>>> VIRGINIA 811 IS THE ONE
CALLED VIRGINIA COMMUNICATION
CENTER FOR EXCAVATORS,
CONTRACTORS, PROPERTY OWNERS
AND THOSE PLANNING THE KIND OF
EXCAVATION, DIGGING OR
DEMOLITION.
HERE TODAY TO TELL US MORE
ABOUT VIRGINIA 811 IS SCOTT
CRAWFORD, THE DIRECTOR OF
OPERATIONS.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.
>> AND YOU EVEN BROUGHT A CAKE.
>> TELL US, WHAT IS VIRGINIA
811?
>> IT IS THE
NUMBER YOU WANT TO
CALL BEFORE THEY ARE GOING TO
DO ANY DIGGING ON THEIR
PROPERTY .
IT IS FOR HOMEOWNERS,
EXCAVATORS AND SO FORTH TO
ENSURE WE CAN GET UTILITY LINES
UNDERGROUND LOCATED SO THAT
THERE ARE NO ACCIDENTS OR
DAMAGED PROPERTY OR ANYTHING
NEGATIVE LIKE THAT.
>> IS IT VA 811 OR JUST A 11?
>> 811.
WE WILL GET LOCATORS TO YOUR
PROPERTY OR TO THE DIG SITE
HELP LOCATE THOSE UTILITIES.
>> SIMPLE ENOUGH.
A SIMPLNUMBER TO REMEMBER.
WHAT DO PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW
ABOUT THIS?
>> UNDERGROUND UTILITIES ARE
EVERYWHERE.
ALL ACROSS THE STATE AND
COUNTRY.
TO KEEP THEINFRASTRUCTURE
SAFE, TO PROTECT LIVES AND
PROPERTY WE NEED TO KNOW WHERE
THOSE LINES ARE.
AT ANY GIVEN TIME SO THAT IF
SOMEONE IS DIGGING THEY DON'T
ACCIDENTALLY HIT A GAS LINE,
HEAVEN FORBID WHICH COULD BE
DISASTROUS.
ELECTRIC LINE, COMMUNICATION
LINES.
YOU LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED O
THE OUTER BANKS OF NORTH
CAROLINA HOW IT IMPACTS
BUSINESSES AND VACATIONS AND SO
FORTH.
THIS INFRASTRUCTURE IS VERY
IMPORTANT .
IT IS ALL OF OUR
RESPONSIBILITIES TO MAKE SURE
WE DOING IN AN EXHIBITION TO
CALL 811.
>> WHAT IS 811 DAY OR 811.
>> BECAUSE TOMORROW THE 11TH.
ISN'T THAT A COINCIDENCE?IN
10 YEARS THIS HAS BEEN A
NATIONAL SYSTEM IN PLACE
.
ANY STATE ACROSS THE COUNTRY
DIAL 811 BEFORE YOU DIG OR GO
TO THE WEBSITE TO GET THESE PUT
IN.
IN 10 YEARS UTILITY DAMAGES
HAVE GONE
DOWN 54 PERCENT
AND ALSO ON A SIDE NOTE,
VIRGINIA HAS BEEN IN PLACE WITH
811 FOR 15 YEARS.
VA 811 IS 15 YEARS OLD.
WE ARE A LITTLE HEAD OF THE
NATIONAL CURB.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
IT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR 15
YEARS.
WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN
, ISN'T THAT
SIMPLE, IS IT SOMETHING WE CAN
SIMPLY CALL.
WHAT CAN PROJECTS DO YOU SEE
PEOPLE DOING.
HOW OFTEN SHE WOULD
BE CALLING
IF WE AREN'T MESSING AROUND
WITH OUR HOUSES ?
>> ANYTHING WHERE YOU
WILL
PENETRATE THE SOIL AND DIG .
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT REALTORS
WHO ARE PUTTING UP A FOR SALE
SIGN.
THE STICK IS GOING INTO THE
GROUND AND
COULD HIT SOMETHING.
REMOVING A STUMP , PLANTING
TREES, FLOWERS, ANYTHING THAT
IS GOING TO REQUIRE YOU TO
ACTUALLY UPSET THE SOIL.
AND YOU KNOW YOU MIGHT THINK
I'M ONLY GOING DOWN A FEW
INCHES, I'M NOT GOING TO HIT
ANYTHING.
ACTUALLY, THE LINE HAD
ORIGINALLY BEEN SEVERAL FEET
UNDER THE GROUND AND OVERTIME
THE LINES CAN RISE TO THE
SURFACE AND IT IS NOT AS DEEP
AS HE MIGHT THINK.
SO JUST BE SAFE AND CALL 811.
THE LOCATORS WILL BE OUT WITHIN
48 HOURS THEY WILL BE ABLE TO
SHOW YOU WHERE THE LINES ARE TO
KEEP YOU SAFE.
>> MY FIRST THOUGHT THAT IT WAS
MUCH FURTHER DOWN UNLESS
YOU ARE
REALLY .
JUST ALWAYS CALL.
>> ALWAYS CALL.
AND IT COST THE HOMEOWNER
NOTHING.
>> YOU BROUGHT A CAKE.
TELL US ABOUT THIS CAKE
.
>> WE HAVE A SPECIAL CAKE FOR
WSLS TODAY FOR YOU ALL TO EAT
AND SHARE.
IT IS SAFE TO DIG INTO.
IT IS THE BEST I GOT.
[ LAUGHING ]
>> AND YOU ALSO HAD A COUPLE
PHOTOS.
CAN WE TALK ABOUT THESE?
AND KINDA WHAT THEY ARE FURIOUS
WITH HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF AN
OLDER UNDERGROUND UTILITY.
IT IS FASCINATING THAT AT ONE
POINT THEY WERE MADE OUT OF
WOOD.
WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY.
THERE IS ONE FROM THE 19TH
CENTURY OR
20TH CENTURY AND IT
WOULD HAVE BEEN MADE OUT OF
WOOD .
AND UNDERGROUND UTILITIES ARE
VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE I LOVE
WE HAD A REP ABOUT CERTAIN
THINGS.
THERE IS A KID PLAYING ON THAT
SHOWING THAT SEWAGE WAS SUCH A
PROBLEM IN THE 19TH CENTURY
,
UNDERGROUND UTILITIES OF COURSE
HELP SOLVE THE ISSUE AND MADE
THE CITY SAFER, MORE SANITARY
AND SO FORTH.
UNDERGROUND UTILITIES ARE AS
OLD AS CIVILIZATION ITSELF
DATING BACK TO 2000 BC
.
IN FACT, THE WORD PLUMBER COMES
FROM THE LATIN WORD FOR LEAD AS
THE ANCIENT ROMANS USED LEAD
PIPING TO TRENDS FOR WATER FROM
POINT A TO POINT B. THIS BOOK
WILL RUNNING OUT OF TIME BUT WE
DO WANT TO MENTION YOU ALL HAVE