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The Summit: Passionate about safety

Dick Burleson speaking

What brings people to the Summit? Passion … “Being passionate about the safety of all those around us and throughout the community,” explained Randall Zeringue with Shell Pipeline, “It’s why we’re here.” It’s why more than 300 people attended the second annual Mississippi damage prevention Summit in Tunica this past November. They came from all over the state and plenty more from states all around.

Attendees arrived ready to listen, learn, and provide many different perspectives about how to keep Mississippi a safer place to live and work. “If you bring people together working for a common cause we can achieve really great things,” Randall said. And that’s exactly what happened. There were gas and pipeline representatives, water and wastewater operators, electric company personnel, communications representatives, professional excavators and locators. Many of these stakeholders met each other for the first time and got a chance to ask questions and find out what damage prevention is like from another perspective. This is one the main goals of the Summit, to bring all of the industry stakeholders together to promote excavation safety and create an environment for building relationships.

Janet Webster demonstrates ground penetrating radar (GPR)

The Competent Person training provided by David Dow with TrenchSafety was well attended. With more than 75 in attendance, it was a crowded classroom. Everyone seemed to come away with a bit more knowledge about how to keep an excavation site and those involved that much safer.

Session presenters for the Summit ranged from Sam Johnson, President of Mississippi 811, to Annmarie Robertson of PHMSA, to Bob Kipp, President of CGA. These along with several other expert presenters provided the attendees valuable information.

Thanks to everyone who donated door prizes. Harrah’s donated a weekend stay and dinner for two at Paula Dean’s Buffet. The winner of this great prize was Richard Feist with the City of Saltillo. Cash prizes were also up for grabs this year. The lucky winner of the big $500 cash prize was Bill Bailey with the City of Oxford.

Vermeer prepares to locate a gas line using vacuum excavation

Congratulations to all the winners.

If you attended the dinner and had a chance to hear the keynote speaker, Dick Burleson … You may have left feeling like a winner! Mr. Burleson is a Major General, SEC referee and author. His stories were very entertaining, humorous, and motivational. In speaking of his work as a referee for 25 years in the SEC his passion was shining bright that evening.

A very special thanks to all the sponsors and exhibitors who made the event a great success. Gold Sponsors were Atmos Energy, BP Pipelines, El Paso/Tennessee Gas Pipeline, and Shell Pipeline Company. Bronze Sponsors included Denbury Resources, Inc., Celeritas, CenterPoint Energy, KorTerra, Trunkline Gas, and UtiliQuest.

Take a moment right now and mark your calendars. The Mississippi damage prevention Summit for 2010 will be in Vicksburg at the Vicksburg Convention Center November
8 – 10.

You may be asking yourself, “Now why would I go to the Summit?” Al Davis, Damage Prevention Manager with BP Pipelines put it best, “Why wouldn’t you want to be a part of something like this?” Now that’s what we’re talking about. See you in Vicksburg.