Dangers Hide Below During Hurricane Season
As Floridians start preparing for another hurricane season – stocking up on needed supplies and securing their homes, residents must also think about dealing with the potential damage and aftermath.
Cleaning up and digging around fallen trees, broken fences and more may seem harmless, but if done incorrectly, an underground utility line could be hit and result in service interruptions, costly repairs, injuries or even worse. Digging without knowing what’s below is the disaster that awaits 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. And, if the worst comes to pass and you hit a utility line, do not touch it, attempt to fix it or cover it up. Contact the utility 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 Mark Sweet, executive director of 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.”
Sunshine 811 offers the following storm clean up and restoration tips to ensure public safety, and prevent further dangers and damages:
Avoid cutting above-ground lines running through trees or on the ground. These could still be live.
Do not place debris over utility structures such as boxes, 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.