Southwest Gas trains employees, first responders for dangerous scenarios across valley

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - Southwest Gas has its own training facility where employees, firefighters and police officers train to be prepared for any kind of gas leak.

Firefighters and police officers are typically the first on the scene in an emergency, including natural gas leaks.

“We want them to be able to learn before they have to go into that hazardous situation,” said Richard Hart, Specialist and Gas Operations support staff member.

Southwest Gas has a unique emergency response training facility in Henderson where they put their employees, firefighters from all jurisdictions and police officers through real-life scenarios.

“Anywhere from a gas leak after a customer put in a tree, may have damaged a gas line, all the way up to gas leaks coming up from different utilities we have in this area, including gas leaks in the street,” said Hart.

“We do have a grill, natural gas and it is to simulate that we could have an underground gas line and could have a possible underground gas leak,” Hart added.

At this facility, trainees go through over 40 different simulations.

“We can actually install a clamp or work on a gas pipeline in the trench while we are suited up, like if the gas was actually blowing,” said Hart.

The training starts with a class and then finishes out at the training facility, which is one week long for eight hours a day, with about 20 instructors acting as Southwest Gas customers.

“Let’s actually get them involved, get them immersed in the area so they get those nerves and those feelings out, and when they are out in the real world, they can act professionally,” said Hart.

Training for the new cadet class for Las Vegas Fire and Rescue will take place next month.

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