Locate Rodeo 2007
Johan Rengifo of STS in Lawrenceville placed 2nd in the bonus event at the 6th Annual International Utility Locate Rodeo. This year’s competition was held on the campus of Oglethorpe University, in Atlanta, Georgia, Saturday August 4. It was hosted by the Utilities Protection Center of Georgia (UPC) and the National Utility Locate Contracts Association (NULCA). Described as “The Olympics of the Locate Industry,” by NULCA president, Rob Shively, the Locate Rodeo hosted 84 Locate Technician competitors (men and women who locate and mark the path of underground utility facilities with paint or flags). These competitors came to Georgia from 21 different states to compete in this year’s Locate Rodeo. Each Locate Technician competed in a specific division; water, power, gas or telecommunications. The Bonus Event was an optional challenge attracting 80 of the 84 competitors.
The International Utility Locate Rodeo, now in its sixth year, is the preeminent event for Utility Locate Technician recognition, and serves as the cornerstone to promote high quality and achievable industry standards. Claudette Campbell, Executive Director of Utilities Protection Center, Inc. stated “This competition gives a profession that normally goes unnoticed unless a mistake is made, an opportunity to be recognized for doing a good job” For more information about the International Locate Rodeo please visit www.locaterodeo.com
UPC, a nonprofit association funded by member utilities, is the Georgia’s one-call center designated by state law. This is the place where homeowners and excavators must “Call Before You Dig.” As of May 1, 2007 those who will be digging in the state of Georgia may contact UPC by either dialing 1-800-282-7411 or by dialing 811. 811 is the new national three-digit “Call Before You Dig Number.” UPC’s mission is to be an industry leader in preventing damage to members' facilities and in promoting safety through high quality, efficient and economical notification service; providing education; and encouraging compliance with all applicable laws. For more information visit www.gaupc.com
NULCA, formed in 1994, as an organization of contract locators, facility owners, One-Call centers, excavators, S.U.E., and industry suppliers that share a common interest in safety and damage prevention. NULCA's mission is to define, establish, and maintain high standards and practices in the underground utility contract locating industry. Its top priority is the safety of the general public, excavators, and locating employees, and the organization seeks to accomplish its mission by partnering with facility owners, excavating contractors, suppliers and regulatory agencies and by taking a lead role in the elimination of underground facility damage. For more information visit www.nulca.org.
About STS LLC
Atlanta-based STS LLC provides underground facility-locating services to over 200 utility companies and divisions across the country, helping them to conduct safer excavations, reduce damages to their buried facilities, and lower their total cost of service. Nationwide, STS's 1800 field technicians successfully receive, mark, and status more than 50,000 locate requests per day, with greater than 99.96% accuracy. More information about STS can be found at STS's website: www.stsus.net.
About UPC:
Established in 1974, the UPC is a non-profit, utility notification call center with over 700 member utility companies throughout Georgia who benefit through reductions in lost time, accidents, service interruptions and costly repairs. The UPC provides the best in utility damage prevention through advanced technology and skill and an ongoing commitment to be a “state-of-the-art” one call center. Its notification system has saved the public-at-large and member utilities millions of dollars in expensive repairs and prevented countless potentially life threatening dangers and inconveniences associated with service interruptions.
The UPC continues to remind those digging with mechanized equipment to “Call Before You Dig. It’s the Law”. Call the UPC at 1-800-282-7411 or if calling from the Atlanta area, dial 770-623-4344. Georgia state law requires those who will be digging underground to call the UPC at least 48 hours in advance of the work (excluding weekends and holidays). The UPC in turn, notifies the member utility companies of the impending work. The 48-hour lead-time gives each of these companies, with lines in the work area, an opportunity to mark all underground pipes or cables so that they are easily identifiable. The UPC strives to encourage four Dig Safely practices: 1) Call before you dig. 2) Wait the required amount of time. 3) Respect the marks. 4) Dig with care. The UPC stresses that safe digging is a shared responsibility. For more information visit the website at www.gaupc.com.
For additional information on the International Utility Locate Rodeo, visit http://www.locaterodeo.com/.
