Emergency Responders & Local Officials
ENSTAR recognizes that government or volunteer emergency response and planning agencies may respond to protect life, property, or the environment in case of a pipeline emergency. Public safety is the number one priority.
Below is the information that emergency officials and first responders need about pipelines and the materials they transport within a local response area.
Emergency Action Procedures for Emergency Responders
- Secure the area around the leak to a safe distance. This could include evacuating people from homes, businesses, schools, and other locations, erecting barricades, controlling access to the emergency site, and similar precautions.
- If the pipeline leak is not burning, take steps to prevent ignition. This could include prohibiting smoking, rerouting traffic, and shutting off the electricity and the residential gas supply.
- If the pipeline leak is burning, take steps to prevent secondary fires, but DO NOT attempt to extinguish a pipeline fire unless asked to do so by ENSTAR personnel.
- Contact ENSTAR's emergency line as quickly as possible. Pipeline marker signs indicate ENSTAR's name and emergency telephone number.
Local Officials
ENSTAR is committed to operating a safe, reliable pipeline system. The National Transportation Safety Board has established that pipelines are the safest form of energy transportation. ENSTAR has a comprehensive safety program and works closely with the communities where our pipelines are located to provide information about pipelines and pipeline safety. Education includes public awareness meetings, Call Before You Dig programs, and clear and visible pipeline markers.
ENSTAR also maintains comprehensive emergency response plans in the event of a fire, rupture, major leak, or other serious incident occurring at or near one of our facilities. Emergency response plans are designed to prepare our employees and local emergency response personnel to manage emergency situations involving our facilities in order to protect the public. Cooperation from local organizations is a key component of Emergency response plans. ENSTAR practices ongoing emergency drills to prepare our employees and community emergency responders.
ENSTAR assists local communities with the following information:
- Develop pipeline safety awareness and assure protection of your communities.
- Identify and establish communications with the pipeline operators in your area.
- Represent and educate your constituents on pipeline safety issues.
- Assist with zoning and permitting decisions relative to pipelines to avoid encroachments to existing pipeline rights-of-way.
- Promote pipeline awareness, damage prevention activities and safe maintenance work procedures to all local government department personnel responsible for public roadways affecting underground utilities.
