National Fuel Gas : Reminds Customers to Call Before You Dig on National 8/11 Day

6363 Main Street, Williamsville, N.Y. 14221

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(Aug. 9, 2016) WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. - In recognition of National 8/11 Day on Aug. 11, National Fuel reminds homeowners and professional contractors to Call Before You Dig.

Before starting any excavation projects this year, call 811, a toll-free national phone number, or visit www.call811.com. New York state law requires residents to call 811 - a free service - prior to digging in order to prevent accidental damage to underground utility lines.

The national 811 phone number connects callers with local One Call Centers. Operators record the excavation locations and notify National Fuel of callers' plans. National Fuel then dispatches professional locators to mark the approximate locations of its lines for free. It's a fast, easy way to protect yourself and those around you.

"All excavation projects - even small or shallow digging projects like planting trees and shrubs, or installing a fence or mailbox require a call," said Emily L. Ciraolo, spokesperson for National Fuel. "Many of the pipeline leaks and emergencies we respond to each year occur when homeowners and businesses dig on their properties without knowing the location of underground utility lines. These types of accidents can be easily avoided by calling 811 before you dig - anywhere on your property."

The Common Ground Alliance (CGA), a national association representing the utility industry and committed to saving lives and preventing damage to underground infrastructure, states that:

• Every 6 minutes an underground utility line is damaged because someone decided to dig without first calling 811.

• When you make the call to 811, damage occurs less than 1 percent of the time.

• Striking a single line can result in injury, repair costs, fines and inconvenient outages.

• Nationally, 40 percent of homeowners who plan to dig will put themselves and others at risk by not calling 811 before starting.

Along with Call Before You Dig, National Fuel cautions that if you smell gas, leave fast. Gas leaks can be serious, so if you notice a smell like rotten eggs or suspect a gas leak, leave the premises immediately and then call National Fuel's toll-free, 24-7 emergency number at 1-800-444-3130. To learn more about natural gas safety, visit www.nationalfuelgas.com/forhome/gassafety.aspx.

National Fuel Gas Distribution Corporation is the Utility segment of National Fuel Gas Company, a diversified energy company that is engaged in a number of natural gas-related activities. The Utility provides natural gas service to more than 740,000 customers in Western New York and northwestern Pennsylvania. For more information, visit www.nationalfuelgas.com.