DANGER! Certain Older Gas Connectors May Be Dangerous!
Your home could be in danger of a fire or explosion due to faulty gas connectors. These must be checked by a qualified technician immediately. Gas connectors are corrugated metal tubes used to connect gas appliances in your home to gas sources. Certain older gas connectors made of uncoated brass may come apart and cause a fire or explosion! Take action now! To our knowledge, these brass connectors have not been manufactured for more than 25 years, but MANY are still in use. Not all uncoated brass connectors have this flaw, but all should be inspected by a professional and REPLACED. Before you are faced with the possibility of a dangerous gas leak in your home, any brass gas connectors should be replaced immediately with stainless steel connectors. Gas appliances in your home that should be checked include range, oven or cook top, clothes dryer, hot water heater, and space heaters. NOTE: DO NOT move an appliance yourself to check the connector! This could cause the connector to break, resulting in a dangerous gas leak. ONLY A QUALIFIED SERVICE TECHNICIAN SHOULD PERFORM THIS TASK!. Connectors should always be replaced whenever a gas appliance is replaced or moved from its current location. If you smell a strong odor of gas or hear a hissing sound leave your house immediately, do not use the telephone, cell phone, turn on lights, open windows or light a match, and go to a neighbor’s house and call any of these numbers: CITY OF HAWARDEN at 551-2565. After hours call: Brian Warner at 551-6622, Jeff Schurman at 551-3839, or Tom Kane at 551-1233.
1. LEAVE THE HOUSE IMMEDIATELY.
2. DON’T LIGHT A MATCH.
3. DON’T TURN ON ANY LIGHTS.
4. DON’T TURN ON ANY SWITCHES OR ANYTHING ELECTRICAL.
5. DON’T USE YOUR HOUSE PHONE OR YOUR CELL PHONE INSIDE YOUR HOUSE. GO OUTSIDE TO A NEIGHBOR’S HOUSE AND CALL THE CITY OFFICES AT 551-2565. AFTER HOURS PLEASE CALL BRIAN WARNER AT 551-2179, JEFF SCHURMAN AT 551-3839, OR TOM KANE AT 551-1233. IN AN EMERGENCY CALL THE HAWARDEN HOSPITAL AT 551-3100.
LET YOUR SNIFFER KEEP YOU SAFE
Natural gas itself does not have an odor, so to make leaks easily detectable, an unpleasant odorant is added to natural gas. Being able to detect a natural gas leak is important because escaping or uncontrolled natural gas presents two dangers:
1) It may ignite if it comes in contact with a spark or flame.
2) It can displace oxygen, which is potentially fatal.
Keep your family and coworkers safe around natural gas:
1) If you smell gas, leave the premises immediately and contact the City Offices immediately from a telephone or cell phone at another location. After hours call Brian Warner, Gas Foreman, at 551-6622, Jeff Schurman at 551-3839, or Tom Kane, Director of Public Works, at 551-1233. In an emergency call the Hawarden Hospital at 551-3100 and they will contact City Personnel for you.
2) Avoid doing anything that might produce static or sparks, such as touching any electrical switches, telephones (including cell phones), or smoking. Do not turn light switches on and do not use any telephone on the premises. Leave the area entirely.
3) To make sure all of your gas appliances – clothes dryer, water heater, furnace or stove – are operating properly, contact a qualified plumbing and heating dealer for an inspection.
4) Make sure no clothing, paper, rags, flammable substances or debris are near any gas appliance.
REMEMBER: Electricity is deadly, and safety is a concern of all of us here at the Hawarden City Offices. If you are a customer of Hawarden Municipal Utilities, contact the Hawarden Municipal
Spring Cleanup will be done this year from April 16th through April 20th. Please do not put anything at the curb before April 14th. Watch for more details in the April Newsletter.
Everywhere you read these days talks about carbon monoxide and the dangers associated with it. How serious can it be? And what should I look out for? Hopefully the following article will help answer some of those questions.
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, highly-toxic gas that is produced by incomplete combustion. It is important to know that carbon monoxide is deadly from the toxicity standpoint long before it reaches the combustible range. It comes from appliances that consume coal, oil, wood, propane gas, natural gas, and other hydrocarbon-based fuels. It is absorbed by the hemoglobin of the blood cells and replaces the oxygen of the red blood cells that your body needs. When carbon monoxide replaces enough oxygen, your body begins to suffocate from the inside out and may cause brain damage, coma, or later, death.
The carbon monoxide concentrations and the effects from the concentrations vary from different levels of carbon monoxide and the exposure time. If you feel you have carbon monoxide in your building, you may call your local plumber or the City office to test your home for carbon monoxide. Effects can vary significantly based on age, weight and overall state of health. For more information about carbon monoxide you may go to our website by logging on to: www.cityofhawarden.com
| Concentrations | Effects |
| 9 parts per million | The maximum allowable concentration for short-term exposure in a living area according to the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers. |
| 35 parts per million | The maximum allowable concentration for continuous exposure in any 8-hour period, according to federal law. |
| 200 parts per million | Slight headache, tiredness, dizziness, nausea after 2-3 hours. |
| 400 parts per million | Frontal headaches within 1-2 hours, life threatening after 3 hours, also maximum parts per million in flue gas, according to EPA and American Gas Association. |
| 800 parts per million | Dizziness, nausea and convulsions within 45 minutes. Unconsciousness within 2 hours, death within 2-3 hours. |
| 1,600 parts per million | Headache, dizziness and nausea within 20 minutes, death within 1 hour. |
| 3,200 parts per million | Headache, dizziness and nausea within 5-10 minutes, death within 30 minutes. |
| 6,400 parts per million | Headache, dizziness and nausea within 1-2 minutes, death within 10-15 minutes. |
| 12,800 parts per million | Death within 1-3 minutes. |
Youth Soccer
Who: Boys & Girls 3 years old – 6th grade
Cost: $15.00 per child (The cost will be $25.00 after March 30th)
Where: West Sioux High School Soccer Fields
3-4 year olds 3rd & 4th Grade
April 11 – May 16 April 10 – May 15
Wednesdays / 5:00-6:00 p.m. Tuesdays / 5:00-6:00pm
Kindergarten (Includes all 5 year olds) 5th & 6th Grade
April 9 – May 14 April 10 – May 15
Mondays / 5:00-6:00 p.m. Tuesdays/6:00—7:00 p.m.
1st & 2nd Grade
April 9 – May 14
Mondays / 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Reminder: Without volunteer coaches/parents we can’t have a soccer league. Please volunteer and get involved with your kids. Forms can be picked up at W.S. Elementary or Middle School offices or at the Hawarden City office.
Registration Deadline is Friday, March 30. 2007.
55 & Up Field Trip – Argosy Riverboat Casino in Sioux City, IA
Thursday, March 15th. We will depart from the East side of the community center at 9:00 a.m. and return at 3:00 p.m. Cost is $3.00 plus the cost of lunch.
To register call 551-4412. Deadline: Monday, March 12th.
Youth Trip All American Gymnastics
Friday, March 16th. All American Gymnastics has a gym filled with inflatable slides, bouncers, mazes, & obstacle courses. The kids will also have access to their in-ground trampolines, safety foam pits, & gymnastic equipment. All students in Kindergarten – 5th grade are welcome to attend. Cost: $10.00 includes entry fee & transportation. Forms available at the school and city offices. Registration deadline is Tuesday, March 13th.
Adult Softball League
The Recreation Department is looking for teams interested in participating in a slow-pitch softball league. The league will start in May and run through July. To register a team, contact the recreation dept at 551-4412.
Hawarden Swimming Pool -Summer Employment Opportunity
The City of Hawarden is now accepting applications for full-time and substitute lifeguard positions. Applications available at the City offices. For more information contact Jami Dekkers at 551-4412. City of Hawarden, Equal Opportunity Employer
Preschool Story Hour begins on Thursday, March 8th at 10:30 a.m. Children between the ages of 3 -5 are welcome to attend. The program will run for seven weeks through Thursday, April 19th. Children must be pre-registered. Call the library at 551-2244. The program features stories, songs, games, fingerplays, and sometimes a craft.
“After School at the Library” will meet on Thursday, March 15th at 3:30 p.m. This session will be for children in grades 3-5. Registrations must be made by Monday, March 12th. Call the library at 551-2244. The session which last from 45- 60 minutes will feature stories, crafts, and maybe a special surprise.
Interested in joining a book discussion group? The March session will meet on Wednesday, March 28th at 10:00 a.m. Books that will be read and discussed during the month of March are SOJOURNER by Rawlings and A WOMAN OF INDEPENDENT MEANS by Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey.
Don’t forget to stop by the library and pick up your new library card. We are issuing new cards for all Hawarden residents. There is not a cost for the new card as long as you do not have overdue materials or fines.
LEVEL PAYMENT FOR UTILITY BILLS SIGN-UPS NOW BEING TAKEN
WHAT DOES LEVEL PAYMENT DO? The level payment plan offers customers a set dollar amount to pay every month. The amount reflects an average consumption over a 12-month period. The actual amount consumed will appear on the monthly bill along with any credit accumulated or any charges not covered by the level payment billing. It is very important to pay the level payment amount every month in order to maintain a balanced account. There will be months where a credit balance will be carried and these are the months that will prepare the account for months with increased consumption.
HOW IS MY LEVEL PAYMENT AMOUNT FIGURED? The level payment amount is calculated by adding the billed consumption for the history range (12 month period) and dividing by the number of billings (12). The City of Hawarden adds an additional 10 percent to account for fluctuations in temperature and weather throughout the year.
HOW AND WHEN DOES MY ACCOUNT GET ADJUSTED? If at any time, the level payment amount does not cover the actual charges, the account will be reviewed and a new level payment amount will be refigured to reflect the change in household consumption. If the level payment amount is on target, the account will be reviewed in April and a new level payment amount will be refigured. At that time, the account will be credited for the amount overpaid or receive a bill for the amount underpaid. If the level payment amount does not cover the actual consumption, the customer is still responsible for the difference. If you choose to remain on the level payment plan and have a credit balance, the credit amount may be figured into your new level payment with your approval or receive a refund for the amount.
HOW DO I GET SIGNED UP? If you are interested in the level payment plan or have additional questions, call (712) 551- 2565 and request a level payment amount be prepared for your account. A letter will be sent to you including the level payment amount. Your account must be brought to a zero balance before you are eligible to start the level payment billing. If your account is paid in full and you agree to the dollar amount you simply sign and return the document to the city offices.