In This Issue


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Membership Update  
   
New Members added in June: 13
Total members: 1,586

June Texas811 Numbers 

Inbound June Locate Requests = 266,661
Outbound June Notifications = 1,437,353
 
The Portal
Important Links


Boy Scouts

Check out some of these awesome images of Sid Richardson Boy Scout Camp scouts attending a Pipeline Safety and Awareness course put on by EnLink Midstream. We were asked to assist with this awesome course and couldn't pass up the opportunity. Upon completion of our class, scouts will receive a custom made, 811 call before you dig patch.

Our participation in this camp is every Wednesday and Thursday running from June 15th - July 14th. We are excited that the scouts are really enjoying this thus far.
Roller Skate Night
We took well over a quarter of a million incoming locate requests in June - so you might imagine some of our staff need some downtime.   We grabbed up the Ace bandages (just in case) and headed to a local roller rink for some 811 Roller Derby fun! Here's a fun video of the excitement!
 
CPS Excavator Day
   
We take very seriously our commitment to damage prevention across our nearly 1600 members in Texas. Many members also team up with us to present safety demonstrations. In June, CPS Energy and Texas811 hosted an "excavator safety day" in San Antonio to spread awareness about being safe when digging, and remind people to call before they dig. These links will take you to a story on ConstructionNews.net about the event, and also to a story done by San Antonio NBC affiliate WOAI on the safety day.
 

Pie in the Face  

Throughout the year our employees collect incentive points, and some of them cash in their earnings to let off steam and have some laughs. One popular item to cash out for is the "Pie in the Face." The whole team looks forward to these messy events. Watch this funny video as we captured one of the most epic "Pie in the Face" hits ever! 
 
   
Flagshooter Inc. is a company that's small in size, but big in innovation.
We are striving to bring several solutions to the Damage Prevention Industry that save
time, money, and energy for our customers. The Flagshooter
is a tool that inserts marking flags into the ground and sprays marking paint all
with one hand.
For more, go to

July 2016 Newsletter
Mike's Message
June flew past! We're right in the middle of the busy digging season - our average daily locate requests in June was 11 to 12 thousand per day, with one memorable 14 thousand request day!
Now it's July - the halfway point of the year.   If past history is any indicator, the Halloween decorations will be out next week, and by mid-August you'll be encountering tinsel, colored lights and reindeer in your stores.
BUT -
Before we get there, we have a LOT of things to share with you.
June was an action-packed month for us at Texas811, and we've got five video links embedded in this newsletter to show you!
Enjoy the news, and until next time, safe digging!


Sincerely,
 
Mike Losawyer
President, Texas811
New Texas811 Television PSA

Last time we hinted at a new Texas811 PSA - and here it is! We shot this at Scarborough Renaissance Festival near Waxahachie. King Henry VIII wants to marry a new wife...but what to do about the present one?
Watch for Texas811's Director of Damage Prevention JimBob Sims to make an appearance as the Royal Gravedigger in what we call....The King and the Law!
International Locate Rodeo       
 
We had an amazing time hosting the 2016  International Utility Locate Rodeo!  Held on the grounds of the University of Texas at Arlington, the event showcased the skills of the men and women who actually locate your underground utility lines and cables - after you've made the free call to 811 to ask for that free service BEFORE you do any digging.
The rodeo course featured all kinds of locates, from water to gas to electric to telecommunications and so on - including the dreaded Locate from Hell.  Line locators from around the United States competed on a set course, locating underground lines of all types, and were judged on speed, accuracy and other factors.
 
The 81 competitors were advancing on to the big show in Arlington. They came from 17 different states and represented over 38 participating companies and stakeholder groups.
It couldn't have been done without the assistance of over 120 volunteers - from judges down to the people who drove the golf carts to ferry contestants around the large campus.  These volunteers came from at least 12 states and represented over 30 companies and stakeholder groups.
Texas811 shout-outs go to Texas811's Director of Damage Prevention JimBob Sims and Image Manager Shakheana Fields who organized the whole show - to Texas811 Swag'n Master David Medina who managed to feed lunch to over 200 people on site - to Texas811's Jason and Jared Crocker, who lugged camera gear in the blazing sun to shoot video and photographs - and Texas811's Cindy Graham, who kept the "base camp" running smoothly throughout the day.
Also, a big thank you to our sponsors: Rust-Oleum, USIC, Cox Utility Services Inc., Krylon Industrial, NULCA, 3M, SPX Radiodetection, Vivax/Metrotech, McLaughlin, Subsite Electronics, CGA, Staking University, HALFF, Benton, EGW, South Dakota 811, Arkansas One Call, Illinois One Call, Georgia 811, South Carolina 811, Ohio Utilities Protection Service, S&N Communications, EGW, Heath Consultants, Atmos Energy, Green Equipment Company and N-line Traffic for traffic cones.
And finally last, but certainly not least, our most distinguished volunteers:
2016 Event Site Committee:
Alison Goodgame, Consultant
Rick Routh, Liaison Manager, Georgia 811
Holly Files, Liaison Director, Georgia 811
Carlton Sellers, Subsurface Utility Engineering Manager
Eddie Stevens, Training and Operator Qualification Manager, Benton GA Inc.
Sharon Holder, Owner, Utilities 1st, LLC
2016 Master Judges:
Ron Peterson, President, Baker-Peterson, LLC
Jim Weldon, Retired, Manager of Cable Locating and Claims, Georgia Power
Chris Stovall, EVP, COO, Texas811
Pete Pedersen, Compliance Manager, Atmos Energy Mid-Tex Division
And - here are the first place winners! 
 
Gas Division Winner 
Billy Tolar, City of Tallahassee
Power Division Winner
Russell Brock, Georgia Power
Telecom Division Winner
Miguel Mendez, USIC
Water Division Winner
Donald Conner, Clayton County Water
Locate from Hell
George Ross, USIC
Congratulations from Texas811 to everyone who won and placed - and we hope to see you next year!
 

Turning Point Golf Tournament Check

As a result of the generosity and work done by so many people, Texas811 was able to present a $20,000 check to The Turning Point from the incredibly successful Texas811 19th Annual Golf Tournament this year. A huge thank you to all of our sponsors and golfers for helping make this possible.
 
 


RZR Winner

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a winner! Congratulations to Leslie Graham, who won the raffle for a brand new 2016 RZR 570!!  All funds raised through this raffle went to benefit The Turning Point , a sexual violence crisis center in North Texas.
 
 
 


Texas811/Enertech

Texas811 is not only the largest 811 call notification center, we are also, first and foremost, a damage prevention organization. This means working hard in the field to educate excavators and first responders on the dangers of improper digging. To that end, we're proud to announce we are working with Enertech on two programs, PipelineResponse and Mock Line Strike, to conduct liaison meetings in Texas for 2017.
This means you have the chance to sponsor and attend one or all of 16 Texas Damage Prevention Council Safety Days and 27 County Meetings.
The Safety Day events dovetail with Mock Line Strikes and Pipeline Response Emergency Responder Training.  Here's a link to a story about a recent Mock Line Strike event held in Fort Worth, Texas. Thanks to Atmos Energy for their help in putting on this event!    
The County Meetings feature Excavator and Contractor training conducted by Texas811 while PipelineResponse Emergency Responder training will be conducted by Enertech.
Additionally, state level and EPA Region 6 LEPC Annual Workshops will also be conducted.
Cost is only $600 per asset county.
 


The Texas811 Spanish Initiative continues to gain ground and usage!
June was our highest month ever for Spanish calls: 2,332 were taken. So far in 2016 we've taken an astounding 12,673 Spanish language locate requests. That's 18% more than the first half of 2015, and a killer 97% greater than the first half of 2014!
 
That puts a wrap on this month's newsletter. If you've got an event coming up that we should give a shout out for, send an email.

Until next time, dig safe!

Sincerely,

Texas811