Event Overview
When a gas emergency or customer outage occurs, clear command and coordination are critical. This course is designed for operations, safety, and emergency response team personnel who are responsible for managing fast-moving, high-risk distribution incidents. Participants will gain a practical understanding of how the Incident Command System (ICS) is used during gas distribution leak emergencies and outage responses. The training focuses on real-world application—how ICS establishes clear leadership, communication, and coordination so responders can act quickly, safely, and in alignment with regulatory and organizational expectations.
The course covers core ICS principles, roles, and processes with emphasis on scaling ICS appropriately for distribution incidents rather than large-scale disasters. Participants will explore how ICS supports effective decision-making, situational awareness, and coordination across operations, safety, communications, and leadership during time-critical events. Mutual Aid is also addressed, including how to integrate external crews into an established command structure, set clear expectations, and maintain consistent communication and work coordination. By the end of the course, participants will understand how consistent use of ICS improves response efficiency, reduces confusion, and supports safe, organized restoration of service during emergencies and outages.
The course will be taught in two sessions:
Session 1: 6/23/26, 9–11 AM (2 Hours) will review the basic principles of Emergency Planning and Response, ICS, Mutual Aid pluses/minuses, and the SGA/NGA Emergency Preparedness and Response Tactical Guide and Emergency Response Quick Tips. Planning considerations.
Session 2: 6/30/26, 9-11 AM (2 Hours) will be a participative workshop for sharing individual company response plans, scenario group discussions, and response Lessons Learned.
Attendees will receive 2 Professional Development Hours (PDH) upon completion.
Course Objectives
- Explain the purpose and structure of the Incident Command System (ICS) and its application to gas distribution emergencies and outages, applying ICS
- Apply core ICS roles, responsibilities, and processes to establish clear command, communication, and coordination during incident response.
- Integrate Mutual Aid resources into an existing command structure to support safe, efficient emergency response and service restoration.
Who Should Attend
PSMS stakeholders, leadership, compliance, engineers, company emergency personnel, and general PSMS users
Meet Your Instructor
Mark Weesner
P-PIC
Meet Your Instructor
Dan McNamara
P-PIC
Dan is a retired gas utilities operations and pipeline safety management professional with over 40 years of experience leading large field operations organizations in safely operating, maintaining, and constructing gas distribution assets. Dan is also an industry expert on pipeline safety management systems and led to the initial implementation of PSMS at National Grid.
His gas utility operations experience and pipeline safety background working for both a global investor owned Utility, and for a utility contractor, give him a full understanding and unique perspective of the challenges facing a utility, as well as its contractors in safely operating and constructing a gas distribution network in densely populated urban areas with aging infrastructure.
Prior to joining P-Pic, as a senior fellow, Dan was the VP of Pipeline Safety for a large gas utility construction contractor in the Northeast that specialized in gas utility construction and maintenance in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York. Dan started his utility career at Colonial Gas Company in Lowell, Massachusetts as a field technician and progressed through all levels of gas operations leadership at the former Boston Gas and KeySpan Energy companies, and ultimately National Grid. Dan retired from National Grid in 2018 as a VP of Pipeline Safety Management.
Dan joined P-Pic in early 2021 and was assigned to a year-long project at Deloitte as a utility operations and pipeline safety subject matter expert, supporting Deloitte in the development of an asset and work management platform. For the past three years Dan has participated in multiple API 1173 pipeline safety assessments in support of the NGA PSMS Collaborative, as well as similar assessments for utility clients. Dan has been instrumental in assisting NGA/SGA in the development of PSMS Tactical Guides and other materials focused on helping to embed PSMS into daily planning and work execution activities.
Education
- B.S. Political Science
- Trinity College Hartford Ct
Certifications
- AGA Executive Leadership Program
- Harvard Business School on Negotiations
