More than 83,000 gas and electrical lines were damaged nationwide in 2024, according to reports compiled for InvestigateTV+. One in four of those incidents started with the same mistake: nobody called 811 before digging. That free national service gets your underground utilities marked before work begins, and in Florida, it’s required by law whether you’re a homeowner planting a palm or a contractor installing a fence.
The reasons to call are practical. Cutting a gas line isn’t just expensive to repair, it can cause an explosion. Striking an electrical line carries obvious risk. Both can knock out service for your street and leave you on the hook for the damage. The call itself costs nothing, and most requests are completed within a few business days, so plan ahead before your fall or post-storm projects start.
The same episode highlights a Baton Rouge spa providing specialized care for cancer patients coping with radiation burns, a side effect that affects about one in five radiation therapy patients. It also features the Sassy Seniors, a Las Vegas volunteer group founded by Kathy Yanke, and two South Carolina families who placed over 250 acres under conservation easements through Upstate Forever. Different stories, same underlying idea: small, deliberate choices that protect people and places.
Have you ever called 811? Tell us how it went in the comments.
