Page 7 - MS811

People Make the Mississippi Damage
Prevention Summit a Success
Once again almost 400 industry professionals made the journey to Biloxi to attend the Mississippi 811 Summit, the premier damage prevention event in the state! This annual
event since 2008 continues to draw stakeholders from across the state to find Mississippi solutions to Mississippi issues. The challenges affecting public safety and protecting underground utilities are many. The Summit is the place to not only identify them but also to begin solving them.
What made this particular event so memorable? No doubt the combination of education, entertainment and downhome Mississippi hospitality was a factor. But the bottom line was “it was the people!”
I’ve learned that when you bring people together with a common goal and create the environment for a “no judgment zone” way of thinking, exciting things
usually happen. It all began to pop from the first day. Mississippi 811’s staff is always ready to assist. A special thanks goes out to these professionals who hit the ground running at every event they attend.
The educational workshops and sessions from the first day to the last day were well attended and audience participation was at an all-time high.
Keeping up with and staying ahead
of the underground projects was just one of the hot topics discussed at this year’s event. Dynamic and informative speakers led the audience to redefine issues and make new friends. If you’re the excavator, the locators may become your new friend and of course, if you’re the locator, maybe we need to try to better understand the pressures placed on the excavator. It is clear that we’re going to see a lot more of one another over the next 5 years, so it would make
sense to work together to help one another be more successful.
This year’s exhibit hall was hopping. First-time vendors as well as first-time attendees made the Summit explode with energy and kept it fun and easy to learn. That’s really the purpose
of the Summit in the first place.
Bring stakeholders together to share perspectives and experiences to create a better path for public safety and the protection of underground utilities... and do it together as a team!
Our speakers were well-prepared and informative. Thanks to all of you for sharing your gift with 400 of your closest friends. On that note, our keynote speaker, Coach Matt Deggs, head baseball coach of the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns inspired all who attended his session with what it takes to be a better team player.
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2023, Issue 4 Mississippi 811 • 5