Every year on March 18th, we at Lake Apopka Natural Gas District (LANGD) show appreciation for the hard work and dedication our natural gas utility workers exemplify. We celebrate our commitment to providing accessible and reliable natural gas as we honor our industry’s pledge to prioritize safety. This month, join us and other natural gas utilities nationwide as we observe Natural Gas Utility Workers’ Day and recognize the indispensable field workers who keep gas flowing safely in nearly 177 million American homes, businesses, and vehicles daily.
This national day is annually recognized to build awareness about natural gas utility workers’ efforts and to share best practices for keeping our communities safe. The March 18 date is symbolic; on that date in 1937, a natural gas incident in New London, Texas, prompted a turning point for the industry’s emphasis on safety regulations, and the widespread odorization of natural gas with mercaptan was implemented (the “rotten egg” smell) .
In remembrance of that tragedy, National Gas Utility Workers’ Day was founded.
Safety is a vital aspect to natural gas distribution, and LANGD utility workers provide essential technical support for safely maintaining our communities’ gas systems. You might have noticed them in your neighborhood performing leak surveys, responding to service calls, or installing and repairing all types of gas mains, pipes and service lines.
As your local natural gas utility, we take the responsibility of safely delivering natural gas very seriously. Our employees and utility workers are trained extensively to supply energy to your homes, businesses and vehicles. In 2022, the District even partnered with local fire departments in Clermont and Apopka to donate smoke and CO2 detectors to help keep our communities alert and safe.
These commitments to supporting our customers are nationally recognized as LANGD remains an active recipient of the American Public Gas Association’s (APGA) highest honor – the Gold System Operational Achievement Recognition (SOAR) Award – for excellence in employee safety, workforce development, system integrity and improvements. We were also awarded the APGA Safety Award for the 11th straight year in 2022, and we intend to maintain these honors!
Our team also prides itself on fully complying with state and federal natural gas pipeline safety rules regulated by the Florida Public Service Commission (FPSC) and receiving another excellent inspection report without incident this year.
Since the date of recognition falls on a Saturday this year, we’re celebrating our field workers a day early with a company-wide barbecue lunch on March 17. Nothing changes in a day, especially not for an entire industry, but the hard work and dedication that our natural gas utility workers put in every day, 365 days a year, make these safety goals a reality. We hope you’ll join us in celebrating our essential natural gas utility workers on March 18th and every day!
If you would like to highlight a positive experience you’ve had with one of our natural gas utility workers, we encourage you to do so by commenting on our Facebook (Facebook.com/LANGDFL) and LinkedIn (LinkedIn.com/company/Lake-Apopka-Natural-Gas-District), or by reaching out to us directly at custsvc@langd.org.
Think that natural gas is the right energy mix for your home, business or vehicle? Get connected with the District marketing team at (407) 656-2737 x307, marketing@langd.org, or visit www.langd.org for more information.
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