Video production: John Rosman, Nate Sjol · Animation: MacGregor Campbell · Videographers: Nate Sjol, Amanda Peacher, John Rosman
With earthquakes on the mind, here's a pop-quiz: Do you know where your gas shut-off is? In case of an emergency, could you safely turn it off?
We posed this question to four Oregon families. One family took approximately two minutes to find and shut off the gas. Another family ended up in their crawl space before eventually finding it outside.
Knowing how to shut off the gas should be part of everyone's emergency plan. Leaking natural gas is responsible for a significant number of fires after a disaster.
Related Content: Four Oregon Families Live Off Their Emergency Supplies For A Weekend
If the gas line in a residence is leaking, it's likely going to be up to the household to know what to do. That's why the Federal Emergency Management Agency suggests residents should know where the gas line is and how to turn it off.
We wrote a detailed FAQ on safely turning off utilities after a disaster. But here's a checklist for a household to consider as part of their preparedness plan.
1) Identify the location of the shut-off valve.
2) Own a non-sparking wrench to turn the valve off.
3) If you turn the gas off — do not turn it back on. Wait for your gas company to help.
