The electricity company is introducing four new community response vehicles called EMMAs or Emergency Management Mobile Assistance vehicles. These vehicles will carry AusNet representatives and come with mobile charging points and satellite internet.
This initiative is a direct response to the February storms, which left many residents without power.
Executive general manager network operations Andrew Linnie said AusNet had taken community feedback from the February storm event to heart.
“We attended community engagement sessions following the storms to hear from communities about the issues that impacted them most,” he said.
“They told us that mobile phone charging and internet access are essential for regions impacted by long-term unplanned outages caused by severe weather events, so these will be incorporated into the vehicles.
“They will also have a defibrillator and first aid, with our representatives trained in their use, for the unlikely event of them being needed.”
These EMMAs will be sent to communities affected by future large-scale outages, ensuring access to crucial resources and support.
“These vehicles will provide important relief for communities. We will be able to deploy them quickly in response to prolonged outages, and we hope they will provide important respite and essential advice on network restoration to people when they most need it,” Mr Linnie said.
AusNet will use the vehicles in upcoming awareness initiatives, aiming to assist communities in bracing for extended power disruptions.
Following the severe weather in February, the likes of which is expected to become more frequent due to climate change, AusNet is working with local councils and communities to strengthen emergency infrastructure.
This endeavour seeks to improve the readiness of these regions to manage future extreme weather events.
“The first of the EMMAs is now operational, with the three larger vehicles due for completion by the end of the year currently being modified,” Mr Linnie said.
A team of senior AusNet staff will decide vehicle deployment on a case-by-case basis during large-scale unplanned outages.
“When determining vehicle deployment, every incident and location is different,” Mr Linnie said.
“We’ll make assessments based on a range of factors such as the progress of the event, the estimated restoration time and the location of relief and recovery centres, among other things.”
AusNet will also publish the results of an independent review that examined all aspects of its handling of the February storm events, including organisational systems, processes and governance, in the near future.
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