The March Austin ARMA meeting will be held March 25, 2025 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. This hybrid in-person/virtual* meeting is free for chapter members and only $5 for guests. Lunch will be provided, or you can bring your own. 

Topic: A 360 View for Early Wildfire Detection: Austin Energy and Austin Fire Department Collaborating with Pano AI.

Actionable Intelligence for Wildfire Management and Rapid Smoke Detection.

Discussion on what Pano is, How Austin Energy got it, what it means for Austin Energy and what this AI system detects. As well as discuss the data being produced and how it is being protected.

About the Speakers:

Chris Vetromile, a Certified Wildfire Mitigation Specialist with 20 years of experience, is the Wildfire Mitigation Manager at Austin Energy.  He has been in the role since July of 2023 when the position was created.  Austin Energy Wildfire Mitigation aims to reduce the risk of electrical equipment igniting wildfires by hardening the grid and advanced fuels reduction management. Before moving to Austin Energy, Chris was a Senior Wildfire Mitigation Specialist at the Austin Fire Department’s Wildfire Division and the Fire-Adapted Communities (FAC) program manager. He worked closely with Austin neighborhoods for four years to reduce wildfire risks. Chris came from a fire suppression background, specializing in wildfire, working for Cal Fire in California and Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District in Nevada.  Chris has a Bachelor of Science in Environment-Civil Engineering from the University of Southern California and worked for Schlumberger Oilfield Services before returning to school to receive an Associate of Science in Fire Technology.

Eben Kellogg, IT Business Systems Analyst Senior - with Austin Energy's Advanced Technologies group, specifically the Projects and Technologies team for new and existing applications, both implementation and operational support.

Prior to moving to Austin and joining Austin Energy, Eben was a Project Surveyor, generating survey grade maps with GPS data and GIS information for subdivision plats, topographic, boundary, subdivision surveys and plats etc. After joining Austin Energy in 2013, Eben began working as a Property Agent with the Public Involvement Real Estate Services group (PIRES) as the lead reviewer for AE’s transmission and substation assets for active site plans and subdivision plans, as well as all AE related land management cases for residential revisions, exemptions and amendments to site plans. A New England native, Eben has a Bachelor’s in Geography and a AS degree in Civil Technology, both from the University of New Hampshire.

Location: This event is hybrid. The in-person option will be at the Austin Energy Headquarters (4815 Mueller Blvd., Austin, TX 78723. Free parking in the Austin Energy garage, see map below. The virtual option will be via Webex (virtual meeting info will be sent by end of day March 24th to those registered for the virtual option).