811 Anyone?

You know 411, 911 but do you know 811? I bet the person that puts your real estate sign posts in the yards around Chesapeake knows 811. 811 is a Virginia statewide number for anyone getting ready to do any type of excavation on their property. It is commonly known as Miss Utility. Once you call they will come out and mark your utility lines so you don't have a mishap. Some cable and phone lines are just several inches under ground and it doesn't take much to dig them up.

Somewhere around 70,000 incidents nationwide were the results of someone not calling 811 ahead of time. The incidents were as small as cutting a cable to rupturing a gas line. My wife worked in new construction and those guys were always breaking something. They should have 811 tattooed on their arms.

The state is sending out DVD's and making appearances to schools. They figure that young people will remember this when they get older and also will say something to their parents if they see them getting ready to dig. Most professionals already know about 811.