Fleetwood Neighborhood Association News! FW: Keep yourselves safe - a note from the City of Mount Vernon

[Susan Granata]

Mayor Young & Consumer Protection On Safety at the Pump:

"Ways to Keep You and Your Family Safe While You Fill Up"

 

Mount Vernon, NY --- Mayor Clinton I. Young, Jr. wants you to know that the
Office of Consumer Protection has started its 2009 gas station inspections.
Although we are no longer plagued by the high pump prices of 2008, the field
inspections are witnessing consumer practices that are just as alarming and
it has nothing to do with gas prices.  In the first week of gas station
inspections this office has witnessed people smoking while pumping gas,
entering and exiting the car while pumping, and talking on cell phones while
refueling.  

 

"All of these things may seem like common sense, but we all need to be
reminded sometimes about ways to protect ourselves and our families," said
Mayor Young.  "Not paying attention to what you do at the pump has the
potential to turn into a major catastrophe.  However, this is not to scare
anyone; we just want everyone to think about their safety."

 

No explanation needs to be given why one should smoke while pumping gas, but
not many are aware of the danger involved when one starts to fill their
vehicle, enters and exits their vehicle, and then touches the gas nozzle.
When you get into your vehicle, your clothes pick up static electricity from
the carpet and seats.  When you get out of the car, you are susceptible to a
static shock.  This static shock could and has ignited vapors.  To date the
Petroleum Equipment Institute has documented 150 cases of this type of fire
which isn't bad considering how many people fill up in a day.

 

"If you must enter your car while fueling, make sure you touch metal before
you reach for the nozzle," said Michael Paulercio, Director of the Office of
Consumer Protection.  "Touching metal will cause the static electricity that
has built up in your body to discharge.  You can touch your car door or even
the pump itself."

 

The Shell Oil Company has issued warnings regarding the use of cell phones
while refueling and many other oil companies are following their lead.
Shell has cited three instances of fires attributed to cell phones.  One
instance was when a cell phone rang in their pocket during a refuel; another
when a person answered a phone, and lastly a phone on the trunk of a car
ignited gas vapors when it rang destroying the car and the pump.

 

Here are a few rules for safety at the pump:   

 

1.	Always turn off your engine. 

2.	Never smoke while refueling. 

3.	Leave your cell phone in the car and do not use it until you have
finished refueling your vehicle. 

4.	Do not enter you car in the midst of fueling it.  If you must, touch
a piece of metal to discharge yourself before touching the nozzle. 

5.	Do not fill plastic storage containers, such as those for lawnmowers
while they are in the trunk of your vehicle.  Take them out of the trunk and
place them on the floor grounding them. 

6.	Do not use your vehicles' gas cap wedged in the nozzle handle so you
don't have to squeeze it. 

7.	If a fire should occur during your refill, back away from the
vehicle and leave the nozzle in the fill pipe of the car.

 

For more news about the City of Mount Vernon please log on to our website at
<http://www.cmvny.com/> www.CMVNY.com. 

 

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