Imagine the disruption: a sudden power outage affecting hundreds of homes, a gas leak forcing evacuations, or worse, a worker injured by an electrical strike. These are the real-world consequences of hitting underground utility lines, and they happen far too often. A recent report from PG&E paints a stark picture: nearly 1,300 such incidents occurred in their service area in …

When I talk to friends outside of the utility industry they’re often shocked to learn that the the utility industry, surprisingly lags behind in embracing cutting-edge technology. This reluctance has significant consequences, particularly in damage prevention. One major factor contributing to this technological lag is a deep-seated risk aversion. Maintaining critical infrastructure carries immense responsibility, naturally leading to hesitation when …

As we ring in the New Year, many of us reflect on the past – assessing where we’ve been and considering where we want to go. While these reflections are often productive, they can sometimes be hindered by an unrecognized mental trap: the sunk cost fallacy. This cognitive bias encourages us to continue investing time, money, or energy into endeavors …

I was reading through this article by Alejandro Lazo on how cost effective California’s power companies’ wildfire prevention efforts are. And so I thought it was worth exploring the relationship between fire prevention and damage prevention. Both initiatives involve addressing risks proactively to protect lives, infrastructure, and the environment. Here’s how these two concepts converge and what lessons utilities across …

I was reading through this article that Tony Millikin sent to me from PCL Construction on their Construction Outlook for 2025. So I thought I’d put together my thoughts on what our industry might look like next year and what we can do to change our trajectory. The challenges are mounting, the stakes are higher than ever, and the need …

When my brother Greg and I took over Competers, our mission was clear: revolutionize damage prevention with technology. Over the years, we’ve built tools like Utilocate, a ticket management system that has become a trusted ally for utility locators, and UExcavate, which streamlines excavation workflows. We’ve always been driven by the belief that innovation in this field isn’t just about …

It’s Thanksgiving, and so I wanted to write a brief reflection on the things that make our lives better in this industry. In the world of damage prevention and utility management, it’s easy to get caught up in the challenges, but there’s also so much to be grateful for. This year, I’m focusing on the “5 T’s” that I’m most …

The first rule of doing business in the US is “don’t mention that you’re Canadian.” A few people have told me that in jest but there might be some truth to it. I’ve lived on both sides of the border and it’s surprising how similar and yet how different some things are. (Who remembers smuggling Kinder Eggs?) One thing that …

I was reading through this twitter/X thread a few days ago about the options for quantifying damages in conflict zones using satellite images. User @yohaniddawela put together a really good overview which is worth reading. The technology is called Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) and his overview got me thinking about how we could use this technology for damage prevention. …

In the utility world, excavators often shoulder much of the responsibility for damage prevention – even though they don’t usually own the infrastructure they’re working around. Accidental strikes can be costly, delay projects, and potentially harm both workers and the public. Unfortunately, excavators are frequently left in the dark with incomplete or outdated utility maps, yet they’re still expected to …