811 Day: Safe digging in NC starts with a call, says natural gas retiree
“I didn’t know.”
That’s what I heard time and time again over my 36-year career as a Piedmont Natural Gas worker and fire chief after arriving on scene at a cut natural gas line. Sometimes it was a homeowner. Other times, a contractor. Almost every time, they were working on a project and hit a line by mistake, saying they didn’t know to call 811 before beginning to dig.
More: Gas leak shutdown road, service in area of Gus Drive in Fayetteville
One homeowner didn’t call 811 before digging in his front yard while installing a new water line when he accidently hit a ¾-inch natural gas line with his trencher, sparking a fireball that caused a life-threatening emergency. Luckily, that homeowner escaped with his life but was left with a very expensive lesson he’ll never forget.
Unfortunately, a do-it-yourself home improvement project turns into an emergency thousands of times a year. Already in 2022, Piedmont Natural Gas and Duke Energy reported damage to underground natural gas and electric lines nearly 5,000 times.
August 11 is a day dedicated to preventing these types of accidents by calling 811 — a free and easy service that prevents injuries, outages, costly repairs by identifying underground utility lines before a landscaping or yard project.
I was a natural gas worker for over 36 years. Every day I woke up proud to serve my community. On this 811 Day, I challenge all of you to help keep our homes, families, and neighborhoods safe by calling 811 every time we pick up a shovel for a project.
Lee Bedell is retired Piedmont Natural Gas worker and Wentworth fire chief.
Huge savings
Subscribe today to support local journalism and enjoy unlimited digital access including videos, apps, sports news, and more. Special introductory offer for new subscribers only.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: 811 Day: Safe digging in NC starts with a call, says natural gas retiree
