GOVERNOR BRIAN KEMP JOINS SAFE DIGGING STAKEHOLDERS TO PROCLAIM APRIL 2025 AS SAFE DIGGING MONTH
Media Contact:
Megan Estes
770-823-3936
MEstes@Georgia811.com
Governor Brian Kemp Joins Safe Digging Stakeholders to Proclaim April 2025 as Safe Digging Month
Georgia 811 Reminds Residents to Prioritize Safe Digging Practices
[Duluth, Georgia] April 8, 2025 – Governor Brian Kemp met with key stakeholders from the safe digging community to issue an official proclamation recognizing April 2025 as Safe Digging Month in Georgia. As the spring digging season begins, Georgia 811, alongside Governor Kemp, is urging homeowners and professionals to always contact 811 before starting any digging projects.
Representatives from utility companies, local governments, safety agencies, and industry groups gathered to emphasize the critical importance of contacting 811 before any excavation work to prevent utility damage, personal injury, and service disruptions.
When homeowners contact 811, they are connected to Georgia 811, which notifies the relevant utility providers about their intent to dig. Professional locators are then dispatched by the utility companies to the site to mark the approximate locations of underground lines with paint and flags. Once the lines are clearly marked, excavation can proceed safely around them.
“We are grateful to Governor Kemp for his unwavering support in promoting safe digging practices year after year,” said Meghan Rafinski, President and CEO of Georgia 811. “This statewide proclamation reinforces the importance of both homeowners and professionals embracing safe digging procedures. By ensuring underground lines are properly marked before digging, we are helping protect the safety and well-being of individuals and communities across Georgia.”
Throughout the year, Georgia 811 provides valuable resources to educate the public on safe digging practices. Homeowners and professionals can access free online courses, request training sessions, and learn how to submit dig tickets digitally by visiting www.Georgia811.com.
For more details on Safe Digging Month and the essential call-before-you-dig process, visit www.Georgia811.com.
Ginger Pritchett Photography. Tieahs Anderson (Georgia 811), Amy Averill (Comcast), Amanda Banks (Georgia 811), Sen. Timothy Bearden, Rick Bell (Georgia 811), Mark Bell (Georgia Power Company), Chris Cantrell (Cobb County DOT), Joe Caubo (Southern Company Gas), Rhonda Chatham (Georgia’s Rural Telephone and Broadband Association), Oscar Cordon (Georgia Hispanic Construction Association), Will Culbreath (Georgia PSC), Scotty Davis (Colonial Pipeline), Megan Estes (Georgia 811), Cleve Fann (Georgia Power Company), Alejandra Frutos (Georgia 811), Brian Gilliam (Georgia 811), Sen. Russ Goodman, Eban Grasti (Southern Company Gas), David Hafner (Colonial Pipeline), Sen. Bo Hatchett, Piper Harvey (Georgia 811), Rob Holbrook (Cobb County DOT), Eric Holbrooks (NCI Cabling), Salie Johnson (Georgia 811), Governor Brian Kemp, First Lady Marty Kemp, Tom Krause (Georgia PSC), Valerie Lyon (City of Covington), Joey Martin (ER Snell), Gabriela Matute (Georgia Hispanic Construction Association), Ginny Maludin (Cobb County DOT), Reece McAlister (Georgia PSC), Conner Poe (Norfolk Southern), Nando Quinones (Georgia Power Company), Meghan Rafinski (Georgia 811), Mark Reida (Cobb County DOT), Frankie Rigdon (Ellijay Telephone Company), Roy Rogers (Georgia Utility Coordinating Council), Commissioner Jason Shaw (Georgia PSC), Jeff Smith (Heath Consultants), Albert Sorto (Georgia Hispanic Construction Association), Sen. Sam Watson, Chris West (Brent Scarbrough & Co), Pat Wingo (Georgia 811), Mark Woodall (Associated General Contractors of Georgia), Chad Zeis (Zeis Energy and Infrastructure Solutions)