammers that pressure for payment with a credit card, gift card or payment app. We just don’t do it. If you suspect a scam, call us at 877-832-6747 to verify the request.
- Follow us on social media and check our website regularly for important updates:
Peoples Gas System, Florida’s largest natural gas distribution utility, serves more than 445,000 homes and businesses across the state. The company’s mission is to make life better for communities by delivering safe, resilient, efficient and affordable natural gas energy solutions. Through investments in people, technology, infrastructure and environmentally focused innovations, the company is committed to fueling Florida’s clean energy future responsibly and sustainably. Peoples Gas is a subsidiary of Emera Inc., a geographically diverse energy and services company headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. To learn more about the benefits of natural gas for Florida, visit FloridasEnergy.com. Find more information about the company, its culture, career opportunities and community investments at PeoplesGas.com.
