Town of St. Leo
34544 State Road 52
P.O Box 2479
Saint Leo, FL 33574
Phone: (352) 588-2622
Fax: (352) 588-3010
Office Hours:
Monday - Friday
8:00am - 4:00pm
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TECO PEOPLES GAS IS PREPARED FOR HURRICANE DORIAN
Utility encourages customers to be prepared and follow emergency guidelines in the event of an evacuation
Tampa, Fla. (Aug. 29, 2019) – As TECO Peoples Gas officials continue to track Hurricane Dorian, the company is preparing for any natural gas emergencies created by the storm or its aftermath.
“The Peoples Gas team prepares year ‘round for hurricane season, and we stand ready for Hurricane Dorian,” said T.J. Szelistowski, president of TECO Peoples Gas. “While we are preparing to handle any gas-related emergencies, we encourage our customers to have a personal storm plan in place.”
The current forecast predicts Hurricane Dorian would make landfall on Florida’s east coast early Monday and travel west across the state.
The company’s first priority is the safety of our customers and employees, so please follow local evacuation orders. Peoples Gas advises customers to leave their natural gas service on, even in the event of an evacuation. Natural gas service will likely operate uninterrupted throughout the storm. Customers may choose to turn off gas to individual appliances at the supply valve near each unit. The valve at the main meter should be turned on or off only by qualified Peoples Gas representatives or emergency personnel.
Leaving natural gas meters on helps to maintain proper pressure in the gas piping within homes or businesses and can prevent water from entering the lines should flooding occur. Most natural gas appliances have safety valves that will shut off the flow of natural gas automatically if the pilot light goes out.
For safety reasons, Peoples Gas representatives or emergency personnel may need to turn off some customers’ service at the meter. If customers find their gas service has been shut off, they will need to call the Peoples Gas Customer Care Center at 877-TECO-PGS (877-832-6747) to have service restored.
If at any time residents smell a rotten egg or sulfur-like odor, there could be a natural gas leak. Residents should leave the premises immediately and then call the Peoples Gas 24-hour Emergency Gas Leak number: 1-877-832-6747, say “emergency” or select option 1. Please note that Peoples Gas employees will be dispatched when sustained wind speeds are below 40 mph.
Customers who suspect their natural gas appliances have been flooded or damaged due to the storm should have the equipment inspected and serviced by a qualified plumber or appliance-service contractor.
Other helpful hints in the event of an evacuation:
Peoples Gas System, Florida’s largest natural gas distribution utility, serves about 390,000 customers across Florida. Peoples Gas is a subsidiary of Emera Inc., a geographically diverse energy and services company headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Media Contact: Cherie Jacobs 813.228.4945