Atmos Energy

First Responder Training

With safety at the core of everything we do, Atmos Energy regularly conducts natural gas safety workshops for fire departments, police and other first responders in the 1,400 communities we serve. The workshops, which can be administered in the field or at our state-of-the-art Charles K. Vaughan Center, provide valuable safety training for an emergency response situation while the relationships and networks developed during these sessions enhance the safety of our communities for years to come.

Among the many topics covered, we demonstrate the risk of static electricity conducted through our pipe systems as a potential source of ignition. Upon completion of the natural gas safety workshop, first responders are also able to identify:

• Common uses and properties of natural gas
• Carbon monoxide sources, causes and indicators
• Basics of natural gas distribution including safety, systems, facilities and materials
• Natural gas migration and its effect on evacuation and ventilation procedures
• Daily measures we can emphasize to promote natural gas safety
• Incident Command System (ICS) protocols that protect our employees, our customers and the public by using engineering controls and coordination with first responders in an emergency situation

Since 2011, we have trained more than 34,000 first responders at the Charles K. Vaughan Center, underscoring our commitment to strong community partnerships that keep our employees, our customers and the public safe.