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GreeNology Natural Gas Safety

Practice Natural Gas Safety

Illustration showing a house with natural gas appliances: furnace, fireplace, kitchen, tankless water heater, and laundry room.
Diagram of underground utilities: communications, electric, natural gas, drinking water, sewer. Call 811 before digging.
811 logo with a shovel icon and text: "Know what's below. Call before you dig."

Remind Grown-Ups to Call 811 Before They Dig!

It’s free and it’s the law! Within 48-hours a worker will put flags in your yard to show where all underground utilities are buried.

Don’t pick up or move the flags!

Flags mark buried utility lines: gas, electric, water, sewer, fiber optic. Message: "Don't pick up or move the flags!"

Each marker flag indicates a buried utility line below the ground.

  • Blue Flag: Drinking Water
  • Yellow Flag: Natural Gas
  • Orange Flag: Communications
  • Red Flag: Electric
  • Green Flag: Sewer

Learn More About Flag Markers

A cartoon girl pinching her nose, with a warning sign and wavy lines indicating a bad smell.

Does natural gas have an odor?

In its natural state, natural gas has no smell. An odorant called mercaptan is added to natural gas pipelines so that you can smell it if there is even the smallest leak. Be sure to tell an adult if you ever smell the rotten egg odor or leave the area immediately and call 911.

Natural Gas Safety Checklist 

A clipboard with a "Safety Checklist," one item checked, on a blue circle background.
  • If you smell natural gas, leave the house right away. Tell a grown-up to call Okaloosa Gas at 850-729-4700 or 911 Practice the four simple natural gas safety steps
    • Look
      • Near a gas leak, you may notice blowing dirt, bubbling creeks or ponds, dry spots in moist areas or dead plants surrounded by green, live plants. 
    • Listen
      • An unusual hissing sound near gas lines or appliances may indicate a natural gas leak. 
    • Smell
      • In its raw state, natural gas is odorless. Natural gas utility companies add a harmless substance called mercaptan to create a rotten-egg-like smell. You should take action even if the odor is faint. 
    • Leave
      • If you notice any of the above signs, leave the area immediately and contact Okaloosa Gas at
850-729-4700. If the smell of natural gas is particularly strong, also call 9-1-1. 
  • If your parents or grandparents are planning to dig, remind them to call 811 before they dig. The service is free and it’s the law!