More than 300 industry professionals attend 2021 Greater Chesapeake Damage Prevention Training Conference in Ocean City
Author: Matt Ruddo, Miss Utility/One Call Concepts
After making the difficult decision to postpone the 2020 Greater Chesapeake Damage Prevention Training Conference (GCDPTC), title sponsors Miss Utility of Maryland/District One Call and Miss Utility of Delmarva were very excited to welcome back hundreds of damage prevention professionals to the 2021 GCDPTC, which took place in October at the Clarion Resort Fontainebleau Hotel in Ocean City, Md.
The conference, which had more than 300 registrants, was the collaborative effort of partners across the Greater Chesapeake region, including 34 sponsor organizations and a sold-out exhibit hall of more than 40 exhibitors. Dr. Bertice Berry, a best-selling author and award-winning lecturer, kicked off the conference with a keynote that captivated and inspired attendees as they entered two days of informative training sessions, including demonstrations from New York 811 of its new Virtual Reality Excavator Simulator, which features cutting-edge 4D technology creating endless variations of real-world situations; updates from Maryland Occupational Safety and Health (MOSH), the Common Ground Alliance (CGA) and One Call Concepts, Inc.; and a Pandemic Panel with representatives from key stakeholder groups across Maryland, Delaware and Washington, D.C., who shared the unique challenges their organizations faced when the COVID-19 pandemic began, and how they overcame those obstacles to remain focused on and committed to damage prevention.
Attendees participated in the conference’s multiple networking events, including the annual cornhole and golf tournaments, as well as the first-ever "paint and sip" event – led by award-winning paint party service TC Studios – where attendees painted wine and beer glasses during a two-hour guided class while enjoying lunch and networking with other industry professionals.
The conference also honored some of the safest contractors in Maryland and Washington, D.C., for the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 Dig Smart Awards, including: Anchor Construction Corporation, 2019-2020 Excellence Award Winner and 2020-2021 Washington, D.C. Winner; BF Joy, LLC, 2020-2021 Excellence Award Winner; Flippo Construction Company Inc., 2019-2020 Washington, D.C. Winner and 2020-2021 Maryland Winner; Gaines and Company, 2019-2020 Maryland Winner; and M Luis Construction Co., Inc., 2020-2021 Honorable Mention Recipient.
Through generous donations at the cornhole tournament and a 50/50 raffle, GCDPTC attendees and sponsors raised a total of $1,215 for Construction Angels, which provides assistance to families who have lost a loved one as a result of a work-related accident. The GCDPTC’s “$811 Dig for Cash” game – where two lucky attendees took home a combined more than $750 – closed out the conference during grand door prizes, making for a very memorable final day.
Save the date for next year’s conference! The GCDPTC will return to Ocean City, Md., from Oct. 25-28, 2022.