Staying safe while pumping gas

By Natalie Blythe
Posted Thursday, August 21, 2008

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GRAND BLANC TWP. — To help residents stay safe while pumping gas, the Grand Blanc Township Fire Prevention Bureau provides some tips for gas station safety.

Most gas station fires occur from a spark or static electricity igniting fuel vapors, so drivers should not get in their vehicle while pumping fuel. It also is important to not use a cell phone, because cell phones have the potential to give off static electricity, which can ignite vapors and cause a fire.

Here are some other tips:
• Turn off the engine while refueling.
• Do not smoke, light a match or use a lighter while pumping fuel.
• Never let children pump fuel.
• Avoid spills by not overfilling or topping of the fuel tank.
• If pumping fuel into a container, only use a container that is approved for storing and transporting fuel.
• Never fill a fuel container while still in the vehicle; place the container on the ground out of the vehicle.
• Never jam the nozzle open with an object; only use the approved latch on the nozzle.

For more information or questions, call the bureau at 810-424-2630 or stop by the government center at 5371 S. Saginaw St. between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. — Natalie Blythe