By Matt Campbell
Kansas City Star
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Fire Department will change key elements of the way it responds to gas leaks, changes that might have made a difference in the deadly Feb. 19 explosion at JJ’s restaurant.
Fire Chief Paul Berardi said that from now on, the initial dispatch on any call about a possible natural gas leak will include a battalion chief and a fire truck equipped with equipment to monitor gas levels in the air.
In addition, firefighters will remain on the scene and continue to consult with gas utility experts to determine whether to evacuate an area or building. They will remain there until the risk has been resolved. Those protocols were not in place and those procedures were not followed when firefighters first responded to JJ’s on the afternoon of the blast, which occurred after a contractor ruptured an underground gas pipe.
Full story: Firefighters change rules for gas leaks in wake of JJ’s explosion