The propane industry has helped develop guidance for emergency 911 operators who receive reports of a propane emergency.

The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) and the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) helped the APCO Institute develop a guide card featuring questions to ask callers who report a propane emergency and safety instructions to give them. (Click here to download the card.) The APCO Institute is a subsidiary of APCO (the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials) International. 

"The APCO Institute very much appreciated the expertise provided in the editing and updating of our propane emergency guide cards,” said Kathy Schatel, operations manager at the institute. “The assistance from the PERC and NPGA staffs and industry subject matter experts was invaluable in developing these cards."

The institute undertook the project on the recommendation of the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, which investigated a January 2007 explosion at the Little General Store in Ghent, W.Va., and issued a report on its findings in September 2008.

Assisting in the development of the guide card “is truly an illustration of the propane industry stepping up in a manner that can truly make a difference," said Mike Walters, chairman of the PERC Safety & Training Advisory Committee.

PERC, NPGA, the West Virginia Propane Gas Association, and the National Fire Protection Association are among the organizations and agencies working to implement recommendations made by the safety board. Watch this space for updates on their progress.

In the meantime, click here to download the safety board’s report and a video about the Little General Store incident.

Send questions and comments to PERC’s Stuart Flatow at stuart.flatow@propanecouncil.org or NPGA’s Mike Caldarera at mcaldarera@npga.org.