NYSEG and IBEW Local 10 Protect Life and Property through First Responder Program
Utility and labor union together respond to more than 3,300 after-hours emergency calls statewide in 2025
Improved response plan helps keep public safe during multiple emergency situations
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — February 12, 2026 — New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) and International Brotherhood of Electric Workers (IBEW) Local 10 are highlighting their successful partnership in improving public safety through the First Responder Program.
The First Responder Program is a collaborative initiative between NYSEG and IBEW Local 10 to respond to emergency calls. While gas fitters have always responded to emergencies, the partnership between the Company and IBEW Local 10 creates a deeper roster of first responders, meaning improved response times to protect the public from events such as gas leaks, damaged gas lines, carbon monoxide calls, structure fires, and other situations.
“Protecting life and property is at the forefront of what our gas fitters do,” said Tom Scappaticci, vice president of Gas Engineering and Operations at Avangrid. “Thanks to our partnership with IBEW Local 10, we’re able to better respond to any emergency from the moment it’s called in. In the event that we are dealing with multiple emergencies at once, having a deeper bench of responders means that we can resolve situations quickly and efficiently. We couldn’t do that without support from the union.”
NYSEG received more than 3,300 after-hours emergency calls statewide in 2025 across its service territory, which covers approximately 40 percent of Upstate New York.
"Public safety, life and property, are our first responders’ number one priority," said Roman Cefali, president of IBEW Local 10. "This partnership with NYSEG is a clear example of what happens when a highly skilled and trained union workforce can use their expertise, commitment, and on-the-job experience to keep our communities safe. This program is an investment in the workers, in the public service, and the people who rely on us every day."
During their training to become fully qualified gas fitters, individuals undergo multiple progression trainings, which include first responder training. The rigorous trainings help ensure that the fitters are fully equipped with the knowledge and experience to respond to any emergency. Even after completing the training, gas fitters must re-qualify every three years to maintain their fully qualified status.
Media Contact:
Michael Baggerman
About NYSEG: New York State Electric & Gas Corporation (NYSEG) is a subsidiary of Avangrid, Inc. Established in 1852, NYSEG operates approximately 35,000 miles of electric distribution lines and 4,500 miles of electric transmission lines across more than 40% of upstate New York. It also operates more than 8,150 miles of natural gas distribution pipelines and 20 miles of gas transmission pipelines. It serves approximately 894,000 electricity customers and 266,000 natural gas customers. For more information, visit www.nyseg.com.
About Avangrid: Avangrid, Inc. is a leading energy company in the United States working to meet the growing demand for energy for homes and businesses across the nation through service, innovation, and continued investments by expanding grid infrastructure and energy generation projects. Avangrid has offices in Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, Maine, and Oregon, including operations in 23 states with approximately $48 billion in assets, and has two primary lines of business: networks and power. Through its networks business, Avangrid owns and operates eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.4 million customers in New York and New England. Through its power generation business, Avangrid owns and operates 80 energy generation facilities across the United States producing 10.5 GW of power for over 3.1 million customers. Avangrid employs approximately 8,000 people and has been recognized by JUST Capital as one of the JUST 100 companies – a ranking of America’s best corporate citizens – in 2025 for the fifth consecutive year. The company was named among the World’s Most Ethical Companies in 2025 for the seventh consecutive year by the Ethisphere Institute. Avangrid is a member of the group of companies controlled by Iberdrola, S.A. For more information, visit http://www.avangrid.com.