Municipalities, counties, states and the federal government at intervals conduct scheduled or unannounced drills to test and prepare emergency services in the event a real disaster or emergency occurs.

For the small borough of Coplay, a gas malfunction that occurred two weeks ago was not a drill. A problem at a regulator station left homes in the town without heat Jan. 23-24, one of the coldest days of the winter.

Plaudits go to the teamwork that resolved what certainly could have evolved into a crisis. Those involved confronted the situation with reason and calm, including UGI professionals, residents, elected officials, police, fire, EMS, Red Cross and a Lehigh Valley CART (Lehigh Valley Count Animal Response Team), which set up to assist pets.

UGI blanketed the borough with personnel, vans, cars and trucks and lit up the streets at night with rotating yellow lights. Townspeople and local officials praised the utility company for how well prepared its personnel were and how efficiently they handled the situation.

With its own command center located at the Coplay Saengerbund parking lot, three blocks from where crews were busy making repairs to the regulator, the plans were mapped out. Lehigh County also had its emergency command post at the Fifth Street and Schreiber Avenue site. The lot was filled with UGI vehicles. Later the borough parkway lot was filled with numerous UGI personnel and vehicles, some coming as far away as the Wilkes-Barre and Scranton areas.

Whitehall Township homes on several streets bordering Coplay were also affected. Township police joined borough police and UGI personnel to make certain the gas was turned off. With the aid of a locksmith, a UGI employee and police officer entered about 20 residences where no one was home. Once inside, officials shut off the gas, and left a notice to call UGI.

The Coplay municipal building was turned into headquarters for the public to obtain information. It was also the site of a press conference in the evening of Jan. 23.

The borough's entire roster was involved, from EMS Coordinator Tim Keller to Police Chief Vince Genovese, to coordinate the efforts.

UGI picked up the tab so the Red Cross could serve food for residents and anyone assisting with the repairs. Cots were brought to the auditorium in case anyone wanted to stay overnight.

UGI had a minimum of 100 hotel vouchers available to residents but, with notice gas could be restored later in the night or morning, people opted to stay home. Many used a space heater to provide heat.

For the most part, residents answered the knock on their doors later in the evening for a UGI worker to "light up" their gas service. However, in some parts of town, low pressure failed to bring back the service, requiring crews to continue with repairs. Many workers remained on duty for two shifts or more.

The gas problem brought CBS Channel 10 from Philadelphia to the borough for two days. For UGI, however, work in the borough continued several more days.