Nicor Gas and Southern Company Gas develops new, digital arcade for kids to stay engaged from home during National Safe Digging Month
New website provides parents, teachers a fun new way to educate kids about safety from the comfort of home
NAPERVILLE, Ill. – April 16, 2020 – School may be out for most, but the learning doesn’t have to stop — especially for Nicor Gas customers. Thanks to a digital arcade developed by Nicor Gas and its parent company, Southern Company Gas, millions of customers now have a new digital learning tool to educate children on natural gas safety — and to keep them occupied.
Due to coronavirus (COVID-19) and stay at home orders, parents are getting creative to keep their kids entertained. The online Safe Digging Arcade, developed in honor of National Safe Digging Month, utilizes science, engineering, technology and math (STEM) games to teach future excavators to become safe digging champions.
“We are constantly looking for new and innovative ways to educate our communities about the importance of natural gas safety – and that starts with our kids,” said Melvin D. Williams, Nicor Gas president. “We have been providing safety and educational programs to school children for generations, but it is clear that now we needed a digital solution.”
Digging without knowing the approximate location of underground utilities can result in damage to gas, electric, communications, water and sewer lines, ultimately leading to service disruptions, serious injuries and costly repairs. The Safe Digging Arcade offers eight games, including puzzles and problem-solving activities, that educate children about how their families can stay avoid these types of accidents when digging around their homes.
National Safe Digging Month reminds homeowners to call 811, a communication system established to provide a place of contact for excavating professionals and the public, before starting any project involving digging, tunneling, grading, boring, blasting, demolition or similar work. After registering a project with JULIE, Illinois’ one-call center, utilities mark underground services like gas, power, phone and cable lines with paint or flags so excavators and homeowners know where they are located and can dig safely.
For more information about natural gas safety and to play the Safe Digging Arcade, visit: https://southerncompanygas.com/safetyarcade/?sc=&cl=&pr=ng.
About Nicor Gas
Nicor Gas is one of four natural gas distribution companies of Southern Company Gas, a wholly owned subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO). Nicor Gas serves more than 2.2 million customers in a service territory that encompasses most of the northern third of Illinois, excluding the city of Chicago. For more information, nicorgas.com.
About Southern Company Gas
Southern Company Gas is a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE:SO), America’s premier energy company. Southern Company Gas serves approximately 4.2 million natural gas utility customers through its regulated distribution companies in four states with approximately 700,000 retail customers through its companies that market natural gas. Other nonutility businesses include investments in interstate pipelines, asset management for natural gas wholesale customers and ownership and operation of natural gas storage facilities. For more information, visit southerncompanygas.com.
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Media Contact:
Jennifer Golz
c: 331.222.8716 | jgolz@southernco.com