​Our Iowa gas team supported one of two fire safety demonstrations in Newton, Iowa, this month.

Mutual aid departments in the area joined together to train under controlled circumstances on techniques that included effectively containing and extinguishing natural gas fires with the latest materials for portable fire extinguishers and hose streams.

"Natural gas is such a safe fuel, it's highly unlikely that firefighters would ever encounter that kind of fire," said Summer Wade, Black Hills Energy operations supervisor for the Newton area. Even so, "our training provides a unique opportunity for hands-on experience and instruction."

In one exercise, firefighters used a fire hose and chemical extinguishers to put out a controlled natural gas fire under a scrapped vehicle, simulating a potential result of a car hitting a gas meter. In another scenario, firefighters practiced how to safely contain and extinguish a natural gas fire from a pipeline puncture.

The training is offered each year in a different portion of Iowa to fire departments throughout 133 Iowa communities.

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