3/6/2025 NE Florida DPC

Location: ALOFT Tapestry Park, 4812 W Deer Lake Dr, Jacksonville, FL

Hosted by NUCA of North Florida.

Start Time: 6:00 PM
End Time: 8:00 PM
Attendance: 24

NEXT MEETING
Troy Betts of Valencourt Construction has volunteered location
Date to be determined

DPC Officers and Open Seats
Brad Martin of Sunshine 811 is acting Chairperson
Jennifer Puff, Exec Director of NUCA North Florida
Official officers not yet selected.

Introductions and Welcomes

  • Executive Director Introduction

  • New Executive Director of NUCA of Florida welcomed attendees.

  • Overview of the Northeast Florida Damage Prevention Council

  • Importance of engagement over the next years highlighted.

  • The meeting focused on discussing updates in the underground facility locating process, sharing statistics on ticket volumes, and enhancing communication between contractors and utilities. Key speakers included representatives from Sunshine 811 and utility companies. The session facilitated an open discussion on challenges, solutions, and best practices in utility location and damage prevention.

Current State of Utility Locating

  • Approximately 3 million tickets received, reflecting a 2.8% decrease from the previous year.

  • The peak day saw over 11,000 tickets entered.

  • Challenges Faced: High volume of work leads to delays.

  • Importance of communication among contractors, locators, and utilities stressed.

Legislative Updates and Compliance

  • Discussion about enforcement of statutes and fines.

  • National Safe Digging Month in April was highlighted; resources are being made available for promoting safety.

  • Emphasis on I Take the Pledge initiative to ensure safe digging practices.

Open Discussion on Challenges

  • Challenges in accessing accurate locational information.

  • Concerns about automation and technology in utility locating, such as the use of drones.

  • Multiple utilities’ presence complicating marking and locating efforts.

  • Emphasis on proper marking according to standards to prevent confusion and damage.

Safety Protocols

  • Constant reminder for participants to check positive responses before digging.

  • Increased incidents of near misses and concerns about marking standards were raised.

  • Highlighted the importance of effectively communicating issues with utility companies.

Concerns Around Ticketing and Responses

  • Mention of delays in locating due to poor or unclear communication. Frustration with ongoing tickets that complicate scheduling for work.

  • Calls for better practices around ticket renewals and specificity of requests were emphasized.

Quick Review

  • The meeting addressed updates on utility locating challenges and initiatives for safety in underground excavations.

  • It highlighted the importance of communication between stakeholders to prevent utility damage.

  • Discussions emphasized the need for accurate utility marking and adherence to safety protocols.

W Schaefer