Safety and Emergency Protocol

The one rule above all others

Safety first, booking second. On a dangerous call you do not collect the address, pitch the membership or check the board first. You give the safety steps, you get the caller moving, and only after people are safe do you book a technician.

You are not a technician, a firefighter or a doctor, and you are not in the home. So you never decide that something is safe. You do not say "it's probably just the batteries" or "that smell is normal". When there is any doubt, you treat it as the dangerous version.

Why you cannot call 911 for them

Emergency numbers in the US are local. From Bangladesh, the Philippines or Egypt you cannot dial US 911 for a caller. That means your words must get the caller to act for themselves: leave the house, then call 911, the fire department or the utility from a safe place. If a caller cannot act (for example they say someone has collapsed and they are alone and panicking), tell them clearly to hang up and call 911 now, then escalate to the on-call manager immediately so a US-based person can follow up.

The safety screen: ask on every relevant call

Ask the safety screen on every heating, gas, carbon monoxide, electrical, water or burning-smell call. It takes 15 seconds. Ask in plain words and wait for each answer.

1. "Before anything else, do you smell gas, or is a carbon monoxide alarm going off?"
2. "Is there any smoke, burning smell, sparks, or water near anything electrical?"
3. "Is anyone in the home feeling sick, dizzy or having a headache?"
4. "Is there an infant, anyone over 65, or anyone with a medical condition at home?"
5. For plumbing: "Is water actively leaking right now, and is sewage backing up anywhere?"
6. For gas appliances: "Is the flame on any gas appliance yellow or flickering instead of blue?" (Treat a yes as a possible carbon monoxide risk and follow the CO steps.)

If every answer is no, note "Safety screen: clear" and continue booking. If any answer is yes, stop and go to the matching protocol below.

Protocol 1: Gas smell

Natural gas has an added smell like rotten eggs or sulfur. A gas leak can explode. Any spark can ignite it, including a light switch, a phone, a doorbell, a garage door opener or a car starting.

Exact steps

1. Interrupt and give the instruction to leave now.
2. Tell them not to touch switches, appliances, phones or garage doors inside, and not to start a car in or near the garage.
3. Tell them not to look for the leak or turn any gas valves.
4. Tell them to call 911 or the gas utility once they are well away from the house.
5. Tell them to stay out until the utility or fire department says it is safe.
6. Tell them you will call back, and agree on the number.
7. End the call quickly so they can move.
8. Escalate to the on-call manager immediately, log the call, then call back at the agreed time.

What you say

You: For your safety, I need everyone to leave the house right now, including pets. Please don't flip any light switches or use any appliances on the way out, and don't open the garage door. You: Once you're well away from the house, call 911 or your gas company from outside. Don't go back in until they tell you it's safe. You: I'll call you back in 15 minutes on this number to set up a technician once you're safe. Please hang up and go now.

Why it works: short orders in the right sequence, a clear next contact, and the call ends fast so the caller moves.

If they say: "It's just a faint smell, I don't want to make a fuss."

You: I understand. Even a faint gas smell needs to be checked by the gas company, and they come out for exactly this. Please step outside and call them from there. It's always better to be safe.

Do not negotiate further. Repeat the leave-and-call instruction. Escalate either way.

If they say: "Can't your technician just come and check it?"

You: We'll send a technician as soon as the gas company or fire department has cleared the home. They have to make it safe first. Please go outside and call them now, and I'll call you back to set up our visit.

If they say: "I already called the gas company, they shut it off."

You: Thank you for doing that. Did they say it's safe to be back inside? (If yes:) Good. Let's get a technician out to check the system and get you back up and running.

Then book per the Priority and Dispatch Standard. Note the utility visit and any red tag (a tag the utility puts on equipment that must not be used).

Protocol 2: Carbon monoxide (CO) alarm or symptoms

Carbon monoxide has no smell and no colour. It can come from a cracked furnace heat exchanger, a blocked flue, a gas water heater, a stove or a car in an attached garage. Headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion and sleepiness are warning signs. Several people or pets feeling sick at the same time is a strong warning sign.

The Narqix rule: you never decide that a CO alarm is "probably the batteries" or "a false alarm". Every sounding CO alarm and every report of CO symptoms goes to fresh air and 911 or the fire department first. You book a technician only after the all-clear.

Exact steps

1. Tell them to get everyone, including pets, outside into fresh air now.
2. Tell them to call 911 or the fire department from outside.
3. Ask if anyone feels sick. If yes, they must tell 911 that.
4. Tell them to stay out until the fire department says it is safe.
5. Agree on a callback, end the call, escalate to on-call, log, call back.

What you say

You: Please get everyone, including pets, outside into fresh air right now, and call 911 or the fire department from outside. You: Is anyone feeling dizzy, sick or having a headache? (If yes:) Please tell 911 that right away. You: Don't go back in until the fire department tells you it's safe. I'll call you back in 20 minutes on this number. Please go now.

If they say: "It's chirping, not a loud alarm."

A slow chirp every 30 to 60 seconds is often a low battery or end-of-life signal, but you do not make that call. Say:

You: I can't tell from here whether that's a battery or a real warning, so let's be safe. Please follow the instructions on the alarm, and if you're unsure, or anyone feels unwell, go outside and call 911 or the fire department. I'm also going to have a technician check your gas appliances.

Escalate to on-call and note exactly what the caller described.

If they say: "The fire department already came and cleared us."

You: I'm glad everyone's safe. Did they say which appliance it came from, or leave anything turned off? Let's get a technician out to inspect it before it's used again.

Book as top priority per client rules. Note what the fire department said and any appliance left off.

Protocol 3: Smoke, burning smell, sparks or electrical danger

Exact steps

1. If there is smoke, flames, sparks or a hot or buzzing electrical panel: leave the house and call 911 from outside.
2. If an HVAC system smells like burning but there is no smoke: turn the system off at the thermostat, then keep away from the equipment.
3. Never tell the caller to open the electrical panel, touch wires, reset breakers repeatedly or unplug anything that is hot, smoking or sparking.
4. Escalate to on-call (electrical or HVAC per the trade) and log.

What you say

You: Is there any smoke, flame or sparking right now? (If yes:) Please get everyone out of the house now and call 911 from outside. Don't touch the panel or any outlets. You: (If burning smell from the heating or cooling system, no smoke:) Please turn the system off at the thermostat now and keep away from the unit. If you see smoke or it gets stronger, leave the house and call 911.

Protocol 4: Flooding, active leaks and sewage

Exact steps

1. Ask if water is near outlets, cords, appliances or the electrical panel. If yes, tell them to stay out of the water, keep away from the area and call the electric utility or 911. Do not walk them into a flooded room to reach anything.
2. If water is not near electrical and the client has approved the shut-off script, help them find the main water shut-off valve (often where the water line enters the house, in a basement, garage, utility closet or near the water heater, or at the street meter). If they cannot find it quickly or it will not turn, stop. Do not tell them to force it.
3. For a leaking water heater, the client may approve a script to turn off the cold water supply valve on top of the tank. Use it only if approved.
4. Sewage backing up: tell them to stop using water (no flushing, no washing machine, no showers) and keep people and pets away from the sewage.
5. Book an emergency plumber per priority rules and escalate if after hours.

What you say

You: First, is any of the water near outlets, cords or the electrical panel? (If yes:) Please stay out of the water and keep everyone away from that area. Call your electric company or 911 from a safe spot. You: (If no, and the shut-off script is approved:) Do you know where your main water shut-off is? It's usually where the water line comes into the house. Turning it off will stop the water while we get a plumber to you. You: (Sewage:) Please stop using all water in the house for now, including toilets and the washing machine, and keep everyone away from the backed-up area.

Protocol 5: No heat or no cooling with vulnerable people

No heat in freezing weather, or no cooling in extreme heat, can be life-threatening for infants, people over 65, pregnant people and anyone with heart, lung or other medical conditions.

Exact steps

1. Ask about vulnerable people on every no-heat and no-cool call.
2. If anyone feels unwell (confusion, very cold skin, shivering that will not stop, or in heat: dizziness, fainting, vomiting, very hot skin), tell them to call 911 now.
3. Treat the call as top priority under your client's tiers. Offer the earliest slot and escalate to dispatch or on-call.
4. Share only general, safe comfort advice that the client approves.
5. Note the vulnerable person and the inside temperature in the job notes.

What you say

You: Is there anyone at home who's very young, over 65, or has a medical condition? (If yes:) Thank you for telling me. I'm marking this as a priority and getting it to our dispatch team right now. You: If anyone starts to feel unwell, please call 911 straight away. Don't wait for us.

Safe general advice (only if your client approves)

• Cold: gather in one room, close doors to unused rooms, wear layers, use blankets.
• Heat: go to the coolest room, close blinds, drink water, consider a local cooling centre or a friend's home.

Escalation and documentation after any safety call

Step	What you do	Time limit
1	Give safety steps, end the call so the caller can act	Immediately
2	Notify the on-call manager or dispatcher using your campaign's escalation method	Within 2 minutes
3	Log the call as a safety escalation in the field service management system	Within 5 minutes
4	Call the customer back at the agreed time	As promised
5	Once cleared, book the technician per the Priority and Dispatch Standard	On callback
6	Include the call in your written shift handoff	End of shift

Safety call note format

Practice drill

Run this drill with a partner until each protocol takes under 45 seconds.

Caller says	Protocol	First words you say
"The house smells like rotten eggs."	Gas	"For your safety, I need everyone to leave the house right now."
"The alarm in the hallway keeps beeping and my head hurts."	CO	"Please get everyone outside into fresh air right now and call 911."
"The outlet behind the TV is black and smells hot."	Electrical	"Is there any smoke or sparking? Please don't touch it."
"The water heater is pouring water across the garage floor near the freezer plug."	Flooding near electrical	"Please keep away from the water near that plug."
"No heat since last night. My mum is 82 and it's 20 degrees outside."	No heat, vulnerable	"Thank you for telling me, I'm marking this as a priority right now."

Check yourself

1. A caller says the CO alarm is going off but everyone feels fine and they think it is the battery. What do you do?
2. Why do you not collect the address first on a gas smell call?
3. Name three things a caller must not touch or use while leaving a home with a gas smell.
4. A caller with no heat says they are using the oven to warm the kitchen. What do you say?
5. Within how many minutes do you notify on-call after a safety call?

Answers

1. You still send them outside to fresh air and tell them to call 911 or the fire department. You never decide it is the battery.
2. Because every second inside matters. Safety steps first, then you call back to book once they are safe.
3. Any three of: light switches, appliances, phones, doorbells, garage door openers, cars in or near the garage, gas valves.
4. Tell them to stop using the oven for heat and get fresh air, because it can produce carbon monoxide. Follow the CO protocol if anyone feels unwell, and treat the no-heat call as a priority.
5. Within 2 minutes.

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