On Nov. 15, Lance Stocker, an M&R Technician in Alliance, was adjusting pressure on regulator stations, as he always does when the weather begins to get colder. Lance has been with Columbia Gas of Ohio for 14 years – “since the green cones,” he jokes – so, for him, it’s an annual routine.
As he pulled into a parking lot and approached the alley between a church and a customer’s house to access one station, he noticed a fire burning in a trash can that had melted to the ground. The trash can was just a few feet away from the house next door, and Lance could see the side of the porch nearest to the trash can was already charred.
“I didn’t even hesitate, I just parked the truck where I normally would, grabbed my fire extinguisher and tripped Blackline,” Lance said. “I extinguished the fire and that was it.”
The fire had been very close to the front door of the house, and just 50 feet from our station. Lance figured while the fire was now out, he wanted to make sure experts could assess the situation.
“Funny thing, first thing in the morning I was doing a fire extinguishing LMS – this is why we carry fire extinguishers,” Lance said. “Blackline responded to me and I told them I needed the fire department. They were like, ‘Well, this wasn’t that bad, but you did a good job.’”
If not for Lance’s quick actions and safety mindset, it could have been a lot worse. When firefighters knocked on the door of the home next to the fire, a woman and her young child answered. The woman, who worked afternoon shifts, was sleeping, and her child was home from school that day. Had the fire spread to their home, it could have been a catastrophe.
“Everything we do when we respond to any emergency is protect life and property,” Lance said. “It matters for everything, not just gas.”
Lance was surprised when, in mid-December, he was given a commendation by Alliance Fire Chief Jason Hunt. The official commendation applauded Lance for his “exceptional bravery, quick thinking and dedication to public safety displayed on the morning of 15 November 2024. His actions not only exemplify professional excellence but also underscore the remarkable value of vigilance and selflessness in our community.”
Lance’s actions truly exemplified the values Columbia team members strive toward every day: being safe and acting with care. However, in the moment, Lance was just trying to be a good community member – and bets any one of his coworkers would do the same.
“I would think any employee at Columbia Gas would’ve done the right thing,” he said. “I couldn’t even imagine driving down the road and leaving, just thinking, ‘I’m sure everything will be OK.’ That never even crossed my mind.”
