Page 14 - Texas 811 Magazine

Education Across the State
Jennifer Pratt Program Manager, DPC of Texas
The Damage Prevention Council of Texas kicked off summer with two major excavation safety events reaching over 1000 attendees! A mayoral proclamation recognizing May 23-24 as “Digging Deep in Lubbock” highlighted the 1 1⁄2 day excavation safety conference which drew nearly 500 from across
the region, the majority being first-
time attendees experiencing their first interaction with the DPC of Texas.
The conference consisted of general
and breakout sessions structured to allow companies the flexibility to send their workers to morning or afternoon sessions. Also, part of the conference experience was a networking happy hour and a four-man scramble golf tournament. Led by Ketha Molina, Texas811 and event partner City of Lubbock, the conference received overt support from Mayor Tray Payne and
the City Council, helping further our mission by heightening awareness of utility & pipeline damage prevention across the South Plains and bringing
in new members to expand chapter outreach.
In Pasadena, the Southeast Texas Chapter held an excavation safety workshop on Thursday, May 25 drawing over 500 from across the Greater Houston area. As with the Lubbock event, the majority were first-time attendees and new to the Southeast Texas Chapter so this was a critical event for revitalizing the chapter and growing the membership. Led by David Ferguson, Texas811 with assistance from event partners CenterPoint Energy,
City of Houston, OSHA, and Coastal and Marine Operators (CAMO), the workshop featured a variety of topics presented by industry experts and demonstrations which focused on best practices for safely digging around different underground utilities.
The DPC Board of Directors and respective Chapter leadership wish
to thank all the sponsors, exhibitors, presenters, volunteers, and attendees for helping make these fundraising events such huge successes. Fundraising events like these allow the 501(c)(3) non-profit Damage Prevention Council of Texas
to spread the 811 message and provide
free educational opportunities for excavators, utility & pipeline operators, and others involved in underground construction throughout the state of Texas. Please consider supporting
any of the upcoming excavation
safety events through your financial sponsorship, in-kind donation, or volunteerism.
August 10, 2023 Monahans Excavation Safety Day
August 11, 2023 North Texas 811 Day Excavation Safety Workshop
October 12, 2023 Paso del Norte Excavation Safety Festival
Learn more about these upcoming events and how your organization
can support our mission “to facilitate underground utility & pipeline
damage prevention, promote best practices, and contribute toward public safety and environmental protection through stakeholder education and communication” by visiting: www. dpcoftexas.org/upcoming-events or contact me directly at jenniferpratt@ texas811.org.
12 • Texas811 2023, Issue 3