Severe Weather Dispatch: Difference between revisions
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== What is Severe Weather Transportation Dispatch? == | == What is Severe Weather Transportation Dispatch? == | ||
When severe weather hits Portland, specially trained NETs on our Dispatch team may be deployed to 211info. These NET Dispatchers collaborate closely with 211info and the Emergency Coordination Center (ECC) Ground Support Unit. They assist by coordinating transportation for community members to get them to designated warming or cooling locations within Multnomah County and the City of Portland. | When severe weather hits Portland, specially trained NETs on our Dispatch team may be deployed to 211info. These NET Dispatchers collaborate closely with 211info and the Emergency Coordination Center (ECC) Ground Support Unit. They assist by coordinating transportation for community members to get them to designated warming or cooling locations within Multnomah County and the City of Portland. (Please note that recent changes to this page and the Dispatch Guide are <u>underlined</u>.) | ||
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== Can I be a NET Dispatcher? == | == Can I be a NET Dispatcher? == | ||
Absolutely! This deployment requires training, which is provided in two parts: online (see below) and live during your first shift. Generally, Dispatch deployment notices go out to the currently trained Dispatch team first, and then to the full NET community if shifts are still available. | Absolutely! This deployment requires training, which is provided in two parts: online (see below) and live during your first shift. Generally, Dispatch deployment notices go out to the currently trained Dispatch team first, and then to the full NET community if shifts are still available. | ||
This deployment is virtual, meaning you can deploy from anywhere and don't need your typical NET gear. NET Dispatchers do need to have a computer, reliable internet service, and a phone. We use Slack exclusively as a virtual conference room to communicate with our 211info and Ground Support team members, web browser based SmartSheet spreadsheets and dashboards, mapping websites, and ride share dispatch websites. This deployment includes periods of intense demand as well as periods of just waiting for ride requests and being there in case someone needs us. Useful skills for this work include computer savvy, ability to multitask across multiple computer windows, and the ability to stay cool and friendly under stress. | This deployment is virtual, meaning you can deploy from anywhere and don't need your typical NET gear. NET Dispatchers do need to have a computer, reliable internet service, and a phone. We use Slack exclusively as a virtual conference room to communicate with our 211info and Ground Support team members, web browser based SmartSheet spreadsheets and dashboards, mapping websites, and ride share dispatch websites. This deployment includes periods of intense demand as well as periods of just waiting for ride requests and being there in case someone needs us. Useful skills for this work include computer savvy, ability to multitask across multiple computer windows, and the ability to stay cool and friendly under stress. | ||
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# Shelter Dashboard - ''link provided in initial briefing email'' You’ll use this when you send a rider to a shelter with available beds. Each available shelter has a status indicator telling you whether the shelter is “Full” or “Available.” You should send riders only to “Available” shelters with more than five available beds. | # Shelter Dashboard - ''link provided in initial briefing email'' You’ll use this when you send a rider to a shelter with available beds. Each available shelter has a status indicator telling you whether the shelter is “Full” or “Available.” You should send riders only to “Available” shelters with more than five available beds. | ||
# Shelter Map - ''provided in initial briefing email & available online'' You’ll receive a link to this in your initial briefing email, but can find it on the Multnomah County Help For When It’s Hot or Care for When It’s Cold webpages. Use this to determine the location of the closest available shelter to the caller. Your lead will let you know in Slack which shelters are open when you start your shift. | # Shelter Map - ''provided in initial briefing email & available online'' You’ll receive a link to this in your initial briefing email, but can find it on the Multnomah County Help For When It’s Hot or Care for When It’s Cold webpages. Use this to determine the location of the closest available shelter to the caller. Your lead will let you know in Slack which shelters are open when you start your shift. | ||
# Any relevant 211info rideshare dispatch information - ''provided in initial briefing email'' | # <u>Any relevant 211info rideshare dispatch and login information - ''provided in initial briefing email.'' When ECC Ground Support (local emergency management) are not available, rideshare should be arranged if available, using the 211info corporate accounts that you will be given access to.</u> | ||
==== Roles ==== | ==== Roles ==== | ||
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# In the Dispatch Nexus, select your name from the drop-down menu in the “Dispatcher Name” column; select “In Progress” in the STATUS column; and click “Save.” This will signal to those monitoring that someone is working on the request, and clearly stops others from coordinating the same ride. | # In the Dispatch Nexus, select your name from the drop-down menu in the “Dispatcher Name” column; select “In Progress” in the STATUS column; and click “Save.” This will signal to those monitoring that someone is working on the request, and clearly stops others from coordinating the same ride. | ||
# Using the Shelter Map and Shelter Dashboard, determine the appropriate warm/cool space nearest to the rider. If we have capacity information for this location on the Shelter Dashboard, make sure there are more than 5 spaces left at the location before sending someone there. If you are unsure whether to transport to a day-only location or a 24/7 location, ask a 211 liaison in Slack. | # Using the Shelter Map and Shelter Dashboard, determine the appropriate warm/cool space nearest to the rider. If we have capacity information for this location on the Shelter Dashboard, make sure there are more than 5 spaces left at the location before sending someone there. If you are unsure whether to transport to a day-only location or a 24/7 location, ask a 211 liaison in Slack. | ||
# Find transportation for the rider (see “How to Coordinate Rides” section below). Pay close attention to any special circumstances in the | # Find transportation for the rider (see “How to Coordinate Rides” section below). Pay close attention to any special circumstances. <u>Check the Rider Safety column to see if they are directly in the weather or sheltered. Also look for things such as the presence of children, pets, lots of belongings, many riders, bikes, wagons, wheelchairs, etc.</u> If ECC Ground Support has vehicles dedicated to NET Dispatch, check to see if they can take the request (Ground Support fleet availability for guest transport varies by event). <u>If not, seek transportation according to the event's transportation option priorities. Ask in chat if you're not sure if you should to move to the next tier of transportation options.</u> | ||
# Complete the grayed-out columns for Transportation. Enter Transport Arranged, Shelter and Address, and Pickup ETA (unless it’s an ECC Ground Support ride, in which case they will enter the ETA). Save! Once the spreadsheet is saved with an ETA, an email will go to 211info prompting them to call the rider with the ETA. | # Complete the grayed-out columns for Transportation. Enter Transport Arranged, Shelter and Address, and Pickup ETA (unless it’s an ECC Ground Support ride, in which case they will enter the ETA). Save! Once the spreadsheet is saved with an ETA, an email will go to 211info prompting them to call the rider with the ETA. | ||
# If ECC Ground Support is being used, wait for your GS Lead to confirm they have accepted the ride. The handoff between Dispatch and GS should read in Slack like a radio conversation. This assures both that (1) Ground Support doesn't send a vehicle to pick up a client that a Dispatcher is also coordinating a ride for through another transport provider, and (2) also makes sure a client does not get inadvertently dropped: | # If ECC Ground Support is being used, wait for your GS Lead to confirm they have accepted the ride. The handoff between Dispatch and GS should read in Slack like a radio conversation. This assures both that (1) Ground Support doesn't send a vehicle to pick up a client that a Dispatcher is also coordinating a ride for through another transport provider, and (2) also makes sure a client does not get inadvertently dropped: | ||
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We want to do everything we can to get the rider into a vehicle as quickly as possible, and ideally within a reasonable time of receiving the request. A "reasonable amount of time" goal may be set by the ECC, or it may be dependent on a combination of weather severity, road conditions, and transport availability that 211, Dispatch, and Ground Support determine as we go. Ask in chat if you're not sure if a wait is too long, and you should shift to the next tier of transportation options to look for transport. Please seek transportation in this order unless you've been told otherwise via Slack: | We want to do everything we can to get the rider into a vehicle as quickly as possible, and ideally within a reasonable time of receiving the request. A "reasonable amount of time" goal may be set by the ECC, or it may be dependent on a combination of weather severity, road conditions, and transport availability that 211, Dispatch, and Ground Support determine as we go. Ask in chat if you're not sure if a wait is too long, and you should shift to the next tier of transportation options to look for transport. Please seek transportation in this order unless you've been told otherwise via Slack: | ||
# | # <u>ECC Ground Support</u> | ||
# Ride-share services | # <u>Ride-share services</u> | ||
# | ## <u>Lyft primary</u> | ||
# | ## <u>Uber (ADA accessible vehicles, etc.)</u> | ||
# <u>Taxi cab</u> | |||
So, if you | <u>So, if you request Ground Support and they are unavailable, go down the list to dispatch rideshare, and then arrange a taxi if the other options aren't available.</u> | ||
===== Important Exceptions ===== | ===== Important Exceptions ===== | ||
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* '''ECC''' stands for Emergency Coordination Center | * '''ECC''' stands for Emergency Coordination Center | ||
* '''GSUL''' stands for Ground Support Unit Lead | * '''GSUL''' stands for Ground Support Unit Lead | ||
* ''' | * '''TPB''' stands for The Portland Building | ||
