"I was born and raised right here in Mississippi,” Bo Womack, Director of Gulf States, UtiliQuest, said with unmistakable pride in his voice. “So for me, to be involved with the Mississippi Damage Prevention Committee is more than just a corporate responsibility.” And when he says that, he is more than a little convincing. “There are too many damages in Mississippi. We’ve got to figure out how to work together to reduce them. Part of what we must do is educate the folks who don’t know to call, and encourage those who know to call, but don’t. “I have a unique perspective because I worked with my dad as an excavator back in the early to mid- 90s. I’ll admit, I cut more than my share of underground utilities. That’s when I realized there had to be a better way,” Bo said. “I talked to my dad and told him I had a chance to go into the locating business. I wanted to know what he thought about it.
It’s a fair question. Amanda Russell, GIS Manager for Mississippi 811, explains to those who have asked before, “The first step in making that happen is for the caller to provide GPS readings for the excavation sites. While we aren’t quite prepared to implement automated driving directions, it is a service that we are considering how best to implement.” She continues, “Because it is important to our callers, it is important to us.”
Folks in Mississippi know a good thing when they see it. No wonder that last year’s attendees declared Mississippi’s premier damage prevention Summit to be an overwhelming success. “Let’s do it again,” was the consensus of those in attendance. So, the second annual Summit is fast approaching and scheduled to be held in Tunica on November 9 – 11, 2009.
Like many of you, we are working to prepare the budget for 2010. There is much anticipation as we look for innovative ways of creating more cost-effective partnerships and programs. It is also a time that allows for reflection on our efforts over the past year.
