Perspectives

Pay it forward in Mississippi

by Shad Sims
Atmos Energy

Several years ago I was traveling on company business, and after the meetings were done for the day and dinner was over, I returned to my hotel room, switched on the TV, and proceeded to settle in for the evening. It had been a long day. I was looking forward to relaxing a bit, maybe checking some scores on ESPN and turning in early, but as I flipped through the channels, a movie caught my attention. Since I love movies, and this one had several actors in it that I enjoy watching, I sat down, and within minutes, it had captured my full attention. The name of the movie was Pay It Forward and it was just starting …

Now Pay It Forward is not one of those blockbuster action/comedy, adventures where good triumphs over evil, and the hero gets the girl. Those are usually my types of movies. This movie is about a boy in middle school who receives an unusual assignment from one of his teachers. The assignment is to write a thesis on how he, a middle school student, could change the world in a practical way, put his plan into action, and document his progress. Friends, that is a tough one for us as adults, but this is a middle school kid! He is young and not fully educated yet. He has little experience, not to mention limited vision and perspective on the world around him. He is not even one of the popular or influential kids in his own class! But what this kid does in this movie is truly inspiring. He takes a negative concept that he has personally experienced and is very familiar with, that being the age old concept of “paybacks,” you know the one that says, “you wrong me, and I will pay you back double at my first opportunity” and completely redefines it. His idea is to do something good for three people, something big, with no strings attached, asking only that they pay his goodness forward to someone else, and so on. In his mind, instead of paying bad back, he is paying good forward. This concept and the boy’s actions initiate a string of events in the movie that is interesting, often amusing, and sometimes touching. I won’t ruin the rest of the movie for you, but I recommend watching it to see how the series of events plays out. Pay It Forward is insightful, entertaining, and inspiring.

So, you ask, “How does all this relate to damage prevention in Mississippi?” My answer is, “more than you might think.” For years there have been good folks in our state championing the cause of damage prevention, trying to make Mississippi a safer place to live and work. Then in 2006, along comes the PIPES Act which spells out and defines nine critical elements of effective damage prevention programs for all states. Furthermore, communications were given that if states did not comply with the nine elements in a timely manner that the federal government would effectively take over the state’s damage prevention program. Suddenly there is a very large spotlight on improving damage prevention in Mississippi and a sense of urgency that is providing momentum for this important cause.

These are truly unique times we find ourselves in today. Never in my 17 year career in the natural gas industry have I witnessed so much attention given to this subject, both statewide and nationally. Groups like Common Ground Alliance (CGA) have given us a national three digit number (811) to call before you dig, a national reporting tool (DIRT) that is confidential and helps identify industry damage trends, millions of dollars worth of national advertising exposure, and a “Best Practices” document that is so sound that some states are adopting pieces of its language into law. On the state and local level, groups like the Mississippi Damage Prevention Committee (MDPC), Mississippi 811, and the Mississippi Public Service Commission (PSC) Pipeline Safety Division are working together to provide all sorts of damage prevention training and educational opportunities, as well as to raise the awareness level in Mississippi. The MDPC has also been very successful in the last few years in sponsoring improvements to the damage prevention legislation of our state. All of this work and activity is being done with one goal in mind: to make Mississippi a safer place to live and work.

Friends, the time is right, and my challenge to you is to GET INVOLVED! The MDPC is looking for membership and holding regional meetings all over the state again this year. Mississippi 811 has local Damage Prevention Coordination Councils (DPCC) that need your support. Your company or community may need someone to help raise awareness. The opportunities are plentiful. And, in contrast to the boy in the movie, you are not too young or inexperienced. Your level of education is not too limited. Your span of influence is not too small in your community or business. It really doesn’t matter who you are. We all have a stake in the safety of our communities and state. We need your help, your insight, your energy, your voice, and the benefit of your background and experience. Look around you: I bet you already know someone that can help you get involved so that you too can “pay it forward” in Mississippi.