Page 3 - Louisiana 811 Magazine 2022 Issue 3

from the desk of
Brent Saltzman
I’m going to utilize my time in bringing you up to speed on several exciting things going on at Louisiana 811. We have plenty to share and I won’t do it justice in this letter so I encourage you to reach out to me for more information.
First, we’ve had three new changes to Dig Law enacted this year: White-lining, Positive Response and, most recently, Emergency Language. Our Board of Directors in conjunction with the Dig Law Advisory Committee is continually looking for ways to enhance our law and make it better for all of our stakeholders. I think these recent changes did just that.
Second, our ticket volume remains extremely high compared to many other states. The strong figures can be attributed to hurricane restoration efforts, federally induced broadband initiatives, road and bridge improvements and lastly water, sewer and gas pipeline rehabilitation projects. Regardless of the cause, as of the end of
July, we’ve seen a 14.21% increase in incoming locate requests thus far and a 16.80% increase in outgoing notifications to our members. Those are huge numbers in our business!
Third, our Board of Directors and staff are constantly looking for ways to improve our program. We meet with peers in the industry at various events around the country to educate ourselves, gain valuable ideas and benchmark our organization with other 811 centers. In September, we’ll be attending a User’s Group Meeting hosted by our call center contractor, One Call Concepts. This organization is always on the cutting edge of technology and we’ll see some of the latest software enhancements available. These improvements help make our online ticketing platform even better and we’ll be eager afterward to share this information with you.
Finally, I’m very happy to announce that we’ve hired a full-time damage prevention coordinator. This addition will enable us to participate in more industry-related events around our great state. There will be more information provided about this new hire in the next edition of our magazine but we’re excited because our damage prevention efforts are only going to get stronger.
In closing, I trust that you’ll continue to support our magazine with your loyal readership and I encourage you to share it with others. And special thanks to those of you whom advertise in our publication. You make this magazine possible and it’s very much appreciated.
God bless you and continue to be safe,
Brent Saltzman Executive Director Louisiana 811
2022, Issue 3
Louisiana 811
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