Unlimited reasons for hitting lines

Putting in a fence. Setting a basketball backstop. Installing lawn irrigation. And the ever-popular tree planting.

What can gas companies do to cut down on these incidents? Safety advertising, yes. But how's that working for you?

I'm thinking it's time to start with the children. Remember Fireman Bill who came to school to teach us to drop and roll? What about a school-based campaign to teach kids to be aware of buried gas lines? Oh, I just answered my own question. If you told my boys about buried gas lines in the yard, they'd start digging just to see for themselves. Nevermind.

But what about mercaptan Scratch 'N Sniff? And what to do when you smell that yucky smell at home? I think that would make a difference. Maybe not right away, but it's education to build on.

Please, don't do what one company did. They sent the Scratch 'N Sniff as bill stuffers. Practically every post office in their service area was evacuated!