A Call to This Free Number Could Save Your Life The Next Time You Dig Up Your Garden

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Everyone knows to call 911 in the event of an emergency. But most people don't know about another three-digit number that could also save your life.

In the decade to 2017, 421 people died and 1,906 people were injured by mistakenly striking underground gas or electric lines while digging in their gardens, installing a new fence, or otherwise undertaking projects around their homes.

That's a massive death toll. And many of those injuries or deaths could have been avoided by calling a simple (and free) phone number.

What's the number? 811.

811 is a free service you can call if you're planning to undertake any home project that requires digging in the ground.

According to the DOT, a call to 811 before digging results in a 99% chance of avoiding an incident, which could potentially save your life.

How it Works

When you call, someone from your local utility comes out to your house or business, uses tools like ground penetrating radar to find the location of any utility lines in the ground, and then marks the ground with paint.

Anyone planning to dig for projects like planting trees, installing fences, or any other excavation work should call 811 or visit their state's 811 center's website before starting, the nationwide center for the 811 service says.

This service ensures that the approximate locations of underground utilities are marked with paint or flags to prevent accidental damage.

When should you call 811? It’s recommended to reach out a few business days before starting any digging project.

The exact advance notice required may vary by state, but giving ample time is essential. When calling, you'll need to provide the address of the dig site, including the county and nearest cross street, as well as details about the project.

After contacting 811, it’s important to wait for all utility companies to respond to your request and mark their buried lines. Once the markings are in place, dig carefully around them, and consider adjusting your project if it's too close to a marked utility.

You might think that a simple project like planting a tree shouldn't require a call. But many dangerous gas lines are buried only a few feet in the ground. You can easily hit one even if you're digging a small hole.

Why is this Free?

So, who pays for this? A free service that comes to your house and uses expensive equipment feels like it's too good to be true.

811 is generally paid for by the utility companies themselves.

Are they doing this out of the kindness of their hearts? They'd like to say so. In reality, though, it's probably out of a genuine desire to save lives, coupled with a desire to avoid costly damage to underground equipment.

In other words, your interests (not injuring yourself by hitting a gas line) and your utility interests (not having a gas line damaged by someone like you hitting a gas line) align. Thus, the free, nationwide service.

No matter the reasons for 811's existence, it exists, and it's available all over the United States.

Take advantage of this free service the next time you need to dig. It could save your life.