Austin, Texas – The importance of the pipes, wires, and cables buried underground that support our daily lives is being “unearthed” with the help of Executive Producer, Host, and Author Mike Rowe and his animated alter ego micro Mike Rowe. Known from the hit TV series Dirty Jobs, Deadliest Catch, and his groundbreaking Facebook show Returning the Favor, Rowe is also CEO of the mikeroweWORKS Foundation, a nonprofit organization that calls attention to America's skilled trade workforce and strives to close the skills gap.

Rowe and micro Mike Rowe are joining the National Excavator Initiative to increase recognition and use of the 811 "call before you dig" number by highlighting the importance of protecting both our critical infrastructure and those digging around it. America has more than seven million miles of buried utility infrastructure that allow it to function.  As Rowe succinctly puts it, "Civilization is pipes."

Through the National Excavator Initiative, Rowe connects with industry experts who help educate viewers about the 811 process. Micro Mike Rowe creatively illustrates the consequences of not contacting 811 before digging to avoid injury and help save lives. The campaign involves national and local television, radio, print, and online media, as well as billboards.

Public service announcements featuring Rowe and micro Mike Rowe, as well as informative video content with industry experts can be seen at www.safeexcavator.com. Safe Excavator is also a free mobile application that gives users easy access to the digging laws of all 50 states and can be downloaded from both the Google Play and Apple App stores.

The National Excavator Initiative is supported by more than 70 companies across the country, including those operating pipelines and electric transmission lines, local electric, gas, water and waste utilities, manufacturing, excavation, and construction companies, industry associations, and 811 organizations.