Mutual Assistance is a key concern for all utilities. In 2003 the Western Region Mutual Assistance Agreement (WRMAA) was created and adopted by gas and electric utilities throughout Western North America to support one another in the event of emergencies affecting generation, transmission, distribution, or other business operations. Signatories meet in person annually to share best practices, discuss key emergency response issues, and elect new members of the Executive Committee and the custodian of the agreement.
This program is open to signatories of the Western Region Mutual Assistance Agreement or by invitation.
WRMAA Signatory Member: $699 USD
Registration price will increase $100 after October 3, 2022. Registration includes all program materials and meals.
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
WRMAG Executive Committee Briefing
Anyone interested in future participation in the WRMAG Executive Committee is welcome to meet with committee members to ask questions and discuss options.
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Networking Reception
7:00 AM - 8:00 AM
Networking Breakfast
8:00 AM - 8:15 AM
Welcome + Introductions
Speaker(s): Nancy Monika Sacré, Project Manager, T&D Wildfire Program Management, Southern California Edison
8:15 AM - 10:15 AM
WRMAG Workshop, Challenges, and Opportunities Roundtable
Facilitator(s): Tom Jacobus, Principal Manager, Southern California Edison
Speaker(s): Nancy Monika Sacré, Project Manager, T&D Wildfire Program Management, Southern California Edison
Please come prepared to participate and share your recommendations, experience, and answers.
On Tuesday, August 30 there was a virtual workshop focusing on mutual assistance in the west. Tom Jacobus will provide a brief summary and cover two key topics raised during the workshop.
Align on what does and does not qualify as mutual assistance under the current agreement.
10:15 AM - 10:30 AM
Networking Break
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Onboarding Process for Mutual Assistance Responders
Moderator(s): Nancy Monika Sacré, Project Manager, T&D Wildfire Program Management, Southern California Edison
This panel will look at various approaches to assimilating and integrating responding crews within your workforce. They’ll share lessons learned when it comes to onboarding mutual assistance responders.
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Powering Critical Incident Stress Management Through Peer Support.
Speaker(s): Mac Mikkelsen, Hydro Operations and Maintenance Manager - Lower Spokane River + Critical Incident Stress Management Coordinator, Avista Utilities
Mac Mikkelsen is Avista’s Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) team Coordinator. He will share how they built their CISM program internally by developing a team of Peer Support Members (PSMs) to respond to assist in the needs of employees who have experienced a traumatic event. The PSMs were developed in order to educate, prevent, and mitigate the effects of high stress incidents among employees. CISM trained employees provide early, post event assistance through supportive listening and confidential engagement as well as referral to professional resources if necessary. Ultimately the hope is that employees can return back to work feeling less stress, and be able to help customers.
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Networking Lunch
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
Lessons Learned
Moderator(s): Joanna Stelzig, Public Relations Manager, Tillamook PUD
Speaker(s): T.M. Sandulak, Manager, Emergency Management & Business Continuity Programs, FortisBC, Dennis Darling, Manager, Business Continuity and Emergency Management, Portland General Electric, Robert Amparano, Emergency Services Coordinator II, Imperial Irrigation District
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Networking Break
3:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Supply Chain Challenges and Solutions
Moderator(s): Lydia Mertyris, Manager, Safety and Emergency Planning and Preparedness, Hawaiian Electric Company
Panelist(s): Wally Mealiea, Director, Preparedness & Recovery Policy, Edison Electric Institute, Cody Krogh, Supply Chain Manager, Avista Utilities, Hector Lucero, Supply Services Manager, Los Angeles Department of Water & Power
Supply chain issues are becoming more difficult by the day as we learn we have a lot of stuff, but not necessarily the right stuff. What is the supply chain picture from end to end? How is the skillset required of supply chain employees changing? Can the use of data analytics help us become more predictive than reactive? How do the supply chain challenges affect mutual assistance and what solutions are on the horizon?
4:30 PM - 5:00 PM
"What do I do if I need help?” – Understanding the WRMAG Process
Speaker(s): Nancy Monika Sacré, Project Manager, T&D Wildfire Program Management, Southern California Edison, Joanna Stelzig, Public Relations Manager, Tillamook PUD, Lydia Mertyris, Manager, Safety and Emergency Planning and Preparedness, Hawaiian Electric Company
There’s nothing more important than knowing who to turn to and what to do when you need help. We’ll walk step by step through the mutual assistance process with ample time for questions.
7:00 AM - 8:00 AM
Networking Breakfast
8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
WRMAG Business Meeting
Speaker(s): Nancy Monika Sacré, Project Manager, T&D Wildfire Program Management, Southern California Edison, Joanna Stelzig, Public Relations Manager, Tillamook PUD, Lydia Mertyris, Manager, Safety and Emergency Planning and Preparedness, Hawaiian Electric Company
The Business Meeting will include and overview of Western Region Mutual Assitance Group activities as well as votes on the 2023 Secretary-in-Waiting and Custodian for 2023.
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Networking Break
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Roundtable for Sub-Committee Interest and Miscellaneous or Future Topics of Inte
Facilitator(s): Tom Jacobus, Principal Manager, Southern California Edison
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Wrap Up and Adjourn
Please contact the hotel directly at (800) 228-9290 to reserve your room. Identify yourself as being with Western Energy Institute (WEI) and use the discount code ‘IEWIEA’ to receive a special rate of $179 USD/night. This rate is guaranteed until October 7, 2022 or until the WEI room block is full.
Effective August 18, 2022, proof of vaccination status or results of a negative COVID-19 test will not be required for admittance into most WEI-hosted programs.
WEI continues to monitor all federal level CDC, Canadian government and public health agency recommendations, as well as local ordinances, as a policy baseline for in-person programs. We encourage all attendees to review the current guidelines related to isolation and precautions prior to traveling to a WEI event, as well as guidance for traveling to and from Canada, which may differ from guidance for traveling to or from the United States.
Some WEI-hosted programs may require proof of vaccination status, if essential for participation, in which case WEI will communicate this requirement in advance of the program start date.
Please refer to WEI’s Safety + Health Code of Conduct for other important considerations.