Avineon, Inc. has released Version 5 of the Avineonics Outage Restoration Management Suite (ORMS) software and mobile apps, which it claims improves utility companies' ability to manage storm restoration, damage assessment, and wires down response following severe weather events and other emergencies.
Recent years have seen increased severe weather activity. To meet regulatory requirements for storm reporting, regional utilities, holding companies, and local cooperatives must document activities, collaborate, and communicate more effectively across shifts, sites, and stakeholders. Avineonics ORMS Version 5 improves the documentation and coordination of activities performed by Incident Management Teams (Commanders, Chiefs, Officers), Incident Support Teams (Coordinators/Leads - Wires Down, Damage Assessment, Resources, Tree Trimming, Mutual Aid, Staging, Lodging and Logistics), and Field Teams (Field Supervisors, General Foreman, Crew Leaders). It works in conjunction with the utility's existing systems to improve efficiency, collect key data needed to reduce restoration timelines, and comply with stringent reporting requirements, such as the New York Public Service Commission's Part 105. Users can manage the life cycle of wires down, resource management, damage assessment, and critical customer care activities by monitoring work flows, associated personnel, and work loads.
Version 5 includes storm maps for planning and monitoring progress monitoring from a utility's storm room (EOCs/ICCs). The iOS and Android mobile applications have been updated with a more intuitive interface and improved functionality for accessing emergency contacts, using checklists, logging/assigning work, and reviewing restoration status.
"With Avineonics ORMS Version 5, we incorporated customer feedback, increased mobile functionality, and significantly improved the ease of use for logging and sharing information based on user roles," commented Joel Campbell, Avineon's Vice President – Commercial Systems. "Avineon congratulates our customers who upgraded to Version 5 as part of their 2014 improvement plans and thanks them for their valuable feedback."
