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Phone Tips

Handling Emergency Calls Safely: Gas, CO and When to Call 911

· 4 min read

Home service businesses get some calls that aren't really service calls. A customer smells gas. A carbon monoxide (CO) alarm is going off. Someone in the house has a headache and feels dizzy near the furnace.

These calls need a fast, simple answer, and that answer is never "let's troubleshoot it over the phone." This post covers what to tell callers and how to set a clear policy for anyone who answers your phone.

This is general safety information, not a substitute for official guidance. Follow the instructions of 911, your local fire department, and your gas utility. Links to official sources are below.

If a caller smells gas

Utilities add a smell, often described as rotten eggs, to natural gas so leaks can be noticed. If a caller says they smell gas, the guidance from gas safety authorities is consistent: get out first, call from outside.

Tell the caller:

  1. Leave the building now, and take everyone with you. Don't stop to pack anything.
  2. Don't do anything that could make a spark on the way out. Don't turn lights, switches, or appliances on or off. Don't light a match or smoke. Don't use a phone inside. Don't start a car nearby.
  3. Once well away from the building, call 911 or the gas utility's emergency line.
  4. Don't go back inside until emergency responders or the utility say it's safe.

Also tell them not to:

  • Look for the leak or try to fix it.
  • Open or close windows to air the place out.
  • Try to shut off the gas themselves.

In practice, the person on your phone should keep it short. The most important sentence is: "Please leave the house now and call 911 or your gas company from outside."

These steps follow guidance from the American Gas Association and the Massachusetts state government. Your local gas utility may publish its own instructions. Follow theirs.

If a caller mentions carbon monoxide

CO is a colorless, odorless, poisonous gas. You can't smell it, so a caller may not realize what's happening. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), more than 200 people in the United States die every year from accidental non-fire related CO poisoning associated with consumer products.

The CPSC lists these symptoms of CO poisoning:

  • Headache
  • Dizziness
  • Weakness
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Sleepiness
  • Confusion

If a caller says their CO alarm is sounding, or anyone in the home has these symptoms, tell them:

  1. Get everyone outside to fresh air right away.
  2. Then call 911.
  3. Don't go back in until responders say it's safe.

The CPSC also recommends CO alarms on every level of a home and outside sleeping areas, with batteries checked regularly. That's a good reminder to pass on to customers during normal service visits, not during an emergency call.

Set a phone policy for your business

Anyone who answers your phone, whether that's you, a family member, an office helper, or an answering service, should know exactly what to do. Write it down and keep it by the phone.

A simple script:

"If you smell gas, please leave the house now with everyone inside. Don't touch light switches or use your phone inside. Once you're outside and away from the house, call 911 or your gas company."

"If your carbon monoxide alarm is going off or anyone feels sick, get everyone outside to fresh air now and call 911."

Rules for whoever answers:

  • Safety instructions come first. Don't collect details, prices, or addresses before telling them to get out.
  • Don't troubleshoot. No "check the pilot light" or "try resetting it." That's for responders and the utility.
  • Don't book a visit for a suspected leak. Your crew should only go once the utility or fire department has made the home safe and the customer asks for a repair.
  • Keep the call short. The caller should be leaving, not staying on the phone inside.
  • Follow up later. Once they're safe and responders have cleared the home, they can call back about repairs.

Train your crew too

The same rules apply in the field. If a tech or cleaner smells gas inside a customer's home, they should leave with everyone inside, avoid switches and phones on the way out, and call from outside. Nobody should be the hero who goes back in for tools.

Go over this at your next team meeting. It takes five minutes and the whole team should know it.

Quick checklist

  • [ ] Written gas and CO script next to every business phone
  • [ ] Everyone who answers knows: get out first, call from outside
  • [ ] No troubleshooting over the phone
  • [ ] No visits booked until responders clear the home
  • [ ] Crew trained on the same steps in the field
  • [ ] Your local gas utility's emergency number saved

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