The Invisible Danger You Carry To the Gas Station

You know how it happens at home. Walking on carpet creates a static charge that sparks when you touch something metal. The same thing can happen at the gas pump. Drivers, who slide back into the seat while waiting for the tank to fill, create static electricity which may spark when they reach for the nozzle again - and could cause a fire.

Static electricity-related flash fires at the gas pump are extremely rare. While they can happen at any time of year, they are more likely to occur in cool and dry climate conditions, especially during the fall and winter months.

As part of an annual "Stop Static at the Gas Pump" safety campaign, the men and women of the Los Angeles Fire Department join the American Petroleum Institute and the Petroleum Equipment Institute in encouraging safe refueling procedures so that you can avoid this:

Can you spot the many things in the full-length video that lead to a buildup of static electricity? What of the driver's actions when the fire erupts?

Here are some tips to help you stay safe when refueling:

• Turn off your engine


• Don't smoke


• Don't get back in your vehicle while refueling


• If you must get back into your vehicle touch something metal, like the door handle, before returning to the pump


• When filling a portable container, always put it on the ground before filling it to help dissipate the static

To learn more about refueling safety, please visit:

www.pei.org/static

Kindly let your family and friends know of the danger!

(another video)


Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department