Carbon Monoxide Safety Seguridad de Monóxido de Carbono

Natural Gas Pipeline
October 2010 | nmgco.com
Carbon Monoxide Safety
With cold weather approaching, taking
Prevention. Many unintentional deaths
safety precautions can help protect you and
from carbon monoxide poisoning can be
your loved ones from the risks of carbon
prevented by using a carbon monoxide
monoxide. Carbon monoxide poisonings
detector, which alarms when carbon
occur more often during the cold months
monoxide levels rise. Select a carbon
when heaters are in use and doors and
monoxide detector that is Underwriters
windows are kept closed. This odorless,
Laboratory (UL)-approved, be sure to install it
invisible gas can be produced when any type
according to manufacturer’s instructions, and
of heating fuel is burned. It can cause lifethen test it monthly and replace the batteries
threatening poisoning if it builds up inside
twice a year and as needed.
your home.
If your carbon monoxide alarm goes off, or
Symptoms and what to do. Carbon
anytime you suspect a carbon monoxide
monoxide causes a variety of symptoms,
problem, call the New Mexico Gas
depending on the exposure level. Symptoms
Company Emergency Line at 888-NMcan range from headaches, fatigue, shortness
GAS-CO (888-664-2726).
of breath and dizziness to loss of
For more information. Please
Carbon monoxide
consciousness and death.
visit our website, nmgco.com/
gas can be
If you experience symptoms of
Carbon_Monoxide, for more
produced when
carbon monoxide poisoning, get
carbon monoxide safety information
any type of
fresh air immediately. Open the
and steps you can take to help
heating fuel
doors and windows, turn off any
protect you and your family.
is burned.
fuel-burning appliances and leave
the building. Immediately call the
New Mexico Poison Center — 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week, at 800-222-1222.
These poisoning experts will
help you determine if
you need further
medical attention.
Seguridad de Monóxido de Carbono
Con la temporada del invierno muy cerca,
tomando precauciones de seguridad le
puede protegerle a usted y su familia contra
los peligros de monóxido de carbono.
Envenenamientos de monóxido de carbono
ocurren más frecuentemente durante los
meses fríos cuando los calentadores están
mas en uso y puertas y ventanas están
cerradas. Este gas inodoro e invisible puede
ser producido cuando cualquier tipo de
combustible de calefacción es quemado.
Pueden causar envenenamientos fatales si
se acumulan dentro de su casa.
Síntomas y que hacer. El monóxido
de carbono puede causar una variedad
de síntomas, dependiendo en el nivel de
exposición. Las síntomas pueden recorrer
como dolores de cabeza, fatiga, dificultad
de respiración y vértigo, hasta la pérdida del
conocimiento y la muerte.
Si usted tiene síntomas de envenenamiento
de monóxido de carbono, consiga aire
fresco inmediatamente. Abra las puertas
y las ventanas, apague todos aparatos de
combustible y sálgase del edificio. Llame
inmediatamente al New Mexico Poison
Center — las 24 horas del día, 7 días por
semana, en 800-222-1222. Estos expertos
del envenenamiento le ayudarán a saber si
usted necesita atención médica adicional.
Prevención. Muchas de las muertes
involuntarias del envenenamiento de
monóxido de carbono pueden ser prevenidas
utilizando un detector de monóxido de
carbono, que suena cuándo niveles de
monóxido de carbono suben. Seleccione
un detector de monóxido de carbono que
está aprobado por Underwriters Laboratory
(UL)-approved, asegúrese a instalarlo según
las instrucciones del fabricante, y entonces
póngalo a prueba mensual y reemplace
las baterías dos veces al año y cuando es
necesario.
Si su detector de monóxido de carbono
suena, o en cualquier momento usted
sospecha un problema de monóxido de
carbono, llame la línea de emergencia de
New Mexico Gas Company en 888-NMGAS-CO (888-664-2726).
Para más información. Visite por favor
nuestro sitio web, nmgco.com/Carbon_
Monoxide, para más información de la
seguridad de monóxido de carbono y cosas
que usted puede hacer para ayudar a
protegerle a usted y su familia.
Safety of Going Paperless
Most cases of identity theft (85%) are due to paper
transactions, such as lost checkbooks and stolen bills,
statements and check payments.* The Council of Better
Business Bureaus recommends consumers help protect
themselves against identity fraud by replacing paper
bills, statements and checks with paperless versions.
For more information and to sign up for Paperless
Billing, visit our website nmgco.com/Paperless_
Billing. And check out the variety of electronic bill
payment options offered by New Mexico Gas
Company at nmgco.com/Paying_Your_Bill.
* Source: Identity Fraud Survey Report by Javelin Strategy & Research
10119NMGC_Oct.indd 1
Help protect
against identity
fraud by replacing
paper items with
electronic versions.
9/20/10 10:25 AM
HEAT New Mexico — The Season of Giving
There are three ways
you can donate:
When winter approaches, paying heating bills can be a
hardship for many New Mexicans. HEAT New Mexico, the
charitable heating assistance fund administered by the
Salvation Army, helps income-qualifying residents pay their
heating bills. 100% of every dollar donated helps those in
need and is matched with $1.50 from New Mexico Gas
Company.
HEAT New Mexico needs your donations for the upcoming
heating season now! As the holiday season quickly draws
near, let us remember how fortunate we are and in the spirit
of giving, remember those who need our help. Your tax
deductable donation could make a difference in keeping
a child, a senior or a family stay warm and safe this winter.
To learn how HEAT New Mexico
For each dollar
served our community last winter,
customers donate
please visit our website.
to this heating
assistance fund, we’ll
contribute $1.50.
1. Make a notation on the
payment stub of your gas
bill and send in your taxdeductible donation along
with your payment.
2. Visit our website, nmgco.
com/Heat_New_Mexico,
for a pledge form and add
any donation amount to
your monthly gas bill.
3. Call us or visit any of our
business offices to make
your donation.
Thank you for your help!
Help with Heating Bills
If you may need help paying your winter heating bills, we can provide
information that may help you and your family.
LIHEAP is a program through the New Mexico Human Services
Department that offers assistance with winter heating bills for incomequalifying residents. To learn how to apply and to get an application for
LIHEAP, please visit our website at nmgco.com/LIHEAP or call us.
Applications are accepted beginning October 1st.
If you meet income
qualifications, are
elderly, disabled or
have other special
circumstances, you may
also be eligible for an
extended payment plan
and other assistance.
Please call us for more
information.
LIHEAP offers assistance
to income-qualifying New
Mexico residents.
Avoid a large unpaid balance next spring.
Remember, if you qualify for LIHEAP and are eligible for protection
from disconnection for nonpayment from November 15 through
March 15, you still owe your bills sent during the winter protection
period. You are urged to make every effort to continue to pay on your bills
during the winter so that you avoid accumulating large balances.
Customer
SERVICE
Guides
A summary of
New Mexico
Gas Company
customers’
rights and
responsibilities
is included in
our Customer
Service Guide.
These free
guides are
available, in
English and in
Spanish, at any
New Mexico
Gas Company
Business
Office or on
our website.
You may also
request a copy
be mailed to
you by calling or
emailing us.
Customer Service Question of the Month
Our customer service staff answers this month’s most-asked question.
Question: What is the most overlooked step to helping lower winter heating bills?
Answer: Keeping cold air from coming into your building through your evaporative
(“swamp”) cooler, and preventing warm air from escaping. It’s important to
remember to close your evaporative cooler dampers before winter! Popularly
called a “cookie sheet,” the damper looks like a big square cookie sheet. Sliding
it into place will stop air coming through the opening to your swamp cooler.
Alternately, some swamp cooler models are designed to be covered for the winter.
The Cost of Gas
As a regulated utility, New Mexico Gas Company
does not make a profit on the natural gas our
customers use. We pass along the cost of
natural gas from natural gas suppliers, so the
cost depends on changes in the market. The
cost of gas is a line item on your bill.
• The estimated October
We do not
cost of gas is $0.5032
per therm which is higher
make a profit
than last month’s price of
on the natural
$0.4190 and lower than
gas our
last October’s price of
customers use.
$0.5091.
• The estimated average October home gas
use is 22 therms. This results in an estimated
October average residential gas bill of $27.86
which is lower than last October’s estimated
average bill of $28.02.
10119NMGC_Oct.indd 2
HOW TO REACH US AT
NEW MEXICO GAS COMPANY
Customer Service: 505-697-3335
(Albuquerque Metro) or toll free:
888-NM-GAS-CO (888-664-2726)
Call Center hours: 7:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. weekdays
Customer Service Email:
customerservice@nmgco.com
Gas Leaks/Emergencies:
888-NM-GAS-CO (888-664-2726)
Website: nmgco.com
New Mexico One Call: 811
Correspondence Address
New Mexico Gas Company
PO Box 97500
Albuquerque, NM 87199-7500
Payment Address
New Mexico Gas Company
PO Box 173341
Denver, CO 80217-3341
For a list of
our Business
Offices and
walk-in
locations,
please visit
nmgco.com.
9/20/10 10:25 AM