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: [email protected] 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