National Grid Reminds Customers to Spring Into Action for Home Safety Change your clocks, change your carbon monoxide/smoke alarm batteries

March 10, 2016 — PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Spring is just around the corner, and one
sure sign is the start of Daylight Saving Time. This coming weekend, we’ll “spring
forward” by turning clocks ahead one hour. It’s also an ideal time to spring into
action for home safety, by changing the batteries in our carbon monoxide alarms.
“Turning the clock forward is a great reminder to check in and make sure our
homes are safe for ourselves and our families,” said Timothy F. Horan, president
of National Grid in Rhode Island. “We are reminding our customers that carbon
monoxide poisoning poses a real risk and that now is the time to make sure
detectors are working properly to protect you and your loved ones.”
Carbon monoxide (CO) is an invisible, odorless gas that can be deadly if left
undetected. When fuels such as natural gas, butane, propane, wood, coal,
heating oil, kerosene, and gasoline don’t burn completely, they can release
carbon monoxide into the air. Common sources of carbon monoxide include
malfunctioning forced-air furnaces, kerosene space heaters, natural gas ranges,
wood stoves, water heaters, fireplaces and motor vehicle engines. The symptoms
of carbon monoxide poisoning are similar to those of the flu. Depending on the
amount of carbon monoxide in the air and length of exposure, symptoms may
include headaches, weakness, confusion, chest tightness, skin redness,
dizziness, nausea, sleepiness, fluttering of the heart or loss of muscle
control.
If you suspect carbon monoxide is present in your home, go outside immediately
and call 911. Next, call National Grid’s gas emergency contact number in
Massachusetts, 1-800-640-1595 in Rhode Island. Do not return to your home until
the carbon monoxide source is found.
National Grid shares the following safety reminders with its customers to help
identify and prevent carbon monoxide poisoning:

Install Underwriters Laboratory (UL) approved home carbon monoxide detectors on
every floor of your home. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for placement and
mounting height.
Check chimneys or flues for debris, bird nests or other blockages, and have them
cleaned periodically.
Be sure space heaters and wood stoves are in good condition, have adequate
ventilation and are used in strict compliance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
Never use a gas range for heating or burn coal or charcoal in an enclosed space.
Never cover slots or holes in the bottom of the oven with spill pans or foil, which
can block airflow in the oven.
If you use a back-up generator to supply power during an outage, be sure to operate
it outdoors.
Know that open windows do not provide sufficient ventilation to safely operate a
generator indoors.
National Grid will respond immediately to all carbon-monoxide related calls for
all natural gas customers within its service area – even if you purchase natural
gas from an alternative gas supplier or marketer. However, please always call
911 first.
More ways to spring into action for home safety:

Confirm that you have working smoke detectors in every bedroom to ensure you “hear
the beep where you sleep” in the event of a fire. Spring into action and replace the
batteries.
Inspect fire extinguishers at least once a month, ensure that: the extinguisher is
not blocked by equipment, coats or other objects that could interfere with access in
an emergency; the pressure is at the recommended level; the nozzle or other parts
are not hindered in any way; the pin and tamper seal (if it has one) are intact; and
there are no dents, leaks, rust, chemical deposits and/or other signs of abuse/wear.
If you don’t currently have a fire extinguisher, get one. Base your selection on
the classification and the extinguisher’s compatibility with the items you wish to
protect.
If you smell gas, (the odor is similar to rotten eggs), make sure everyone in the
home leaves immediately. Once you’re safe, call 911 or National Grid at
1-800-640-1595 for Rhode Island. Don’t light a match or smoke, turn appliances on or
off (including flashlights), use a telephone or start a car. Doing so can produce
sparks that might cause the gas to ignite. Remember: Smell gas. Act fast.
Always dial 811 two to ten days before digging or excavating on your property. After
you call, utility companies will mark the approximate locations of their lines at no
charge to you. Whether you’re planting a shrub or installing a deck, every job
requires a call to 811 – it’s the law.
Click here for National Grid’s Carbon Monoxide safety brochure. For more
information on carbon monoxide prevention visit the U.S. Consumer Product Safety
Division.
About National Grid
National Grid (LSE: NG; NYSE: NGG) is an electricity and natural gas delivery
company that connects nearly 7 million customers to vital energy sources through its
networks in New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. It is the largest distributor
of natural gas in the Northeast. National Grid also operates the systems that
deliver gas and electricity across Great Britain. Through its U.S. Connect21
strategy, National Grid is transforming its electricity and natural gas networks to
support the 21st century digital economy with smarter, cleaner, and more resilient
energy solutions. Connect21 is vital to our communities’ long-term economic and
environmental health and aligns with regulatory initiatives in New York (REV:
Reforming the Energy Vision) and Massachusetts (Grid Modernization). For more
information please visit our website: www.nationalgridus.com, or our Connecting
website. You can also follow us on Twitter, watch us on You Tube, Like us on
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