Verizon to Host Safe Digging Activities on 811 Day, Aug. 11

CARY, N.C., Aug. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- On 811 day on Thursday (Aug. 11), Verizon will host a day of safe digging activities for Verizon employees at the company's location in Cary.  North Carolina 811 also will participate in the event.

The 811 number was established in 2005 by the Federal Communications Commission to provide an easy and free method for protecting underground utility lines.

Planned 811 Day activities include:

• Fiber splicing demonstrations
• Enter your address to see what underground infrastructure is located nearby  
• Fiber-locate experts on-site
• Damage prevention trivia games
• 811 videos
• Pictures with Baby Bud, the 811 mascot

Verizon promotes 811 throughout the year by placing 811 bumper stickers on its fleet vehicles, training on safe digging best practices and distributing hats, gloves and other promotional materials with the 811 logo to its employees and contractors who dig as part of their jobs.

Members of the media  are invited to speak with on-site experts to learn why safe digging is important to Verizon and what precautions the company takes to prevent damage to its network, as well as see first-hand how fiber-locate technicians handle 811 tickets as they enter the automated system.

For additional information, read Verizon's news release highlighting 811.

About North Carolina 811

North Carolina 811, a nonprofit organization funded by its members, takes excavation information from contractors, utilities and homeowners engaged in excavation activities, and transmits this information to its members. The site is then marked within two business days (excluding weekends and holidays) starting the following business day at 12:01a.m. from the date of the call, free of charge. The members range from utilities to universities and from municipalities to homeowner associations.

SOURCE Verizon