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December 2007
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News Briefs . . .
Coming soon - mapping update for first quarter of 2008. Members, watch for more details on dates and counties to be updated in future editions of unearthed and at www.callsunshine.com. Coming soon - Virtual Private DIRT. Reporting damages to underground facilities in Florida is easy with Virtual Private DIRT. Anyone in the industry can login to the system to report damages to underground facilities. Watch for more details in future editions of unearthed and at www.callsunshine.com. Coming soon - Irth Awareness. SSOCOF is currently in the testing phase of software application Irth Awareness, developed by Irth Solutions, to track public awareness, advertising and public relations programs. It features customizable categories and the ability to map your efforts to determine exactly where your message appeared and track costs associated with those efforts. Watch for more details in future editions of unearthed and at www.callsunshine.com. Coming soon - online design tickets. Coming early in 2008, Internet Ticket Entry (ITE) users will be able to request design tickets online. If you're not already using ITE, sign up today. You will need to complete a training session before you can request design tickets online. For more information on ITE, click here. Watch for more details in future editions of unearthed and at www.callsunshine.com. Powerful. Flexible. Intuitive. FREE. IRTHNet is the functional and flexible ticket management system that allows members to automate locate ticket management including automatically routing tickets and providing positive response updates. With the entire system hosted on the web, you have no additional IT, hardware or software costs. Plus, this is the most robust ticket management system Irth Solution offers, SSOCOF offers you completely free. To start using IRTHNet, contact SSOCOF's Member Services Department by email at memberservices@mail.callsunshine.com or call (800) 651-6720. Call 811 Before You Dig Month planned for April 2008. SSOCOF is once again preparing for Call 811 Before You Dig Month scheduled for April 2008. The purpose of the campaign is to spread statewide awareness of calling 811 before digging. SSOCOF is working on a number of items available free to you to educate your contractors, sub-contractors and customers on the importance of calling before digging. Click on the links below to download our free artwork, radio/TV commercials and promotional items to see what is available to you free of charge.
Visit our new website packed with information plus downloads of our print advertising, radio and television public service announcements and logos. Stay informed. Visit often. |
Holiday schedule for 2008 announced
Sunshine State One Call's call center will be closed for business the following holidays in 2008. Internet Ticket Entry is available 24/7, holidays included!
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January 1: New Year's Day
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January 21: Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday
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May 26: Memorial Day
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July 4: Independence Day
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September 1: Labor Day
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November 27 - 28: Thanksgiving
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December 24 - 25: Christmas
SSOCOF develops ad hoc committee after Miami legislation resolution spurs statewide concern, controversy
November 27, 2007, SSOCOF facilitated its first Low Impact Marking Ad Hoc Committee meeting to address statewide concerns raised by the City of Miami's Legislation Resolution 07-00439. The resolution seeks to amend Chapter 556, Florida Statutes, to require excavators to remove locate marks at a project’s completion and establish a penalty for non-removal.
The purpose of the Low Impact Marking Ad Hoc Committee is to study the impact this resolution could have on the financial, safety, liability and business practices of Florida's utility owners, locators and excavators.
Several issues were identified during the committee meeting including how to determine whether marks are valid and associated liability issues that arise when marks are removed in error. The committee will also study physical locate marks to determine which marking methods are best for Florida and look into additional excavator training to narrow the scope of work included on a ticket.
Prior to the meeting, SSOCOF sent a letter to the Honorable Manuel Diaz, Mayor of the City of Miami, outlining SSOCOF’s actions in response to the concerns expressed by the City of Miami in its Legislation Resolution. As of press time, the City of Miami has indicated it will delay lobbying efforts, pending the outcome of the committee's study.
The next Low Impact Marking Ad Hoc Committee is scheduled for January 10, 2008 at the call center in DeBary.
SSOCOF reaches enforcement community
SSOCOF's Enforcement Awareness Program, implemented in June 2007, is going strong with a total of 1,574 local police, sheriff and code enforcement officers throughout Florida educated. Stressed is the importance of enforcing Chapter 556, F.S. in political jurisdictions to protect public safety and prevent damages to vital underground utilities.
SSOCOF continues working to have Chapter 556 incorporated
into police academy training and as part of
in-service training for
existing officers. The Florida Association of Code
Enforcement has already approved SSOCOF's
enforcement presentation to offer one continuing education
credit to each code enforcement officer who completes the
presentation.
Law and code enforcement agencies interested in obtaining information and education on enforcing Chapter 556, F.S. can contact a damage prevention liaison. To find out who your liaison is, click here.
Positive response codes change
After months of actively soliciting the industry for recommendations to update the current selection of positive response codes, SSOCOF's Board of Directors voted at the November 2007 Board meeting to remove four positive response codes and add one new code. The board also voted to amend the statutory references in codes 3N and 3P to cite 556.105(5)(a) F.S. A number of new codes were proposed; however, no further action was taken because their provisions were covered in existing positive response codes.
Positive response code changes effective early in 2008:
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Remove 3E, "Unmarked - Unrestrained animal on property, call the member to schedule access to the location"
Remove 3G, "Unmarked - Ongoing job, locate technician and excavator have established an agreement on scheduled marking"
Remove 6, "No locate required contractually"
Remove 7, "Facility owner / operator refuses to locate"
Add 8, "Ongoing job, locate technician and excavator have established an agreement on scheduled marking"
Members, watch future editions of unearthed and www.callsunshine.com for more information on the implementation date for these positive response code changes and any technical specifications.
Call before you dig promoted at NASCAR Homestead race
Growth charts featuring NASCAR driver Kyle Busch and "Call 811 Before You Dig" were given out to 20,000 race fans during NASCAR's final race in November at Homestead. The chart is part of SSOCOF's special outreach to homeowners to educate them on calling 811 before doing any home improvement projects that require digging.
Boat sports 811 logo, catches anglers' attention
In a continuing effort to get out the word to call 811 before digging, SSOCOF signed on in October 2007 to sponsor Captain Jason Keating, a Florida professional angler who competes in statewide fishing tournaments televised on ESPN and Fox Sports, to spread the word about 811.
As
part of the sponsorship agreement, Keating and his boat
sport the 811 logo during tournaments and guided fishing
charters.
Inshore, Keating fishes the professional redfish tours (O Boy Oberto ESPN Redfish Cup, IFA Redfish Tour, & FLW Redfish Tour). Offshore he fishes the pro kingfish tours (FLW Kingfish Series & SKA division 5).
Since partnering with SSOCOF, Keating has fished the nationally televised IFA Championship in Panama City Beach, Redbone Oldest Celebrity Red/Trout Classic in St. Augustine, and has conducted nine charters. He also appeared at the four-day Gander Mountain grand opening in Jacksonville with his boat, signing autographs telling Florida's fishermen to call 811 before digging.
Survey helps improve service to callers
SSOCOF offers a
customer satisfaction survey for its callers to use to rate the
service received while requesting a locate ticket over the phone
and it gives them an opportunity to suggest any improvements.
The surveys are reviewed by management and responded to as
necessary. Complete a survey by
clicking here.
We thank you in advance for helping SSOCOF continue to be the
best one call center in the nation
Forward this newsletter
to your industry partners. If they like it and want to
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here to subscribe.
IMPORTANT DATES
December 24
& 25
Call center closed for Christmas. Internet Ticket Entry
available 24x7.
January 1
Call center closed for New Years Day. Internet Ticket Entry
available 24x7.
January 10
Committee Meetings
January 11
Board Meeting
January 21
Call Center closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Internet Ticket Entry available 24x7.
February 15
Executive Committee Meeting
April 1 -
30
Call Before You Dig month
CALENDAR
Visit our
calendar
for more information on these events.
QUICK LINKS
SAFETY TRAINING OFFERED IN SPANISH
If
you would like to offer a
class to your Spanish speaking employees, contact
Sergio
Clavijo to schedule today.
REMEMBER! SSOCOF takes locate ticket calls in Spanish. Call 811 or (800) 432-4770.
VISIT SSOCOF's ONLINE STORE FOR YOUR FREE PROMOTIONAL ITEMS
Contact us.
Sunshine State One Call of Florida is a private, not-for-profit, corporation created by Florida legislature in 1993. Its purpose is to educate excavators and homeowners on the requirement to Call Before You Dig and provide a free system for the excavating public to notify owners of pending excavation activity near underground utilities. Last year, SSOCOF received 1.8 million notices of proposed excavation in Florida.
SSOCOF offers free educational sessions to professional excavators and homeowners. For more information on free classes and other SSOCOF services, visit www.callsunshine.com.
This email is being sent to you as a result of your enrollment in SSOCOF's email distribution list. Subscribers to this email also receive technical bulletins and meeting announcements. To delete your name from this list, please click here. Be advised that you will not continue to receive information about changes to SSOCOF services and procedures.