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Wildfires: What Utilities Need to Know

Date(s):
January 22 — 23, 2020
Venue:
DoubleTree Seattle Airport
Description:

NOTE:

THE EVENT DATE HAS PASSED. TO FIND INFORMATION FOR THE CURRENT YEAR, PLEASE VISIT THE TRAINING AND EVENT CATALOG OR CALL US AT (360) 254-0109.

Who Should Attend:

Legislators, technology experts, first responders, and other utility representatives who have encountered wildfires.

Conference Overview:

The profound threat and costs of fire within our region continues to grow. We are witnessing escalating wildland fire behavior; increasing risks to utility crews and responders; significant loss of homes and property; dramatic growth in suppression costs; rising post-fire impacts; and continued injuries and loss of lives. With public power being thrust into the spotlight, those within the utility sector must act now to avert future disasters and stem the fiery tide. This conference will provide a forum unlike others for collaborative interaction and a focus on the following topics:

  • Vegetation management
  • Prevention and mitigation
  • Fire risk assessment
  • Drones: mapping, modeling, cameras
  • Insurance and legal responsibilities
  • Collaboration with local authorities

Also included will be a panel discussion with utility representatives from throughout the NWPPA region.

Conference Agenda:

Conference Agenda

    Wednesday, January 22

    11:30 a.m. Registration opens

    Noon-1:15 p.m. Lunch with speakers

      Welcome

        Scott Corwin, Executive Director, Northwest Public Power Association

      A State Perspective

        Letha Tawney, Commissioner, Oregon Public Utility Commission

    1:15-2:15 p.m. Shared Stewardship to Manage Wildlife Risk and Sustain Infrastructure

      Glenn Casamassa, Regional Forester, Pacific Northwest Region, United States Forest Service

    2:15-3 p.m. Vegetation Management

      Jim Smith, General Manager, Klickitat PUD; and Mark Pritchard, Operations Manager, Klickitat PUD

    3-3:15 p.m. Break

    3:15-5 p.m. Fire Experience and Prevention Panel

      Steve Wright, CEO, Chelan PUD; Mark Hayden, General Manager, Missoula Electric Cooperative; Billy Terry, Director of Operations, Consumers Power, Inc.; Dan Beans, General Manager, Redding Electric Utility; Ted Miller, Assistant Director Utility Operations, Redding Electric Utility; and Colin Willenbrock, General Manager, Pend Orielle PUD

    5-6 p.m.Evening reception

      Hosted by FTS, Inc.

    Thursday, January 23

    8:30-8:35 a.m. Welcome back

    8:35-9:15 a.m. Wildfire Risk Assessment of Transmission Systems

      Ben McKinsey, Lead, Utility Risk Assessment, HDR, Inc.

    9:15-10 a.m. Wildfire Danger – Weather Monitoring Equipment

      Tyler Smith, US Fire Sales Manager, FTS, Inc.

    10-10:15 a.m. Break

    10:15-10:45 a.m. How to Interface with IMTs on Long-Duration Fires

      Brad Janorschke, General Manager, Homer Electric Association; and Jim Butler, Attorney, Baldwin and Butler, LLC

    10:45-11:15 a.m. Wildlife Mitigation: Lessons from California

      Randy Howard, General Manager, Northern California Power Agency

    11:15-11:45 a.m. Utility Wildfire Mitigation Plans

      Scott Lindsay, CEO, Brown & Kysar, Inc.

    11:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Insurance and Mitigating Wildfire Exposures

      Phil Irwin, President and CEO, Federated Rural Electric Insurance Exchange

    12:15 p.m. Closing remarks and evaluations

Conference Schedule:

Registration will begin at 11 a.m. on the first day. The conference will run from noon to 5 p.m. on the first day and will be followed by a networking reception beginning at 5 p.m. The second day will run from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Lunch will be provided on the first day; breaks will be provided both days.

Conference Location & Hotel Information:

DoubleTree by Hilton Seattle Airport
18740 International Boulevard
Seattle, WA 98188
(206) 246-8600

Room rate: $159 for a single/double

Please book your room as soon as possible, but no later than December 23, 2019, to secure this rate. Mention that you are coming in with the NWPPA group when booking your reservation. Or, use the following link to book online: Wildfire Workshop Reservations

Conference Fees:

Utility Member Early Bird (ends 12/22/2019): $180
Utility Member Standard: $255

Associate Member Early Bird (ends 12/22/2019): $270
Associate Member Standard: $345

Non-member Early Bird (ends 12/22/2019): $540
Non-member Standard: $615

Cancellation Policy:

Cancellations are accepted, with full refund, if request is made at least 30 days prior to the course. Within 30 days, fees are as follows: 15-29 days, $100; 1-14 days or "no show," 100 percent of registration fee. When possible, please send a substitute instead of canceling. NWPPA does not charge a fee for substitutions.

Continuing Hours:

This conference qualifies for six continuing hours. Certificates are issued upon full completion of the conference.

For More Information:

To find out more about this event, or to learn about other events, view the Training and Event Catalog.

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