RALEIGH, NC - August 10, 2012
Sensus is helping to alert North Carolinians of precautions they must take to prevent injury or death when working near underground utility lines by participating in the Call 811 campaign. National Call 811 day is August 11.
Each year, homeowners, landscapers, professional excavators and others are injured or killed in accidents related to underground utility lines. Since residential electricity, gas, water, telephone, cable and sewerage lines are often located within a few inches of the surface, there is a real danger of hitting the lines during routine work. Calling 811 provides free assistance in marking utility lines and can easily prevent accidents.
North Carolina has one of the most successful awareness programs in the country, with NC811 receiving more than 1 million calls each year from residents and contractors. Call volume for 2012 is up 5 percent since August of 2011.
“As a leader in advanced metering infrastructure technology (AMI) and one of the world’s largest gas meter manufacturers, Sensus places a Call 811 sticker on every gas meter sold in the U.S. to remind utility customers to call before you dig,” said Chris Wykle, director of marketing for global gas at Sensus. “The dangers of digging are very real, but the solution is simple and easy.”
One call to 811 dispatches a trained technician to the site to mark the location of underground utility lines. By ‘knowing what’s below’, damage to buried utility lines and potential hazards can be avoided. Everyday home improvement projects such as putting up a fence, installing a sprinkler system, planting a garden or even putting up small campaign signs with metal stands can cause serious damage.
“There are four key steps to safety,” said Louis Panzer, Executive Director of NC811. “We are encouraging all North Carolinians to call 811 before they dig, wait to have the utility lines marked, respect the area around those marked lines and dig with care.”
About Sensus
Sensus is a leading utility infrastructure company offering smart meters, communication systems, software and services for the electric, gas, and water industries. Sensus technology helps utilities drive operational efficiency and customer engagement with applications that include advanced meter reading, data acquisition, demand response, distribution automation, home area networking and outdoor lighting control. Customers worldwide trust the innovation, quality and reliability of Sensus solutions for the intelligent use and conservation of energy and water.
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