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When a gas line gets hit and starts blowing, there’s no time to hesitate. You follow the SOP, move fast, and get it shut off. For most utility crews, that’s business as usual.
But even when you know your protocol inside and out, every emergency throws something new at you: inclement weather, information gaps, or access issues. The work is high-stakes, no matter how often you do it.
When seconds count, the tool in your hand matters more than most people realize. Traditional squeeze tools can require wide trenches, awkward positioning, or trench entry—all adding precious minutes you can’t afford.
This guide explores how the right squeeze tool can help your crew work faster and more safely during emergency response, while complying with your existing procedures.
911 Realities: What Crews Face on an Emergency Call
Most emergency squeeze-offs start the same way: a contractor or homeowner skips the 811 call, digs blind, and hits a gas line.
From there, things escalate quickly. While water line breaks are messy and expensive, a ruptured gas line can lead to outages, explosions, and other serious safety threats.
Every minute lost increases risks:
- Gas migrates into nearby structures through soil, cracks, and conduits.
- Pressure builds around the break, expanding the risk zone.
- Downstream customers—including hospitals or businesses—lose service.
- Inspection and restoration demands skyrocket.
The faster the shutoff, the better the outcome. Regardless of your protocol, having a tool that supports rapid response is essential.
SOPs Vary—Your Tool Should Fit Them All
Every utility has its own standard operating procedures. Even across neighboring districts, emergency squeeze-off protocols can vary. Your SOP might dictate:
- How close to the leak you can dig: directly at the source or upstream.
- Who authorizes the shutoff: field crews, supervisors, or engineers remotely assessing the situation.
- How fast the pipe can be compressed: gradual reduction or immediate closure based on system pressure.
- What happens to the squeezed pipe: removed entirely and replaced, or inspected, marked, and kept in use.
Consider an example:
- Company A allows field supervisors to authorize a squeeze directly at the leak and reround the pipe if damage is minimal.
- Company B requires engineer approval by phone, mandates digging upstream, and replaces the pipe no matter what.
While these utilities follow very different rules, they both have the same goal: to stop the flow of gas as quickly and compliantly as possible. No matter how your SOP is written, the right tool should help you follow it faster, not get in the way.
Where Traditional Squeeze Tools Fall Short
Gas emergencies rarely happen in ideal conditions. Crews often deal with unstable ground, limited access, and public pressure. This is where traditional tools fall short.
Most conventional tools require:
- Large excavations to expose the full pipe, often five feet by five feet or larger
- Digging underneath the pipe to apply the clamp, adding time and complexity
- Trench entry to position and operate the tool, even for those labeled “remote” or “keyhole compatible”
In an emergency, these steps add up to lost time and increased risk. Delayed shutoffs mean:
- More gas loss and higher safety risks
- More exposure to hazards like unstable soil or migrating gas
- Greater equipment and labor demands when response time is critical
How Timberline Tool Natural Gas Squeeze Tools Improve Emergency Response
You can’t control where or when an emergency hits, but you can control how well your tools perform when it does. Timberline’s squeeze tools are designed to minimize excavation, reduce crew exposure, and adapt to any SOP without sacrificing safety or speed.
TopReach Squeeze Tools
Best for: larger pipes (2–6″), deep trenches, or keyhole work
- Top-down operation allows crews to work from the surface, with no trench entry.
- Side-to-side squeeze eliminates the need to dig under the pipe.
- Long handles keep crews safely above hazards.
- Tools are truly keyhole compatible, requiring only an 18″ opening.
TopSide SqueezeTools
Best for: small pipes (1″ or less), tight spaces, shallow digs
- Side-to-side squeeze design eliminates the need to access under the pipe.
- Minimal excavation is required—just enough to reach the pipe’s sidewall.
- Extension handles are available for deeper access.
- Self-locking rotating sleeve adjusts to pipe size.
Trusted by Crews Across the US
Today, Timberline squeeze tools are used by a growing number of gas and water utilities across the country. Ask around at any trade show or jobsite, and you’ll hear the same thing: once a crew uses a Timberline tool, they don’t want to go back.
Why? Because these tools make the job easier, safer, and faster from day one. Crews can shut off gas or water more quickly, dig smaller holes, stay above ground, and deal with fewer setup hassles—all while remaining compliant with their utilities procedures.
Emergency Squeeze-Off Comparison Table
| Feature | Conventional Tool | Timberline Tool |
| Hole Size Needed | Often requires 5′ × 5′ trench or larger | Accesses pipe through a compact 18″ keyhole |
| Digging Under Pipe | Required to position tool beneath the pipe | Not required—side-to-side squeeze from above |
| Crew Exposure | Must enter trench or approach live leak closely | Stay above ground with long-handle surface operation |
| Speed to Shutoff | Slower—more digging, setup time, and positioning | Fast, controlled shutoff—even in high-pressure scenarios |
| Versatility | Extra digging limits real keyhole compatibility | Fully compatible with keyhole and conventional excavations |
| SOP Compatibility | May require workarounds or exceptions | Adapts to any SOP—no retraining or workflow changes |
You Already Know the Job. Now Make It Easier.
Emergency squeeze-offs aren’t new. You’ve done them before, and you’ll do them again (and again, and again). What changes from job to job are the conditions, visibility, and pressure.
You can’t control your SOP or where the next break will happen. But the real inefficiencies often come from tools that demand more than the moment allows: wide trenches, multiple crew members, extra setup time.
Timberline tools help you:
- Reduce delays when pressure is highest and bystanders are watching
- Minimize digging in precisely the situations where excavation is most challenging
- Work from above, even in tight conditions where conventional tools fail
- Shut off lines faster without compromising safety or compliance standards
Crews across the country are making the switch to Timberline because they know the difference the right tool can make.
Ready to join them? Contact our team to find the right tool for your emergency response playbook.