THE DIRT – March 2022
Save the Date for the 2022 MWDPTC!
Mark your calendars for the 10th Annual Midwest Damage Prevention Training Conference (MWDPTC), Nov. 9-11, 2022, at the French Lick Resort in French Lick, Indiana! This year’s conference will mark a decade of the MWDPTC bringing industry professionals together for damage prevention networking, education, training, and cooperative problem solving.
Over the next few months, be sure to check the conference website for important updates on educational sessions, networking events and more. The website is also where you can find a highlight video from the 2021 conference and last year’s session presentations to give you an idea of all that the conference offers. Registration will open in May.
Click here to learn more about the MWDPTC. We look forward to seeing you in French Lick this November!
Justin Sell Announced as USA’s New Executive Director
Last month, the board of directors of Underground Safety Alliance (USA), the umbrella non-profit organization for Indiana 811 and Kentucky 811, announced Justin Sell as the organization’s new Executive Director.
Sell has been with the organization since 2011 and most recently served as Director of Operations and Technology for the last four years. In 2021, Sell led USA’s transition to a new software platform, Exactix, which serves as the technology backbone of the organization.
In his new role, Sell will lead all strategic planning, administration, program execution and staff management for Indiana 811 and Kentucky 811. He will also provide thoughtful, fiscally sound recommendations and counsel to the USA Board of Directors. Please join us in welcoming Justin to his new role! Click here to read the full announcement here.
Updated Outreach Tools and Logos for NSDM
National Safe Digging Month (NSDM) is nearly here and is an excellent time to share the critical safe digging message as the weather warms and people pick up their shovels for their outdoor projects. To help remind professionals and homeowners alike to always contact 811 before any project ahead of the heavy dig season, Indiana 811 offers many helpful communication tools on our website.
Visit the marketing page of Indiana 811’s website for a NSDM press release template, talking points and other helpful media relations materials. This page also contains Indiana 811’s suite of logos you can incorporate into your communications on social media, your website and more – including new Exactix logos to encourage online ticket submissions and the newly updated Holey Moley logo.
Visit the Indiana 811 website to get started. Thank you for your continued dedication to safe digging, during NSDM and every month of the year!
Indiana 811 at Large Events
A key part of damage prevention is raising awareness about Indiana 811’s services and encouraging more Hoosiers to contact 811 before they dig. We were proud to once again be the presenting sponsor of the Indiana Flower + Patio Show, held March 12-20 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. The show was an excellent opportunity to get in front of homeowners and landscapers before their next project to remind them to always contact 811 before they dig, regardless of the size and scope of the project. Plus, attendees enjoyed discounted tickets with promo code 811 to reinforce the safe digging message ahead of the event.
811 was also represented earlier this year at the Indianapolis Boat, Sport & Travel Show, where The Direction’s Mark Stowe shared the importance of contacting 811 before you dig at the 811 booth on the Expo floor. We’re grateful to have the national 811 Before You Dig message represented to our local community of outdoor enthusiasts by such a dedicated supporter of damage prevention!
Indiana 811 Digs in to New Promotions
Indiana 811 is looking forward to entering peak digging season with some exciting new campaigns designed to raise awareness of 811 among Indiana residents!
Starting in May, Indiana 811 and On the Spot Utility Locating will partner with local Evansville TV station 14 News for an eye-catching promotion. The 14 News website’s live Penguin Cam, featuring the penguins of Evansville’s Musker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden, will host fun Indiana 811 messaging and graphics, including our beloved mascot Holey Moley, to remind viewers of all the vital infrastructure buried below the surface. Site visitors will be reminded in a unique way to contact 811 before digging for their next project!
Indiana 811 is also continuing its longstanding partnership with the Indianapolis Indians baseball team to promote the 811 Before You Dig message at the ballpark and beyond this baseball season. In addition to traditional in-stadium signage promoting contacting 811 before you dig, Indiana 811 will sponsor a series of new educational videos between innings to share valuable information about the 811 process with homeowners.
Plus, the Indians will host a month-long social media sweepstakes in April for a lucky winner to receive a lawn makeover, courtesy of the Indians ground crew and sponsored by Indiana 811! These additional promotions are sure to further educate the community about the importance of 811 as they get outside this spring. Indiana 811 thanks the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission for its partnership on many of these sponsorship elements.
What Was New in February ’22
Indiana 811 receives tens of thousands of ticket requests each month online and over the phone—we processed 88,139 tickets in February 2022 alone! We’re pleased to share a few tantalizing tidbits from February that show some positive strides in our ticketing system efficiency and the overall use of Indiana 811 year-over-year:
These statistics are positive signs of our progress as we continue to improve the 811 Before You Dig system that keeps our utilities protected and our communities safe. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with the latest damage prevention information from Indiana 811.
Indiana 811 Kids Safe Digging Program
The Indiana 811 Education and Outreach team has partnered with National Energy Foundation to launch its Indiana 811 Kids Safe Digging Program for National Safe Digging Month! This program, starting on April 1, is aimed at fourth grade classrooms throughout the entire state of Indiana with the goal to educate students and their families about safe digging techniques and the use of the Indiana 811 system. Each teacher will receive a classroom set of educational material for the presentation, Indiana 811 Kids Safe Digging pamphlets to share with students’ families, and a $25 Amazon gift card to use within their classroom.
Within one week of launching registration dates for this program, the Education and Outreach team has filled all the spring program dates! We have since released fall program dates with limited availability to ensure that more interested educators will have the opportunity to share critical safe digging information with their students.
