November 6-8, 2024

IP Casino and Resort, Biloxi

Agenda

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Tuesday November 5, 2024

Locate Rodeo | 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Wednesday November 6, 2024

Utility Locator Skills Enhancement Workshop | 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM

Instructor: Bob Nighswonger, Utility Training Academy

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Damage Investigation Workshop | 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Instructor: Roger Cox, ACTS Now

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Summit Golf Outing | 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM

Shell Landing
3499 Shell Landing Blvd.
Gautier, MS 39553

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Enforcement Board Meeting | 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
MS811 Web Portal & Mobile App Workshop | 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Instructor: Amanda Russell & Chas Sample, Mississippi 811

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Utility Mapping with GIS Training | 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Speaker: Dan Bigman, Bigman Geophysical, LLC

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Mississippi 811 Annual Membership Mtg | 3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
MS811 Board Meeting | 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Mississippi 811 Reception | 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM

Located in the Exhibit area, with networking, food and drinks for all.

Thursday November 7, 2024

Welcome & Opening Remarks | 7:45 AM - 7:55 AM

Speaker: Wayne Carr, Southern District Public Service Commissioner

Welcome to the 2024 Mississippi Damage Prevention Summit

Your Reputation is Your Brand | 8:00 AM - 8:50 AM

Speaker: Scott Wozniak, Swoz Consulting

This session revolves around the importance of consistency and how best to utilize immediate feedback for continuous improvement. Understanding the value of branding can create successful relationships with your customers, your coworkers and other stakeholders.

Public Safety Awareness around Electricity | 9:00 AM - 9:50 AM

Speaker: Lynette Brown, Mississippi Power

Attend this session to learn more about best practices and safety while living and working around overhead and underground lines.

Enhancing Utility Mapping with Mississippi's Geospatial Resources: Open Dialogue and Technology Showcase | 9:00 AM - 9:50 AM

Speaker: Haley Feather, Mississippi 811

Attend this dynamic session exploring Mississippi’s openly available geospatial resources and state programs that can benefit utility workflows. This session will provide an overview of key resources from the state clearinghouse and showcase innovative geospatial technologies used in utility mapping. Additionally, we will foster an open dialogue, inviting utility members to share insights on the tools and strategies they currently use to maintain their GIS systems. This interactive discussion aims to promote collaboration and the exchange of best practices for optimizing geospatial data in daily operations.
Prevention of Natural Gas Cross Bores in Sewer Systems | 10:00 AM - 10:50 AM

Speaker: Josh Graham, Compliance EnviroSystems, LLC

Cross bores in a sanitary sewer or storm drain system are tremendously hazardous. This session will discuss the hazards associated with cross bores and explore the technologies available for locating cross bores.
DPCC… Working For You | 10:00 AM - 10:50 AM

Speaker: Damage Prevention Coordinators, Mississippi 811

Attend this session to learn how to take advantage of the information shared at these well-attended events and how to get more involved. Enforcement and local projects are hot topics and you can bet so will Positive Response be on everybody’s list of “tell me more about it.”
Ask the Enforcement Board | 11:00 AM - 11:50 AM

Speaker: Enforcement Board, MUFDPB

Meet members of the enforcement board and ask them questions as it relates to their roles on the board and their assessment of the progress that’s being made. This is the opportunity to discuss any frustrations with the process of enforcement in Mississippi.
Lunch Buffet | 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Networking with Exhibitors | 1:30 PM - 2:20 PM
Broadband Expansion in Mississippi | 2:30 PM - 3:20 PM

Speaker: Sally Doty, Director – BEAM

 

The potential for massive growth in broadband expansion in Mississippi has got everyone talking. What will its impact be, when will it be full force and how will it impact other facility owner’s work capacity?
How to Use Positive Response and Be in Compliance With Mississippi’s Dig Law | 3:30 PM - 4:20 PM

Speaker: Amanda Russell, Mississippi 811

Submitting response information to the MS811 Positive Response Information System (PRIS) goes beyond compliance—PRIS is a powerful communication tool that enhances safety, cuts project delays, and saves time and costs for all stakeholders. Join us to explore the incredibly easy process that keeps you on the right side of the law.
Locating Underground Utilities Is Not for the Faint of Heart | 3:30 PM - 4:20 PM
Speaker: Bo Womack, Magnolia Brothers

Don’t believe your machine until you know what it’s telling you. Being able to locate your underground utilities has always been important but with the pressure being applied through the approaching broadband push, it’s never been more critical. Part of your success is reading your equipment, part is being prepared and the rest is being able to work with the excavator. Attend this session to get ready for the challenge.
Summit Reception / Door Prizes | 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM
Join us in the Exhibit area for networking, food, drinks and door prizes you don’t want to miss!

Friday November 8, 2024

Opening Remarks | 7:45 AM - 8:00 AM

 

Mississippi 811: Keeping our Eyes on the Goal of Damage Prevention | 8:00 AM - 8:50 AM

Speaker: Fred Johnson, Mississippi 811

Attend this session to learn how Mississippi 811 uses technology and expertise to create quality tickets at cost-effective prices. The goal of damage prevention has to be affordable and this session will show you what goes on behind the scenes.
Legislatively, What's Next for Mississippi's Dig Law? | 9:00 AM - 9:50 AM

Speaker: Sandy Sanford, Cascio Sanford Government Law Group PLLC 

While it is difficult if not impossible to predict what can be done legislatively, the Mississippi Damage Prevention Committee has assigned committees to tackle tough issues from white striping to increasing locate-by times and defining what a large project is and how to enforce it. Of course, there are other equally important issues being discussed. Attend this session to learn what’s next, what may go forward in the upcoming legislative session and what may have to be better defined before taking it to legislation.

Establishing "Large Project" Tickets: Enhancing Excavation Coordination | 10:00 AM - 10:50 AM

Speaker: Mike Morgan & Amanda Russell, Mississippi 811

Several states are beginning to adopt a new “Large Project” ticket type aimed at improving coordination and safety for long-duration or geographically extensive projects. This topic has been a key point of discussion during Mississippi Damage Prevention Council (MDPC) legislative meetings for several years. While some states have already implemented similar measures, the concept is still in its early stages and continues to evolve. Developing an effective “Large Project” solution is a complex task that requires careful planning to ensure its success. In response, the MDPC has established a dedicated committee that will meet monthly to refine the specifics, including defining clear parameters and creating enforceable criteria for when a “Large Project” ticket should be triggered. A concensus among stakeholders highlights the importance of a pre-construction meeting as a critical first step. To support this, MS811 plans to introduce a new “Pre-Construction Meeting” ticket type in 2025, which is expected to play a pivital role in shaping the broader “Large Project” ticket. This session will explore the practicalities of the “Large Project” concept, examining its impact on industry stakeholders and how is can enhance coordination and safety in managing complex projects.

Enforcement Program Review and What's New for 2024 | 11:00 AM - 11:50 AM

Speaker: Roger Cox, Executive Secretary for the Enforcement Board

 

This session focuses on the state of the enforcement program. It includes a review of the data submitted through the AVRs and identifies specifically what is needed to confirm that a violation has occurred. Attend this session to learn how to use the process to your advantage.