Dangers Hide Below During Hurricane Season
Sunshine 811 Offers Post-Storm Clean-Up Tips to Prevent Further Dangers & Damages
As hurricane season officially begins on June 1, Floridians will start their annual preparations by stocking up on needed supplies and securing their homes against potential storms. Experts encourage residents to also consider the potential damage and aftermath, as hidden dangers lie below.
Cleaning up and digging around fallen trees, broken fences and other debris may seem harmless, but if done incorrectly, it can lead to hitting underground utility lines. This can result in service interruptions, costly repairs, injuries or even worse. Digging without knowing what’s below is a disaster waiting to happen after the storm. That’s why it is the law in Florida to contact Sunshine 811 before you dig.
Sunshine 811 is a free public service that alerts member utility companies to your dig so that they can mark underground facilities on your property. Simply visit DigSafeFlorida.com or call 811 two full business days before you start digging. If you hire a contractor to help you, make sure they 811, too. If the worst happens and you hit a utility line, do not touch it, attempt to fix it or cover it up. Contact the utility company immediately to avoid further danger.
“When a storm leaves a trail of broken fences, toppled trees and power outages in its wake, and recovery and clean up take center stage with little thought of anything else, we must remember that safety is a shared responsibility,” said Wendy Schaefer, education and awareness manager for Sunshine 811. “Calling 811 helps protect the people who dig, and their neighbors from injury and utility outages. It’s a simple phone call or online request to make sure a difficult situation isn’t made worse.”
Storm Cleanup and Restoration Tips
Sunshine 811 offers the following safety tips:
- Avoid cutting above-ground lines in trees or on the ground — they could still be live.
- Do not place debris in front of, around or over utility structures such as boxes, meters, pedestals and transformers.
- Before cutting away tree debris, check for buried lines tangled in the roots. If you see a line, do NOT touch it.
- Make sure you contact 811 before using a stump grinder to clear out fallen trees.
- Get utility lines marked before replacing your fallen or damaged fence.
Following these tips and contacting Sunshine 811 helps protect your family and community from preventable dangers. Stay safe and prepared this hurricane season!
About Sunshine 811
Celebrating more than 30 years of work to make Florida the safest place to dig, Sunshine 811 is the state’s go-to resource for education and training on safe digging processes. It’s also the organization the law requires you to call before starting any digging project. Sunshine 811 maintains a toll-free number and a 24/7 online system to notify its member utility companies of pending excavation projects so buried utility lines can be located and marked to protect the underground infrastructure.
It’s estimated that a utility line is damaged 85 times every day in Florida. Sunshine 811’s efforts are all about ensuring public safety and preventing underground utility damage. With Florida’s continued ranking as one of the top states in the country for construction activity and related jobs, safe digging in Florida and Sunshine 811’s role has never been more important.