By BRENT MARTIN
It’s national “8-1-1 Day” – the day homeowners are reminded to call 8-1-1 before they dig.
Manager of Damage Prevention for Spire, Alan Meyer, says it’s important to call 8-1-1 before beginning that excavation project.
“Well, the importance is to keep you and your community safe,” Meyer tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.
And a simple, free call to 8-1-1 can accomplish that.
“Well, I would say no matter how big or small the project is, you have utilities below ground. The call is free,” Meyer says. “Why not protect yourself?”
After placing the call to 8-1-1, utility representatives will come to your property and mark where the utility lines run under your property. It takes two to three days for utilities to respond to the job site.
Meyer says property owners should place the free call to 8-1-1 before beginning to dig, even if they think it’s a small project such as installing a mailbox, putting on a deck, or planting flowers.
“The size of the project doesn’t matter,” Meyer says. “Whether you’re planting tulips in your flower bed or you’re planting trees in your backyard or you’re doing an irrigation system intact, anything like that. It doesn’t relinquish the importance of calling.”
But, if you don’t call and you or your contractor rupture a gas line, Meyer says you need to move to a safe location upwind of the damage. Call 9-1-1 immediately.
“And you also need to call 8-1-1, notify them that you’ve hit a utility and you also need to call the gas company so that they can respond,” Meyer says. “The beauty of calling 9-1-1 is you’re going to get people in route. They’re the first responders, typically. They’ll start making the area safe. But, again, the first thing is to move to a safe location, upwind of the damage.”
Spire recommends these steps for safe digging:
• Dial 811 to request a site be marked. The call and the locating services are free.
• Call at least three days before digging. A locator will mark lines that could be impacted by your project. Spire lines will be marked with yellow flags and/or spray paint.
• Be careful when digging around the markers to avoid accidentally damaging buried natural gas or other utility lines.
• Double check the lines have been marked and ask your contractor if you hired one. Do not allow
The annual “811 Day” initiative is led by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
For more information about safe digging and excavation, visit spireenergy.com/call-you-dig.
You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ