Monthly Update - June 2021

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Registration open for the 2021 CGA Conference & Expo    

Author: Sarah Magruder Lyle, CGA President and CEO

With just four and a half months to go until the 2021 CGA Conference & Expo in-person at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld® Oct. 12-15, 2021 in Orlando, now is the time to register and secure your spot! The CGA Conference & Expo will foster the education and networking goals of attendees by integrating CGA committee meetings, hosting industry-leading speakers, carefully curated breakout sessions and discussion groups, an interactive exhibit hall, and networking events and opportunities.

CGA recently released six comprehensive session tracks tailored to the collaborative educational goals of damage prevention leaders: Innovation; Stakeholder Engagement & Communication; Damage Prevention Process; Workplace Performance & Culture; Legislative & Regulatory Affairs; and CGA Updates. Click here to view the full educational session schedule and speakers.

Motivational speaker and author of the best-selling book “The Hero Effect® - Being Your Best When It Matters the Most” Kevin Brown will keynote the Breaking New Ground Luncheon scheduled for 12-2 p.m. EST on Wednesday, Oct. 13. I’m excited to hear Kevin speak about how the damage prevention industry can apply The Hero Effect® philosophy as we work together through CGA’s Next Practices Initiative and focus on meaningful solutions to address our industry’s most critical challenges.

CGA Conference & Expo attendees will also be able to take advantage of the 36,000 square foot exhibit floor to explore the latest tools and technology, and will enjoy dedicated networking opportunities to build relationships with other damage prevention professionals. Plus, at the Night of Networking, we’ll be celebrating CGA’s 20th year committed to preventing damages to underground infrastructure with a closing ceremony and reception recognizing the strides our industry has made over the past two decades.

I am very much looking forward to seeing you all in-person in Orlando this October! Make sure to register now on the CGA Conference & Expo website where you can also view sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities. For questions, please contact [email protected]

 

News Briefs News Icon

Partnering for a purpose

Author: Devin R. Negrete, Dig Safely New York

By now, nearly everyone has heard the phrase “It takes a village,” pointing to the teamwork and collaboration needed to make an important goal possible. This is especially true in the not-for-profit world, where staff and budgets are often lean. That is why Dig Safely New York relies on the collaborative relationships they have established with member organizations to help spread the message around the need for safe digging practices. Dig Safely New York has always found ways to work with their members to promote damage prevention, and this year they are targeting even more innovative shared campaigns. 

A shared campaign is a perfect example of a highly collaborative relationship and strategy. A member may have a specific safety focus they want to emphasize – such as safer digging in tolerance zones to reduce damages – or just a general safety reminder. Typically, the member provides a budget for campaign development and implementation, and Dig Safely New York’s marketing staff works with them to develop the creative concepts and deliverables to achieve their goals. For example, National Grid provided funds to create an engaging campaign to promote safety and Dig Safely New York staff created Grid Garden Giveaway, a contest aimed at homeowners who work – and dig – in their gardens. National Grid had a damage prevention outreach need and Dig Safely New York’s marketing staff facilitated their efforts.

Dig Safely New York also partners with member utilities for their annual nursery program, a damage prevention effort where they send out free seed packets and T-shirts to nurseries in Upstate New York. The packets have the Dig Safely New York logo and the phrase “Always 811 Before You Dig” to encourage DIYers to contact 811. Members had the opportunity to sponsor a countertop display box where they gained brand awareness and association with safe digging education.

Finally, Dig Safely New York is in the planning stages of a shared campaign with another member who has identified excavators who have either not filed tickets prior to digging, or who have caused damage to their utilities.  Dig Safely New York, as always, remains committed to safety education, damage prevention and collaboration with their partners to make that all possible.

2021 Midwest Damage Prevention Training Conference: Nov. 10-12

Author: Mary Patricia Kindt, Indiana 811 & Kentucky 811

Save the date for the 9th annual Midwest Damage Prevention Training Conference (MWDPTC), taking place Nov. 10-12, 2021. The MWDPTC Planning Team is thrilled to welcome midwestern industry stakeholders back to French Lick, Indiana this year for a week of networking, education, training and fun!

The 2021 MWDPTC will bring together damage prevention professionals, including facility operators, locators, excavators, emergency responders and more, from across Indiana, Kentucky and the entire Midwest to discuss the latest trends, laws and best practices in the industry. The conference will feature an impressive lineup of renowned safety speakers and industry subject matter experts to discuss the importance of damage prevention and safety procedures when working near underground utilities. The 2021 MWDPTC will also provide ample networking opportunities through its exhibit hall and events such as a golf tournament and horseback riding, all set in the historic beauty of the French Lick Resort and surrounding countryside.

Visit Midwest811Conference.com to learn more about the 2021 MWDPTC and to join the mailing list. Visit www.frenchlick.com to find more about the unique treasure that is the French Lick Resort. Indiana 811 and Kentucky 811 hope to see you in November!

CenterPoint Energy, Arizona 811 and OKIE 811 secure nearly 60 NSDM proclamations

Author: Tracey Bryant, CenterPoint Energy

Great teamwork was on display across Arkansas and Oklahoma for National Safe Digging Month (NSDM)! CenterPoint Energy, together with Arkansas 811 and OKIE 811, secured 57 proclamations recognizing NSDM across the two states in April.

Keith Kittinger, Regional Operations Direction at CenterPoint Energy, said, “We completed this campaign with 57 proclamations from cities, counties and states we serve. Not only increasing the awareness for digging safely, but also established or reestablished the contacts with local public officials.”   

Marathon Pipe Line, LLC partners with Ag-Pro stores to promote safe digging

Author: Bethany Moden, Marathon Pipe Line, LLC

During National Safe Digging Month (NSDM) in April, Marathon Pipe Line, LLC partnered with five Ohio Ag-Pro store locations across Ohio to promote and educate their staff and customers on safe digging practices. Ag-Pro's main customer base includes large ag, small ag, construction and landscaping professionals. The month-long partnership included outside high traffic signage, in-store signage and digital promotion, as well as an enter-to-win contest that reached over 10,000 people.

Member Tools & Resources Feature Icon

New Best Practices infographics available online

Author: Erika Lee, CGA Vice President

CGA recently released the following new infographics focusing on some of the most accessed Best Practices of the annual Best Practices Guide:

  • 3-31: Enhanced Positive Response
  • 4-3/4-8: Color Code and Facility Marking
  • 5-1: One Call Facility Locate Request
  • 5-19/5-20: Excavation with Tolerance Zone

We hope our members find these resources helpful when sharing Best Practices content online – whether it’s your organization’s website, social media pages or newsletters. We will continue to develop and upload new infographics, as well as other resources to the Best Practices toolkit as they become available. Click here to download the latest infographics now.

Stay tuned for updates on CGA Best Practices 18.0 coming to your inbox soon. For questions, contact Erika Lee at [email protected].

National Garden Week: June 6-12

Author: Khrysanne Kerr, VP of Marketing and Outreach 

National Garden Week (June 6-12) serves as a great opportunity to remind the public about safe digging practices during projects, big or small. With nearly 2 in 5 homeowners planning to dig without calling 811 (according to CGA’s 2021 omnibus study), it is critical our industry continues to promote the safe digging message year-round. Our member toolkits promoting 811 include social media messages, infographics and logos, member case studies and materials for kids, as well as resources related to the 2021 results of CGA’s annual omnibus national survey. Click here to access the toolkit catalog on our website.

Data & Technology Data & Technology Icon

Technology Report webinar scheduled for June 9

Author: Steve Blaney, DIRT Program Manager

The CGA Technology Committee will host a webinar to discuss the fourth annual Technology Report, “Technology Advancements and Gaps in Underground Safety 2021” on Thursday, June 9 at 2 p.m. EST. The webinar will highlight the four member case studies featured in the report: One Call Concepts, Sawback Technologies, Inc., Unearth Technologies, Inc. and Pelican Corp. Representatives from each organization will join Technology Committee members to provide a brief overview of their case studies and answer attendee questions.

Click here to register for the webinar. For questions, contact Steve Blaney at [email protected].

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Register for CGA virtual summer committee meetings (June 15-17)

Author: Erika Lee, CGA Vice President

We are looking forward to hosting the CGA Summer Committee Meetings virtually Tuesday, June 15 through Thursday, June 17. The meetings will be condensed and focus on facilitated roundtable discussions, key program updates and task team reports. Active committee members can register now to attend. If you’re interested in collaborating with other damage prevention stakeholders to improve our industry, you can join a committee today or request to attend the committee meetings as a guest to get an idea of which committee best suits your interest and skillset.

View the full meeting schedule, request guest registration and register to attend the virtual meetings on the Engage platform. Please reach out to CGA staff with any questions at [email protected]

CGA’s Sponsorship Summit webinar available online

Author: Khrysanne Kerr, VP of Marketing and Outreach   

Last month, CGA hosted the Sponsorship Summit webinar to educate attendees about the many exciting sponsorship opportunities we have to get brands in front of our nearly 1,800 members. Topics covered included the 2021 CGA Conference & Expo, Food for Thought webinar series, CGAlert e-newsletter advertising, and more. For those that were unable to attend or would like to re-watch, click here to watch a recording of the webinar on CGA’s website. For questions, contact Khrysanne Kerr at [email protected].

The Utility Expo coming this September

Author: Khrysanne Kerr, VP of Marketing and Outreach   

Registration for The Utility Expo (formerly ICUEE) on Sept. 28-30 in Louisville, Ky. is now open. Don’t miss this opportunity to meet in-person with top manufacturers and service providers from all segments of the utility industry. Attendees that register by July 2 will receive 40% off. Click here to learn more about the show and to register.

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