The Virtual MWDPTC – Nov. 5
The Midwest Damage Prevention Training Conference planning team is proud to announce that the MWDPTC is going virtual this year! This one-day virtual conference will offer a variety of educational training opportunities on Thursday, November 5, 2020. Damage prevention professionals from across the Midwest and beyond will virtually participate in interactive training sessions presented by top industry professionals, make lasting industry contacts during personalized networking events and even hear from a prominent keynote speaker. The conference is a free event, but you must register in advance. Registration will begin in late August.
Submit Locate Tickets Online to Save Time and Win Cash Prizes
Submitting a ticket through Indiana 811’s online ticketing platform is the quickest and easiest way to submit a locate request. If you’re digging at a single address, use the Single-Address Web Ticket Entry platform. If your project spans multiple addresses, use the Multi-Address Web Ticket Entry to submit a ticket online today.
This summer, when you submit locate requests via Indiana 811’s online platform rather than over the phone, you’ll also be automatically entered to win cash prizes through Indiana 811 and Kentucky 811’s “I Dig Summer” contest. No formal entry is required to participate in the “I Dig Summer” contest, which runs through Sept. 2, 2020.
Calling 8-1-1 to Request an Emergency Locate
To ensure that all emergency locates are addressed in a timely manner, Indiana 811 has protocol in place for those who are calling to report damages and request an emergency locate. If damages have occurred and you need to request an emergency locate, begin by dialing 8-1-1. Listen to the options listed and be sure to choose your correct state, then press “1” to indicate that you are calling for an emergency. By indicating this, your call will be placed in the Emergency Queue and will be answered before all other excavation callers on hold.
Private vs. Public Locates
When you contact Indiana 811, some underground utilities on your property may not be marked by Indiana 811 members because they are not owned by the member. Privately owned utilities can include common household facilities like heating systems for pools, septic tanks, electric lines to sheds, sprinkler systems and more. There’s one general rule to bear in mind to determine if a utility is considered “public” or “private.” If the utility runs from the street to the meter, it will be marked free of charge by Indiana 811 members. If it is installed from the meter to another location on your property, it is not owned by Indiana 811 members and will not be marked. To learn more about private utilities and who to contact to mark private utilities on your property for a fee, please visit www.indiana811.org/myutilities.
Indiana 811’s Positive Response
Indiana 811’s online ticketing platform offers Positive Response as an additional benefit to help members communicate more efficiently and safely with excavators. Positive Response is a system that alerts excavators when a locator has marked or cleared a locate request for safe excavation, so you don’t need to visit a jobsite to know when it’s safe to dig.
Visit Indiana 811’s Multi-Address Web Ticket Entry tool to check Positive Response—just submit your ticket ID and phone number to view the status of your request. Submit a ticket online at www.indiana811.org/submit-a-ticket.
Indiana 811, INPAA and Kentucky 811 Announce Revamped Websites
In May, Indiana 811 introduced its updated website, complete with user-friendly navigation and a fresh design. The Indiana Pipeline Awareness Association (INPAA) also recently got a total website makeover. Head over to www.inpaa.org to brush up on pipeline safety for emergency officials, excavators, public officials and more. Additionally, Kentucky 811, Indiana 811’s partner under the Underground Safety Alliance (USA) umbrella, revamped its website as well, simplifying the online ticket process for Kentucky residents and excavators. Visit www.kentucky811.org to view the new site and submit online locate requests if you’re planning to dig across the state line.
New Indiana 811 Board Members
Indiana 811 recently held its Annual Meeting, which included the election to nominate new leaders in damage prevention to the Board of Directors. To view the full list of the Indiana 811 Board Members, please visit www.indiana811.org/about/board-members/.
New Damage Prevention Liaison Team Member
Indiana 811 is pleased to announce that Mason Hubner has joined our team as a Damage Prevention Liaison – Indiana. He will play a key role in working closely with our members as an Indiana 811 liaison for outreach, education, training and trade shows. Prior to joining Indiana 811, Mason started and ran a company in the sanitation industry. Before becoming self-employed, he worked as an Operation Technician for Marathon Petroleum Corporation for over eight years.
Mason is a graduate of Purdue University with a Bachelor’s degree in Agribusiness Management. You can reach Mason at [email protected].
Did You Know?
Indiana 811 is getting new online ticketing software! In Spring 2021, Underground Safety Alliance, the umbrella not-for-profit organization for Indiana 811 and Kentucky 811, will be transitioning to a new software platform, Exactix, created by 4iQ Solutions. This new, advanced mobile-centric platform will improve the online ticketing process for members and excavators. Stay tuned for more software platform transition updates.