Power Line in Danger? There's an App For That Now

Worried that the branch hanging on a power line near your home will fall during the next storm and take out the neighborhood’s electricity? 

There’s an app for that, thanks to work by faculty and student body of Rutgers University's computer science department in partnership with the Warren Township Utility Advisory Committee.

At the request of the UAC, a Rutgers professor and his students have developed a smart-phone based application that will allow trained township volunteers to map and inventory leaning utility poles, trees growing into distribution lines, and other hazardous conditions throughout Warren that could contribute to future storm-related power outages. 

The township will provide the data to JCP&L and PSE&G for analysis, and to inform future vegetation and system management of the townships power infrastructure with the long-term goal of reducing future power outages.       

Township volunteers will use the app to inventory potentially hazardous tree and utility pole conditions during August and September 2013. You can expect to see the volunteers in your neighborhood, wearing yellow vests, and taking photos of power lines and utility poles with smart phones loaded with the new app.   The inventory is scheduled for September 2013. 

The Utility Advisory Committee is seeking township residents who are interested in participating in this project and who can commit at least four hours on any of the four weekend days for the hazard inventory process. Interested volunteers should contact the Utility Advisory Committee simply by emailing the UAC. 

“The application allows users to use a smart phone to photograph the hazard and the closest utility pole number corresponding to the hazard’s location, identify its GPS coordinates, and define the hazard type from a drop-down menu,“ said Dr. Janne Lindqvist, who has been working with the UAC and his students for the past several months on the design and testing of the app. 

The Township Committee in November 2012 established the UAC to assist in developing alternatives to reduce power outages in the event of future storms.  The UAC members include: George Lazo, Township Committee Liaison; Bob Morrison, Co-Chair; Judy Weiniger, Co-Chair; Mally Becker; Scott Bowen: Lisa Calicchio; Bill Dorf; Bob Gartenberg; Alex Khalil; Eric Lerner; and Valeria Mariano.  

"The partnership between the UAC and Rutgers illustrates the commitment of concerned Warren residents taking steps to serve the community at large while helping drive accountability of the utility companies to be proactive in ensuring safe and reliable service," Township Committeeman George Lazo said. 

He added the UAC has worked closely with the Township Committee and Warren Township Police Department, Warren Township Engineering, and Warren Township Department of Public Works.

”This collaboration is an excellent example of key stakeholders coming together for the benefit of many," Lazo said.