Accepting a $1,000 check for the Poteau Fire Department was (from left) Karen Wages of the Poteau Chamber of Commerce; Jerry West, Damage Prevention and Public Awareness Manager; Poteau Fire Chief John Pickle; Brenda Hoefar, Oklahoma Public Awareness Liazon Officer; Ray Freeman with DPC; and Kelly Needham, Lead Pipeline Operator with Enogex. The department won the money in a drawing when they attended a recent pipeline training session.
PDN photo by Jenny Huggins

Oklahoma Public Aware-ness Liaison presented the Poteau Fire Department with $1,000 Thursday morning.  
The check presentation was at 2 p.m. at the Poteau Fire Department, Garrett Station.  
Members of the Poteau Fire Department attended an OPAL training and was automatically entered to win $1,000.  
For every person that attended there was an entry into the drawing for that department, therefore in-creasing their chances of winning with the more people they brought.
OPAL provides pipeline safety and incident response training for first responders across the state of Oklahoma.  
In addition to training first responders, OPAL provides public officials throughout the state with valuable information about the importance of pipeline safety and awareness as it applies to land use planning and development efforts.   
OPAL is a department of Oklahoma One-Call System, Inc., or Call Okie.  OPAL and Call Okie work together as a non-profit organization to spread awareness about calling before you dig.  
It is Oklahoma state law to Call Okie before you dig.
OPAL provides training January through June every year.
They also provide trainings upon request.  If a department cannot make it to the training in their county they can call and request a training and OPAL will come to the department.
For more information about OPAL go to www.publicawarenessok.com  or Call Okie at www.callokie.com.  Also call toll free at 1-800-522-6544.