For Immediate Release
May 12, 2021
BEAUFORT - The Town of Beaufort is experiencing effects from limited fuel supplies caused by the cyber-attack to Colonial Pipeline, which services much of the East Coast.
The Town urges residents and visitors to use conservation practices. While the Town doesn’t have control over fuel supply and distribution, we are monitoring the situation. We are taking steps to conserve our fuel supplies to support emergency services, public safety, and critical utility and infrastructure needs. At this time, all Town operations will continue as staff consolidates and minimizes travel to the extent possible while maintaining routine services.
Please remain patient as Colonial Pipeline works to restore services and supplies. In a statement issued just after 5 p.m. on May 12, Colonial Pipeline said they have initiated the restart of pipeline operations.
“Following this restart, it will take several days for the product delivery supply chain to return to normal. Some markets served by Colonial Pipeline may experience, or continue to experience, intermittent service interruptions during the start-up period. Colonial will move as much gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel as is safely possible and will continue to do so until markets return to normal,” the operations update from Colonial Pipeline states.
The Beaufort Police Department is monitoring internal usage while continuing to answer calls for service. “Staff have been advised to limit idling as much as possible and to be smart in their proactive patrolling,” said Beaufort Police Chief Paul Burdette. “Our responses to calls for service have not been impacted. We still attempt to answer as many questions over the phone and take reports over the phone as appropriate, consistent with previous measures taken because of COVID-19.”
Additionally, the Beaufort Police Department is monitoring the Speedway on Live Oak Street and assisting with traffic during periods of high demand. Please remember to be patient as there is the potential for long wait times when supplies become available.
Beaufort Fire Chief Tony Ray said Wednesday, “The fire department is operating with considerations of fuel conservation. The Fire Department is answering all emergency calls and calls for service as expected. Crews are treating all travel as essential yet maintaining the day to day activities to operate efficiently and effectively.”
Town emergency services have been working with local and county resources to secure fuel for Town of Beaufort emergency vehicles for the foreseeable future.
Planning and Inspections Director Kyle Garner stated his department is scheduling inspections by geographic region to reduce travel as possible.
If you are visiting the area this week and have concerns about returning home this weekend, you are encouraged to remain patient and conserve your fuel as much as possible. Contact your rental agency for questions and to discuss your options if fuel supplies continue to restrict your ability to commute.
Gasbuddy.com is a valuable resource to help individuals locate gas stations with gasoline and diesel fuel near their location.
Tips from the U.S. Department of Energy on ways you can conserve fuel:
- Minimize idling your car by turning off your engine when your vehicle is parked for more than 10 seconds. Idling can use a quarter to a half gallon of fuel per hour, depending on engine size and air conditioner use, adding up to three cents of wasted fuel a minute.
- Drive sensibly and avoid aggressive driving, such as speeding, rapid acceleration, and hard braking. Aggressive driving can lower your highway gas mileage by up to 33% and your city mileage by 5%.
- Avoid high speeds. Above 50 mph, gas mileage drops rapidly. For every 5 mph above 50 mph, it is like paying an additional $0.19 per gallon of gasoline.
- Reduce drag by placing items inside the car or trunk rather than on roof racks, which can decrease your fuel economy by up to 8% in city driving and up to 25% at Interstate speeds.
- Avoid keeping heavy items in your car; an extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could increase your gas costs by up to $.03 cents per gallon.
- Combine errands. Several short trips, each one taken from a cold start, can use twice as much fuel as one trip covering the same distance when the engine is warm.
- Check into telecommuting, carpooling, public transit and active transportation like bicycling or walking to save on fuel and car maintenance costs.