It was during this time that the one-call industry began to take shape. Ohio was one of the first states to establish a system that would allow excavators to make one notification call rather than contacting each utility individually. Ohio joined states such as Michigan and Pennsylvania at the forefront of the one-call notification industry in the United States. Today there are more than 100 one-call centers located internationally.

Ohio Utilities Protection Service (O.U.P.S.) was founded in 1972 as a nonprofit association by Ohio Bell Telephone Company (now AT&T Ohio), East Ohio Gas (now Dominion East-Ohio) and the Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company. This year, O.U.P.S. marks its fourth decade dedicated to protecting underground utilities.

O.U.P.S. will celebrate its 40th anniversary during its annual meeting on August 15-17. O.U.P.S. continues to fulfill its mission to serve the customer’s needs by providing a quality one-call process to protect the public, protect the underground infrastructure and protect the environment.
Through the years, O.U.P.S. has seen changes in the industry as more and more one-call centers sprang up across the country. There have been changes in the one-call laws, technology and the type of facilities placing lines underground.

By 1998, the U.S. Congress passed the federal one-call legislation, which recommended that all states have a one-call utility notification system and that utility companies and excavators participate in it. For Ohio, this had been something that had been a part of state statutes since 1989 when Senate Bill 174 required that all Ohio utility companies participate in a one-call service. A year later, Senate Bill 264 required that all Ohio citizens call before they dig.

When O.U.P.S. began in the early 1970s, 13,676 dig requests were processed in the first year. Calls continued to increase as a result of education and marketing efforts. In 1984, O.U.P.S. processed its one-millionth call. O.U.P.S. remained at the forefront of the industry, introducing a marketing department in 1993 to increase awareness of its services. The department developed billboards, brochures, television commercials and public service announcements to stress the importance of calling before you dig. Three years later, O.U.P.S. became the first one-call center in the nation to launch its own website.

O.U.P.S.’s marketing efforts and commitment to its stakeholders did not go unnoticed. In 1994, Ernst & Young, LLP, rated O.U.P.S. as “Best in Class” in its benchmark telecommunications study of one-call centers.

As O.U.P.S. approached its 25 years in business in 1997, it processed its six-millionth call.

In addition to its marketing efforts throughout the last four decades, O.U.P.S. has focused on education efforts and community awareness. In 2008, O.U.P.S. sponsored its first “Safety Day” in Richfield. This event became a free, fun-filled annual educational and networking opportunity for anyone interested in damage prevention. The day includes vendor displays, outdoor equipment demonstrations and educational sessions, along with a complimentary lunch. This year’s Safety Day will take place on June 7 at the Ohio Operating Engineers in Cygnet.

Technological advances have allowed O.U.P.S. to make it easier for excavators and homeowners to make the call prior to digging. As the country entered into a new millennium, O.U.P.S. implemented i-dig, a free, real-time online processing system that allowed contractors and excavators to submit their dig requests online. Eight years later, O.U.P.S. implemented the latest call center software known as Newtin. Just three years ago, the one-call center implemented a program tailored to the homeowner. Through the launch of an online ticket entry program known as e-dig, homeowners can enter tickets via the web. At the same time, Virtual Private DIRT is launched, enabling excavators and facility owners to upload damage information to the Common Ground Alliance.

As one of the country’s first one-call centers, O.U.P.S. remains on the cutting-edge in technology, marketing and innovation.

“One of the most significant things we did was recognize that our message needed to be re-packaged and re-branded,” said O.U.P.S. Executive Director Roger Lipscomb. “People had become desensitized to what we were saying and we needed to reposition ourselves.”

A catalyst for the refocusing of marketing efforts came in 2007 after 811 became the new FCC-designated national N-11 number created to eliminate confusion of multiple “Call Before You Dig” numbers across the country. With this, O.U.P.S. created a new logo and message, Lipscomb said. “Our message matured and evolved into something more modern.”

With more than 1,000 member companies, the one-call center processes nearly 1 million digging and excavation notices each year. O.U.P.S. has evolved just like its marketing message to more than just a center for taking the call and sending the message, Lipscomb said. “We are proud to be a forerunner in this area. We are creating alliances with Homeland Security, Department of Public Safety, Public Utilities Commission and other state associations to draw in the power of many,” he said. “We want to engage and educate our legislators to make them aware of our visions while continuing to educate the homeowner, excavator and utility professional.”

The past 40 years have seen significant changes at O.U.P.S. and in the damage prevention industry as a whole. Lipscomb sees his one-call center involved in spearheading changes for the next 40 years and beyond.

Join O.U.P.S. in celebrating its 40th anniversary at its annual meeting in August. More details about the event will be available at www.oups.org. During the annual meeting, O.U.P.S. staff and board members will highlight how they became one of the first one-call centers in the nation offering an easy single notification option for excavators and how they strive to remain a leader in the damage prevention industry. Not only because it is their mission, but because their leaders believe it is the right thing to do.

The first Summit featured three days of educational workshops, presentations and events meant to get everyone working together and talking about the future of damage prevention initiatives. Attendees from utilities had the chance to interact with municipal leaders, excavators, one-call professionals and locators to talk about hot topics such as the Marcellus and Utica Shale projects, the process of successfully changing the state’s one-call law, a contractor’s perspective to damage prevention and address data collection in the field. Officials from Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Homeland Security and Emergency Management also made presentations.

“With the Summit, we wanted to look at broader issues and create conversations,” said Roger Lipscomb, executive director of Ohio Utilities Protection Service (O.U.P.S.). “The topic of Marcellus and Utica Shale projects is a question on everyone’s mind and we hope to be able to provide even more information at this upcoming Summit, not on the technology but on keeping people safe around it.”

Lipscomb said the Summit is for anyone interested in keeping Ohio a safer place to live and work. The second Ohio Damage Prevention Summit will take place on April 2-4 in Columbus. Gas and pipeline representatives, professional excavators and locators, electric company personnel, communications representatives and municipal employees are encouraged to attend.

The event registration covers all meals, sessions and demonstrations associated with the Summit. For an extra fee, attendees may choose to participate in additional workshops on the opening Monday including Competent Person Training and Utility Locator Training. In addition to learning more about trends, initiatives and activities within the damage prevention industry, the Summit provides a unique opportunity for all industry stakeholders to come together to promote excavation safety and public safety.

Keynote speakers offer opportunities to learn about how others are creating effective damage prevention programs in Ohio and nationwide. There is no simple, clear-cut solution to preventing damages to underground infrastructure, but through learning environments, such as those created at the Summit, damage prevention professionals can talk about options. Partnerships are one key to finding answers. These partnerships can be developed and fostered at the Summit.

Don’t miss Ohio’s premier damage prevention event. It is not only about learning about the industry, but about building relationships, promoting a better understanding from different perspectives and gaining insight into how new technology and new ways of thinking can keep Ohio moving forward.

At the last Summit, former Super Bowl champion and keynote speaker Keith Jackson shared that damage prevention was not about today, but about tomorrow. Many within the damage prevention industry understand where we are right now, but we all need to focus more on learning about where we need to be tomorrow and how we get there. To do this, we must create channels of open communication, foster mutual respect and understanding and look at solutions from various perspectives.

Join us for the Ohio Damage Prevention Summit April 2-4 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center to learn more about how you can be a part of the damage prevention world of tomorrow. Companies and organizations can also be a part of building a better tomorrow in damage prevention as a sponsor of the event. Sponsorship opportunities offer a range of marketing and promotional benefits and allow for networking with hundreds of stakeholders. To register or review sponsorship opportunities, go to http://ohio.damagepreventionsummit.com.

In 2008, O.U.P.S. installed a call center software known as Newtin. Part of the Newtin installation was the i-dig Newtin Remote Ticket Entry. This system offers a real-time, web-based ticket entry system for professional excavators, contractors and utility facility owners. Through i-dig, users can input, manage, repeat and update tickets from the convenience of their personal computers.

The i-dig program gives professional excavators and facility owners the ability to enter notifications 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The system also eliminates any on-hold time callers sometimes have when making locate requests via telephone. Only non-emergencies, normal 48-hour (two working day) requests, can be entered via i-dig.

The first step for contractors and member utilities is to simply visit the O.U.P.S. website (www.oups.org) and click on the i-dig icon and from there request access to the training module.

The training, done at the user’s pace, consists of text and video instruction followed by a series of up to five questions pertaining to each segment. Once the user finishes the training module, O.U.P.S. staff will send an email to the user for the creation of his user-name and password. Upon receipt of a returned email, Shari Davis or Maureen Beardman, Internet/GIS Support Specialists, will call the user to assist with downloading the i-dig program and answer any questions.

Multiple computers can be set up to access the program, allowing contractors to enter tickets from the office, at home or on the road using a laptop. The program also offers a record keeping and archive program.

There are more than 1,300 users of the i-dig program with more than 30 percent of tickets entered via the web annually.

O.U.P.S. also offers e-dig, an online ticket entry program for homeowners. “We have expanded the e-dig system to now be utilized by contractors,” said Tom Hackstedde, supervisor of Information Technology at O.U.P.S.

“E-dig allows contractors to enter single address tickets,” Hackstedde said. “It is for the contractors that have not done the training required for i-dig and perfect for the new contractor or landscape contractors who may not have a high volume of tickets.”

While i-dig offers real-time ticket entry and finishes the process once the information is completed, e-dig takes the locate information and suspends it in queue to allow an O.U.P.S. customer service staff member to review the data and enter it. Users receive an email confirmation for a successful ticket entry.

Those wishing to use e-dig would visit the O.U.P.S. webpage and click on the e-dig logo. Basic information required by the users includes name, mailing address, daytime telephone number and email address. Locational information required includes county and city or township in which the excavation will be performed, along with its physical address and nearest connecting streets. Other information needed to complete the e-dig ticket is the type of work being done, the location on the property where the excavation will take place and the approximate distance off the road that the digging project will occur. Digging projects include, but are not limited to, landscaping, digging holes for fence posts and mailboxes, anchoring supports for decks and swing sets, planting trees or removing roots and installing a retainer wall. Basically, it is any project in which the earth will be disturbed.

Hackstedde said the O.U.P.S. staff has been promoting the use of e-dig or i-dig at various industry trade shows.

“We are seeing an increase in the percentage of e-dig ticket entry,” Hackstedde said. “Remote ticket entry helps to alleviate some of the call center volume.”

Remember, if you are planning any digging project, the notification process can be done from any computer at any time. The process for homeowners and contractors with single address locations is a few clicks of the mouse away. Professional excavators and utility owners with more complex or high volume tickets can take a training course and enter their tickets via the i-dig program.

Make the decision to dig safely. It is not only the law, but can protect property and save lives.

Pipelines are a critical component of our nation’s energy infrastructure. They safely and reliably transport 25 percent of the country’s total energy consumption that is delivered to more than 70 million United States consumers.

“In general, pipelines are the safest means of transportation out there,” said Al Davis, who has been in the pipeline industry since 1977. This is not just a bold statement, but a fact backed up by the National Transportation Board statistics which indicate that pipelines are indisputably the safest way to transport natural gas and other energy products both for the public and the environment. Admittedly one of the factors for this safety is federal regulation. He said, “As an industry, we are one of the most regulated out there.”

Transmission pipelines are rigorously regulated by three federal agencies including the Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Transportation Security Administration’s Pipeline Security Division. As part of the regulatory process, pipeline personnel regularly check for visible signs of leaks or corrosion during regular aerial and foot patrols, use special equipment to inspect and clean the inside of pipelines, and test valves and gas samples to identify early signs of corrosion.

Today, with the regulatory standards and technological advances that allow companies to monitor pipelines 24 hours a day from state-of-the-art facilities, serious pipeline incidents are increasingly rare. According to statistics from the Interstate National Gas Association of America, incidents have decreased 30 percent in the past 20 years while the amount of gas delivered has increased by 30 percent.

However, no matter how much has changed since the first lines were built more than 150 years ago, accidents do happen and there are steps that can be taken to prevent them.

“Anytime you are disturbing soil, contact your one-call center,” Davis said. “Talk with the pipeline companies before doing any work near a pipeline, particularly in a pipeline right-of-way. All of us are willing to come out and work with you.”

Safety of Pipeline Right-of-way A pipeline right-of-way is a strip of land over and around pipelines where some property owners’ legal rights have been granted to the pipeline company through what is known as an easement.

“The easement allows the pipeline company to place their lines through the property, but not own the property,” Davis said. “There are easement restrictions that require the owner to maintain the land in certain ways. These are federally regulated agreements that provide for the safety of the pipelines and people around them.”

Davis said it is important for everyone to be aware of the presence of pipelines in an area whether it is a homeowner, excavator or just someone out enjoying activities such as hunting or operating a recreational vehicle.

“You can see if a power line is in a right-of-way, but if you are out on a four wheeler or hunting or mowing, you will not see an underground pipeline and face different dangers,” Davis said. To help alert those living and working around these pipelines to the possible dangers, pipeline rights-of-way are well marked.

“Any transmission line is required to be marked,” Davis said. Markers and warning signs are placed in bright colors, usually yellow or orange, along different intervals on the right-of-way and wherever the pipeline intersects a street, highway, railway or waterway.

These markers display a 24-hour emergency telephone number, the type of material being transported and the name of the pipeline company.

Davis said he could not stress enough the importance of the signage. In fact, he told a story about how a pipeline marker helped a wayward motorist who became lost in the Mississippi countryside find her way onto a pipeline right-of-way. She was rescued because she found a number on a marker and called.

“There was a lady who decided to take a short cut and ended up driving near a pipeline easement. She was lost and did not know where to go when she saw the pipeline marker and called the number,” Davis recalled. “She could not tell us where she was, but because we knew where she left from and where she was going, we were able to locate her using the markers and her cell phone.”

Tampering with pipeline markers is a federal offense punishable by fine or jail, Davis said. “Hunters often think the signs make good targets, but it could put people in danger if they are not able to see the number on the sign,” he said. When out on patrols of the area, Davis said workers often find signs that were “pulled up, run over with a four wheeler or had their signage switched with another company’s sign.”

There really are common sense solutions to working and living near these pipeline rights-of-way. Some land owners believe they can still use their property as they want, but there are things they can and cannot do. This is spelled out in their agreements with the pipeline company. “One thing our patrols will look for is a permanent structure such as a barn or shed in the right-of-way,” Davis said. “Some owners will try to put a fence or mailbox up near the area and not think about the risk of driving a post into a nearby pipeline.”

Markers and warning signs only indicate the general location of the pipeline and are not to be relied on for the exact position. This is why it is vital that anyone working or digging near the pipeline call the one-call center or the pipeline company to determine the specific location prior to disturbing the earth. Know What is Below “One of the biggest misconceptions is that the pipelines are buried 15 to 20 feet, when in reality most are not,” Davis said. There are factors such as erosion and other destruction that can affect the pipeline’s depth.

“Simple activities such as mudding, riding, hunting or driving with four-wheel-drive across the soil can create deep holes that lead to erosion that damages the coating on the pipes,” Davis said. “Same thing with heavy equipment crossing the right-of-way during logging or construction activity: it can scratch the pipe. The pipe may not give way then, but can lead to future damage.”

Davis’s best advice is to know where the pipelines are and understand that this is not the place for recreational activities. If you must cross the area with heavy equipment, work with the pipeline company to minimize any risk.

Davis and other pipeline companies communicate this message through a series of public awareness programs as mandated by RP 1162. Under this awareness program, they reach out to four main stakeholder groups including the affected public (landowners and businesses on the rights-of-way), emergency responders, excavators and public officials. Through meetings, trainings and forums, they can talk to the stakeholders about how to increase safety and measure the results of their outreach efforts.

One particular group Davis has seen as a target audience for education on pipeline rights-of-way is real estate agents. “I have seen real estate agencies tell landowners who are about to buy a property that they can pull and dispose of the pipeline signs,” he said. “We have worked with real estate associations in the area to formally educate them on how to disclose easement agreements to potential buyers.”

It is not just pipelines running through the countryside, but also those offshore, that should be properly located and marked before any type of activity can occur. Pipelines can be hit if there is a dredging operation, spud barge or other anchor dropped in or around these underwater infrastructures. “The key is to be aware, file proper permits and know where pipelines are located,” Davis said.

While pipeline incidents are statistically decreasing. The leading cause of serious pipeline incidents is third-party damage from a contractor, farmer, landscaper or the do-it-yourself homeowner. This can and should be avoided. Be aware. Know what’s below, and call before you dig.

ESRI ArcReader Example, City of Ash Flat Water System

Within the last few years, ADH realized the need to help small water systems map their infrastructure. ADH along with its partners proposed the rural water mapping system to EPA. EPA funded the project and is treating it as a pilot project with the potential of expansion to additional states. ADH and EPA understand the need for GIS & GPS for system management that helps the rural water systems with emergency planning, asset management and long range planning.

System mapping involves a four-step process of system assessment, data collection, mapping of mains, and implementation & training. The initial step involves a brief telephone interview/assessment concerning the water system to determine the proposed project schedule for the specific water system. The data collection process starts with water system employees locating all infrastructure to reduce time spent in the field collecting data.

After the system has located all infrastructure, Magnolia River’s GIS/GPS Specialists, along with a water system employee, collect sub-foot-accuracy GPS data and populate the data fields with information. The data fields for the SIMI project include size, type, a unique identifying number, and the asset description.

Once field data collection is complete, Magnolia River maps main from a variety of resources. Digitization begins with available paper maps, as-builts or preliminary drawings of the system. Since paper maps and drawings are usually out of date or inaccurate, Magnolia River uses a variety of techniques to insure that high accuracy maps are produced in a cost-effective manner. In many cases within water systems, there are usually one or two employees who have a strong knowledge of the locations of the systems assets. Magnolia River realizes this and uses all resources including verbal communication with the employee(s) while digitizing mains and extracting spatial and descriptive information concerning system assets.

Magnolia River then takes all the data and draws/digitizes the lines from the info collected into a single useable format. Essentially, Magnolia River takes the information from the knowledgeable employee’s “mental map” and records it in a GIS.

The final step involves Magnolia River staff producing and implementing a useable map along with providing training and documentation to the water system users. Magnolia River uses all available data from the State of Arkansas’s GIS geostor website which includes two-meter resolution or better color aerial imagery, road layers, lake layers, and if available parcel data. When Magnolia River has finished implementing the water system the customers have a useable, printable map of all assets included in the water system. Finally, Magnolia River provides training to the rural water systems to properly use the mapping system.

Magnolia River is currently working on year four of the contract with an estimated 75 rural water systems to be mapped by the end of year. Due to the success of the project on multiple levels, and the need for more accurate system mapping, additional funding has been awarded to the program and Magnolia River.

LEARN MORE:
For more information please visit www.magnolia-river.com or contact Dale Jobes via email (dale.jobes@magnolia-river.com) or phone 1-855-MAG-RIVER.

There are a lot of differences between the stakeholders. As independent companies, you have different owners and each of you has your own goals along your journey to be financially successful. What you do is different. You’ve got issues within your company that the other entities are not aware of and you might argue don’t need to be aware of. You’ve got your set of personnel issues and struggle to maximize the use of resources.

Let’s address another question — what do you have in common? You want to be profitable, you provide a livelihood to employees and their families, you have common people issues, etc. More specifically, you interact in the same industry. The question is do these commonalities make you a team?

Before answering that question, let’s list the basic characteristics of a team.
1. Members have a common vision and goal.
2. Each member knows their roles and responsibilities to achieve.
3. Each member proactively meets/exceeds the expectations of other team members.
4. Each member gives and receives feedback.
5. There is an accountability system to keep members working to achieve a common goal.

Let’s consider the impact of a common vision and goal. Having worked within organizations as a consultant the past 20 + years, I know that having a common vision and goal are critical for members within a team or departments within the same company to feel as one team. A vision and goal provide direction so employees know where you are going and what is to be achieved. They provide employees a purpose and give meaning to their work. People like feeling like an integral part of something larger than themselves. Consequently, your employees will be more loyal, have a higher morale, and will be more productive when they feel as though everyone in your company is striving to achieve the same vision and common goals

In your case, you are independent companies working together under the umbrella of damage prevention. You may not have sat around a conference table to define your common vision and goal, but it seems logical to assume that you should have a common vision to prevent damages. Could we be so bold as to say that the glue that binds you independent stakeholders together is the goal to prevent damages? If so, it would seem logical that each of you is a member of an overall damage prevention team.

If you agree, that sets the stage for you to help each other succeed rather than each of you going off in different directions with little regard for other stakeholders. Chris Ernst and Donna Chrobot-Mason report the same in their recent book, Boundary Spanning Leadership (2011). Common sense dictates that we ought to help each other to be successful. Would you agree?

Let’s look at this issue from another perspective. As I’ve said, WHAT each of you does is different. Consequently HOW you do what you do is different. If I were to ask you “WHY” you do what you do, you may respond to “make a profit.” In reality, though, profit is a by-product of successfully completing your job responsibilities so that the excavator works safely. The logical conclusion is that the common WHY among you independent companies is to prevent damages by helping people work safely.

I’m out of space so the next time we’ll continue our discussion of being members of a damage prevention team.

It is not uncommon to hear an executive or board member conclude a conversation by saying “we can’t do that here.” Most of the time the reason given for this impossible task is that there is someone or some organization that simply won’t budge. “Over the years we’ve tried everything, and just hit a brick wall,” they say. It seems reasonable to this publisher that now is your best chance for success, especially after all these time-consuming things that won’t work have been eliminated.

So what will work? It’s about building relationships, and not about appointing committees.

We have been entering into relationships since the beginning of time; what we have not been able to accomplish yet is lasting and meaningful relationships. Of course there are a few, but for the most part maintaining the relationships are oft times harder than building them.

I’m talking about a relationship where individuals come together for common goals; one that is not abusive toward any position held, one that listens to ideas with the purpose of better understanding the perspectives of all involved. A relationship where there are no winners because those involved are committed to each other, not only around the table, but to those who don’t even know you are meeting.

Compliance issues may bring these folks together, but commitment to a common goal will keep them working together so as to be successful. So, is it possible to achieve such a relationship with the great diversity all stakeholders bring to the table? And of course the answer is yes, it is absolutely possible.

It begins with trust. You can have a committee without trust, but you can’t have a meaningful relationship without trust. Think about the groups, committees, or boards to which you belong. If there is someone in that committee that you just can’t trust, the problem will very likely be you. If you aren’t willing to trust one another, any perceived success will be short lived.

The next critical step in maintaining the relationship is good old fashion honesty and integrity. If it needs said, say it, but say it with kindness. If we can’t say it with kindness, don’t say it all. If you can’t say it so as to build the bridge, then what you are about to say is above your pay grade. Find someone who can mediate or facilitate the issue so as not to tear down what’s already established.

One of the most vital qualities for a strong and meaningful relationship, for bringing all stakeholders together, even those who may not agree with you, is the ability to listen with all your heart. This kind of relationship requires that our listening goes beyond just words. We must connect emotionally with others to accomplish what you are unable to accomplish alone. Listening intently to what the person is not saying is just as important as listening to what is being said. Rather than get frustrated at the tone of voice being used, try to understand why they struggle so getting their message across. We want people not only to hear what we say, but also to feel what we feel.

If we understand this to be true, then how much more important is it that each of us sets the example for creating the environment that allows all of our stakeholders to be winners in keeping our state a safer place to live and work.

Try it, and you’ll be surprised to find that the impossible is not really impossible. It just takes a little longer.

As a side bar, promoting damage prevention is the sole reason ACTS exists. We’re pleased about the progress those states we’re working with have made and excited about the potential to assist in taking damage prevention to the next level.

Funny thing about us human beings, what we’ve done to get this far may not be enough to get us to where we want to go. That means we may have to do something different in order to help each other and ourselves to reach the goal of being an “incident and injury” free state. Doing something different speaks to the often-dreaded word “change.”

There’s another funny thing about us human beings, in spite of recognizing the need to change, we prefer to remain in our comfort zone. It offers considerable security for a variety of reasons including knowing “where we are” and we’re avoiding the tensions that frequently accompany change. The tendency to remain fixed in the comfort zone can stop progress dead in its tracks.

For example, to help all stakeholders to maximize success, it is critical that we know how well we are meeting one another’s needs. Ouch! Knowing that can hurt! Let me explain. I’m reminded of the work I’m doing with another client who experienced the identical dilemma. The manager suspected that several internal customers would blister him and even after spending several weeks crafting the best survey instrument, he suddenly balked and said “I don’t want to continue.” Wait a minute. Is this person saying that the fear of learning the facts about his department’s performance is driving him to stay in the comfort zone? That’s exactly what he was doing to himself and his department. Now that’s like taking a gun and shooting yourself in the foot!

Now fast forward. The manager eventually faced his fear and completed the process to solicit feedback from other stakeholders. Guess what? The responses were not nearly as painful as he imagined. The department received excellent feedback to improve their service levels, and the manager received multiple compliments on taking the initiative to improve teamwork. Now the manager is pleased as punch.

Let me take you out of the damage prevention environment for just a moment to tell you about a 50-year-old friend that is suspected of having bone marrow cancer. He is also fearful of completing the battery of diagnostic tests and his body tells him to remain in his comfort zone. What he doesn’t know doesn’t hurt him, right? Wrong.

My friend will have the courage to face the bitter truth, because the benefits of knowing the truth and engaging in a treatment regimen are certainly more advantageous than not knowing.

The same applies to us as we strive to improve damage prevention within our respective states. There is a host of activities that need to be done.
For example:
1. Passing stronger and more effective legislation.
2. Meeting with other stakeholders to better understand their points of view.
3. Building better working relationships from the office complexes to the trenches.
4. Accepting responsibility for behaviors that interfere with the state’s efforts to improve damage prevention.
5. Implementing training for both the technical and leadership/teamwork skills of our damage prevention team.

But we may find ourselves walking unchartered territory and the discomfort associated with the walk may keep us frozen in our tracks. This is not a good thing. We may have to do things that are uncomfortable or make personal sacrifices for the good of our state’s damage prevention team. When that time comes, what will your decision be? Will you remain in the comfort zone or muster the necessary courage to do what needs to be done regardless of the associated level of discomfort? Your answer will be determined by the degree to which you believe that promoting damage prevention is best for your state.

Thanks for allowing ACTS to be a member of your damage prevention team.

So, how do we quickly create a positive impression that makes people want to interact with us? We set the stage and perhaps an impression that lasts for life with our initial greeting and handshake. Our handshake either creates confidence or doubt.

A wimpy cold fish handshake stays in our minds indefinitely; just like the cow, we’ve been branded. Often women will hold the tips of a man’s hand when shaking hands. This is generally driven by a past experience of having some bruiser squeeze their hand until it burst with pain.

Regardless of whether you’re a man or a woman, here’s how you can prevent that from ever happening again: in order to project confidence through your handshake, adopt the following method. Engage the other person’s hand fully so that your palms equally meet. Clasp their hand so that your fingers overlap the back of their palm. In this position even the roughnecks and bruisers with an excruciating handshake can’t hurt even a petite woman. Practice this with a friend so that when your hands meet, the joint at your thumb prevents your hand from going any farther.

With a smile on your face give a firm grip while looking them directly in the eye and then turn loose. That sets up a friendly business relationship. Now you are projecting a positive professional image. You’re meeting the other person on a level playing field. This is especially important for women working in a world that is typically dominated by men.

I was talking with my partner, Roger, while writing this article. He said “That’s interesting. I was introduced to Heidi Aragon recently and was particularly impressed when I met her. She stood up from her desk, looked me square in the eye and gave me a brief firm handshake. It made such a positive impression that prior to leaving the building I went back past her office to say good-bye and see if she would repeat it. She did; I was even more impressed.”

My point is for us to make this a habit with every greeting we have. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a customer, fellow worker, employee or stakeholder. It creates an impression that makes others want to help you rather than ignore or fight you. It establishes the beginning of a relationship that has a proven history of promoting damage prevention. When people have a positive impression of us they go out of their way more often to work together on all fronts. Building relationships so that stakeholders work together is a key ingredient in creating a safe environment.

That my friends, creates ZING!

It was quiet outside. No birds or critters were talking, and only a few cars ever drove past our house. And the ones that did, we knew by sound.

Maybe that’s why the sound of an unfamiliar pickup pulling in our front yard caught my attention. A stranger in overalls, a big brown coat and a cap with tie-down flaps over his ears carefully walked through the gate and up to the front door as I peered around the corner of the house. I heard him say to my Aunt Beulah, “Alva is hurt bad. He fell on the ice at the Big Store and is unconscious. They’ve taken him to the hospital in DeQueen.” He continued, “Mr. Reed told me to see if you needed a ride to the hospital.”

My auntie certainly needed a ride anywhere. The only vehicle we had was a 1949 Chevy pickup, and my uncle had it. Beyond that, Auntie wasn’t that good a driver even when the sun was shining. She was one of the few people I ever knew that once got a ticket for driving too slow.
She looked at me and said, “Honey, I’ve got to go and check on Uncle. Will you be ok? I’ll stop at Anna Belle’s and ask her to come by and check on you later tonight.”

“Go on Auntie,” I bravely said. “I’ll be ok.” Choking back the tears as she got in the pickup, I listened until it was completely out of hearing. I went in the house and filled the wood box in the corner of the room and threw another stick of wood on the fire. Somehow building a snowman wasn’t on my list of things I wanted to do that day.

Sure enough, later that evening, Mrs. Anna Belle came by with good stuff to eat. She talked a lot and kept saying not to worry about things. I’m pretty sure I was worried more when she got through talking than I was before she started. “Just pitiful, as sure-footed as Alva is, who would have thought something like this could happen,” she said. “And what worries me most is that your uncle might not make it through the night,” said Mrs. Anna Belle. “And your auntie just got over that stroke. She’s barely able to keep herself. I don’t know how in the world she’d be able to take care of a rambunctious boy like you. We’ll just have to cross that bridge when we get to it.”

Mercifully, she finished up and started out the front door. She turned and said obligingly, “Honey, do you want to stay with us tonight?” I replied, “No ma’am, I’ve got chores to get done early in the morning. I’ll be ok.” The truth was, though she meant well, she hurt more than she helped. I was sad before she got there. I was sad and scared when she left.

I slept fitfully. The sun could not come up fast enough the next morning. Cows to milk, mules to feed, chopping holes in the pond so the critters could drink, splitting more wood and feeling sorry for myself kept me so depressed, I didn’t even see Dillard walking up the steps until the door slammed shut with a bang. He said, “Dang! It’s cold, not as cold as the blizzard of ’29 mind you, but it’s dang cold!” No doubt about it, he was master of the obvious. He poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down at the kitchen table, looked at me and asked, “What’s wrong?”

I told him as much as I knew. And then I told him more than I knew. I repeated what Mrs. Anna Belle said, that Uncle wouldn’t make it through the night and that I might not get to stay with Auntie.

“Shoot boy, why do you want to believe that? If you insist on believing something, believe he’s going to be alright. You’ll see, he’ll be back before you know it. Now all we’ve got to do is get busy doing what needs to be done so that when he gets back, he won’t be behind on all the chores,” Dillard stated confidently.

So we worked hard all morning getting chores done. We made time in the afternoon to build the world’s best snowman. Frosty stood tall for weeks before the sun called him home. Dillard stayed with me that night and kept the fire going. The room was toasty, and I slept peacefully.

What changed? Nothing! I had two people visit me since the news of my uncle’s fall. One brought me food. The other brought me hope. My auntie came back home the next day and told me that Uncle would be in the hospital for a while longer, but would be back home before too long. He said to tell his little man to keep up with the chores as best as I could, so he would not be too far behind when he came home.

Bless your heart, Dillard! I sure know lots of folks who could use you today.