(Philadelphia, PA – August 7, 2006) – The Mayor’s Emergency Preparedness Review Committee (EPRC) has recognized the Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) for its readiness to respond and recover its operations in the event of a major crisis or natural disaster.

In a report recently issued by the committee, PGW’s automatic emergency contact system was described as “impressive” and that PGW had met or exceeded all established emergency readiness criteria.

“This review by the city serves to underscore our longstanding commitment to safety as our highest priority and points to our ability to respond effectively to any emergency that might occur in the future,” said Doug Oliver, PGW Director of Corporate Communications.

The city’s EPRC was formed by the Mayor’s Office in the wake of last year’s Hurricane Katrina to evaluate city-related business continuity plans and thoroughly analyze potential threats and vulnerabilities. The committee is headed by Pedro A. Ramos, Managing Director, and Dr. Harvey Rubin, Director of the University of Pennsylvania’s Institute for Strategic Threat Analysis and Response.

Founded in 1836, PGW is the nation’s largest municipally owned natural gas utility providing service to more than 500,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers.