New York City’s Fire Department has started responding to all reports of gas odors that the city receives, a significant change in policy put into effect in the wake of an explosion in East Harlem in March that killed eight people.

Under the new protocol, calls to the city’s 311 information line from people who think they smell gas will be transferred to 911 and result in a response by the Fire Department. Traditionally, a utility company used to respond first to most calls. The new procedures were detailed in a report issued on Wednesday by a task force on the city’s underground infrastructure.

“We’re essentially cutting out the utilities” as emergency responders to potential gas leaks, said Marti Adams, a spokeswoman for the office of Mayor Bill de Blasio. Utilities have traditionally advised customers to report gas odors to them, but “now we’re cutting all that out and just telling them to call 911,” Ms. Adams said.

Consolidated Edison has said that it receives more than 30,000 gas-odor calls annually and responds to all of them, but notifies the Fire Department only about those that it considers urgent.