Contributed article
SAFFORD — The City of Safford Utilities Department is proud to announce it has been awarded a $33,341 Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).
The grant is 100 percent federally funded, requiring zero matching funds from local ratepayers.
The competitive grant will fund the Safford Pipeline Safety and Public Awareness Enhancement Initiative. Through this initiative, the Safford Gas Division will expand its 811 damage-prevention outreach and acquire a state-of-the-art, interactive “Hazard Hamlet” safety simulator. The simulator will be deployed at local community events and schools to provide hands-on education about safe digging practices, line encroachment rules, and natural gas hazard recognition.
“Ensuring the safety of our residents and our underground infrastructure is our top priority,” said Jeff Low, Utilities director for the City of Safford. “This federal funding allows us to take a highly proactive, interactive approach to educating our community and local contractors about pipeline safety, completely independent of our local operating budget.”
The City of Safford was one of a select group of municipalities and organizations chosen nationwide for this grant cycle, and was officially highlighted in the USDOT’s national press release announcing this year’s pipeline safety investments.
