Media Advisory

What: 
Aug. 11, 2025, is National 811 Dig Alert Day. To highlight the importance of calling 811 before you dig, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), in partnership with the City of San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, will conduct an ignition demonstration at SDG&E’s Skills Training Center. The demonstration will showcase what can occur if existing underground utilities are not identified prior to digging.  

The demonstration will take place at Skills City within the Training Center, which is a mock-up of a city neighborhood where SDG&E employees are trained on how to operate and maintain SDG&E’s natural-gas delivery system. This includes detecting the release of natural gas around homes and under streets, fixing damaged natural-gas lines and using advanced sensors to inspect inside gas lines for any problems.    

SDG&E and Fire-Rescue officials will cite an increasing incidence of third-party, natural-gas line strikes, resulting in potential safety hazards and inconveniences to the public from service outages and closed streets, and to emergency-service personnel who are forced to respond. Simulated emergency situations will also showcase how our employees safely and expertly detect and repair damage to natural gas lines. 

When:      
Monday, Aug. 11, 2025 
8:30 - 9:30 a.m. 

Where:      
SDG&E Skills Training Center  
690 Friars Road  
San Diego CA, 92108  
*Secured facility – You must RSVP. 

Visuals: 
Simulation of a gas-line break with ignition; Latest gas-leak-detection technology; 8-1-1 gas-location finder; Display of past gas-line breaks.  
          
Interview opportunities: 
San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Chief 
SDG&E Chief Safety Officer Kevin Geraghty 
SDG&E Bilingual Communications Manager Humberto Gurmilan

Contact:       
Anthony Wagner, Communications Manager, Cell 858-649-3570, Awagner1@sdge.com