April 5, 2006

Dominion East Ohio would like to remind customers of the following safety tips regarding natural gas.

Natural gas is both odorless and colorless. Dominion adds a blend of mercaptan and thiophane to odorize natural gas so that a customer can detect its presence. One thing's clear: the odor stinks because it contains sulfur. That's what makes it smell. If a customer smells natural gas:

• DO NOT attempt to locate the natural gas leak.
• DO NOT remain in the house or building when there is an odor. Call Dominion East Ohio from another location. Be sure to give us the phone number at that location. Dominion has to be able to reach you when we arrive. The company provides emergency service 24 hours a day, seven days a week. So, if a customer smells natural gas, call Dominion at 1-877-542-2630. We must be able to access the premises, or the gas will be turned off for safety reasons.
• DO NOT turn any electrical switches, appliances or lights on or off, or unplug electrical appliances when there is a natural gas odor.
• DO NOT use telephones or cell phones in the area of a strong gas odor.
• DO NOT operate vehicles or power equipment where leaking gas may be present.
• DO NOT smoke or use lighters, matches or other open flames.

If you smell gas or suspect a leak, call Dominion immediately by dialing 1-877-542-2630.

Calling Before Digging Can Avoid Costly Problems

Before digging, a toll-free call to the Ohio Utilities Protection Service, (OUPS) 1-800-362-2764, can help property owners and excavating contractors avoid costly damage to Dominion and other underground utility lines on their properties. State law requires customers and contractors to call OUPS at least two working days before. OUPS will alert Dominion and other participating utilities of customers' plans to dig. OUPS will ask these utilities to mark the approximate location of their underground gas lines and utility cables so that customers won't find them by accident. Also, for safety’s sake, customers and contractors should only dig around utility lines by hand.

Take Steps to Prevent Carbon Monoxide Problems

Knowing the facts and heeding the warning signs can help customers prevent potential carbon monoxide (CO) problems. The best defense against CO is an annual inspection of all fuel-burning appliances by a professional heating contractor. Here are some important facts:

• CO can come from many sources, such as motor vehicles and oil, kerosene or propane heaters and coal and wood burners. For example, letting a car run inside an attached garage, even with the garage door open, can allow enough CO to seep into a house to set off a CO detector within minutes. Running a lawn mower or snow blower, or using a charcoal grill within a garage, also will generate high levels of CO within the home.
• CO also can result from clogged or blocked chimneys or rusted flues and vent pipes and improperly installed and poorly maintained natural gas appliances.
• Homes located in high-traffic areas or near industrial smokestacks also may experience occasional high levels of CO, and homes with smokers also may experience higher than allowable levels of CO.
• CO is a toxic gas, which combines with the body's blood and prevents it from absorbing oxygen. CO exposure produces flu-like symptoms, such as headaches, fatigue, nausea, dizziness, confusion or irritability at low levels and vomiting, drowsiness and loss of consciousness, or even death, at high levels.

If customers suspect CO, they should:

• Get fresh air into the house by opening windows.
• Get everyone out of the house and go outside.
• Seek medical attention.
• Call the fire department or dial 9-1-1, especially if someone has been overcome by CO.
• Identify and correct the source of the CO.

For assistance, contact a local heating contractor, and for appliances, call an authorized product service dealer. Carbon monoxide is preventable if natural gas appliances are installed and annually maintained by a qualified contractor. A CO detector should be installed near bedroom areas. Follow the manufacturers recommendations for proper care and maintenance.

When in Doubt, Look for Dominion East Ohio Uniform, ID Card

Periodically, Dominion East Ohio receives customer reports of people claiming to be company employees who actually do not work for the company. To protect themselves from impostors, customers should look for the white Dominion East Ohio vehicle bearing the Dominion East Ohio name and logo. All gas company employees have a photo identification card. If customers are uncertain whether someone claiming to be a Dominion East Ohio employee actually works for the company, they can just request to see the employee's photo identification card for verification, or call our customer service center at 1-800-362-7557.

Dominion is one of the nation's largest producers of energy, with an energy portfolio of about 28,100 megawatts of generation. Dominion also serves retail energy customers in nine states. For more information about Dominion, visit the company's Web site at www.dom.com.