The concept is simple, participating operators will visit local excavation worksites as a way of meeting and recognizing excavators who effectively use the Iowa One Call System as a damage prevention tool.  Iowa One Call will provide participating operators with a vinyl promotional banner highlighting the message, “Before you dig…Call 811 or Click Online.”  The banner would be used for photo opportunities with crews at each worksite – and then used later for educational/promotional purposes (e.g.: publication in the operators/excavators websites, newsletters, social media, etc.).  Iowa One Call would also publish a promotional exposé of the event(s) in their social media, website and newsletter publications.

Iowa One Call has had success implementing similar promotions involving worksite visits where crews posed with ‘call before you dig’ banners.  During those promotional events, representatives of Iowa One Call distributed ‘811 cookies’ to the crews as a way of saying thanks for their commitment to damage prevention (IOC preordered frosted cookies featuring the number “811” in icing).  Arriving at worksites with the cookies was a great way to ‘break the ice’ with crews and initiate a dialog about 811 and “calling before you dig.”  Your organization can customize the promotion in many ways to make it unique to your operations, by providing your own promotional items, or other gift/tokens as alternative ‘ice breakers.’

Your organization’s education and public awareness efforts are an integral part of the overall damage prevention process and greatly appreciated by Iowa One Call. Please consider participating in this ‘811 Day’ damage prevention partnership promotion.  You may order your free banner by completing the enclosed form and remitting it to: Iowa One Call, 9001 Hickman Rd, Ste 220, DM, IA 50322, Attn.: Ben Booth, or by contacting me directly at 515-707-3998, or benbooth@netins.net.

Thank you for your commitment to excavation safety and underground damage prevention.