Severe Weather 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.

How Does Transportation Dispatch Work?

NET Dispatchers work in shifts of one to three depending on anticipated ride request volume, with a Dispatch Lead present or on call. The dispatch process begins when a community member calls 211info to request a ride to warming or cooling locations. These locations are chosen by the City of Portland and Multnomah County and may include overnight severe weather shelters, day-only severe weather shelters, libraries, community centers, splash pads, pools, etc. When a 211info Operator answers the phone, they will make sure the person is in the geographic area served by this program, ask questions about their transportation needs, and if other transportation options are not available for the caller, they will fill out a transportation request form. Once the Operator submits the form, the Operator has done their part and will return to answering other calls. The form populates the SmartSheets Transportation Nexus, the main spreadsheet from which NET Dispatchers work. When the form is submitted, a new row appears at the top of the Nexus for that ride. NET Dispatchers review the request, select the closest appropriate warming/cooling location, and coordinate transportation by requesting cabs, rideshare, or ECC Ground Support vehicles. When transport is arranged, the NET Dispatcher marks it complete in the Nexus, and notifies the 211info Liaison so that the Liaison can contact the community member and let them know what type of transport to expect and when. At this point the NET Dispatcher is typically done, and they go on to work the next ride request.

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.

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.

If you are interested in becoming a NET Dispatcher, YAY! We need you. Please contact us at net@portlandoregon.gov. We'll answer your questions and get you trained and on the team!

Transportation Dispatch Training and Refresher Materials

Training before your first shift includes:

• Reading the Dispatch Guide
• Watching the Dispatch Training Videos (coming soon!)
• Checking in with your Dispatch Lead with any questions or concerns

Training during deployment generally includes:

• If needed, a phone-guided introduction to using Slack,
• A walkthrough via Slack of all the documents and how they fit together,
• The opportunity to either
  • Shadow the trainer while they process a real ride request and narrate it for you in Slack, or
  • A step-by-step walkthrough of the process in Slack using a pretend ride request,
• The opportunity to process ride requests with the support of another Dispatch NET or trainer until you feel comfortable processing them on your own, and
• Continued support throughout your deployments from your peers, 211info, and your Dispatch Lead(s).

The Dispatch Guide

The purpose of this Guide is to provide training for NET Dispatch volunteers before their first shift, and as reference and refresher for experienced Dispatchers before and during deployments. Thank you to Laura Hall for her help organizing and editing the current version!

Summary

In a weather emergency, 211info may receive calls from people requesting transportation to a warm or cool space. NETs can volunteer as dispatchers to help match people to available rides and communicate with 211info. As always, thank you for volunteering - and don’t forget to log your time!

Workflow Overview

The person needing transport calls 2-1-1.

1. The 211info operator completes a request form, which populates the Transportation Dispatch Nexus spreadsheet (in Smartsheets).
2. The NET Dispatcher claims the request, uses the Shelter Map and Shelter Dashboard to select a destination, and contacts local resources to send transportation.
3. The NET Dispatcher completes the request, which automatically notifies the 211info operator.
4. The 211info operator calls the requestor (person needing transport) to confirm the ride’s estimated time of arrival (ETA).

Keep reading for a more detailed explanation of the full Dispatch Workflow. 

NET Dispatcher Tools

If you have trouble accessing any of these tools, contact your shift supervisor.

1. Personal Computer with Reliable Internet Connection - you must provide This is a virtual deployment, and most of this deployment will be conducted online. If you lose power during your shift, contact the shift supervisor right away.
2. Phone - you must provide You will use your phone to contact ride services and arrange transport. You will not speak with the people requiring transport - 211info does that part. Press *67 before calling a ride service to block your personal phone number. You’ll need to dial *67 before every call you make.
3. Contact Info - provided prior to shift via email. The Dispatch Unit Lead will provide you with their phone number outside of Slack in case you need it - such as if your power goes out.
4. 211info Slack Channel - link provided by email before shift The 211info Slack Channel gives NET Dispatchers live chat access to each other, their shift supervisor, and the 211info operators liaising with the Dispatch NET team. You should receive an email invitation from 211info to the “211-net-team” channel after you’ve signed up for a shift but before your shift begins. It is critical to be reading and writing updates in the 211-net-team Slack channel. It can be helpful to monitor the chat a bit before your shift begins for situational awareness.
5. Dispatch Nexus Spreadsheet - link provided in initial briefing email This is the most important tool in your kit.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. Any relevant 211info rideshare dispatch information - provided in initial briefing email    When ECC Ground Support (local emergency management) or taxi cabs are not available or not an appropriate mode of transportation for the guest, rideshare may be available.

Roles

• 211 Liaison: Calls clients (those requesting rides) with their transportation and destination information after Dispatch coordinates a ride; finds answers from other 211 operators if Dispatch has questions about ride requests.
• 211 Family Sheltering Specialist: Specifically oversees the transport and sheltering of families with children.
• Dispatch Unit Lead: Generally manages the event deployment for the Emergency Coordination Center (ECC), dispatch volunteers, troubleshoots issues, provides backup dispatch support
• NET Dispatch Volunteer: Coordinates transportation for clients
• Ground Support Unit Lead (GSUL): Monitors ground support requests and liaises between dispatch and drivers.

Using Slack

Slack is a real-time chat program that 211info uses for staff to communicate quickly and easily. 211info’s workspace is made up of many channels. The “211-net-team” channel is used just for transportation dispatch during weather emergencies. People using this channel include 211info emergency management, houseless support, general management, 211 operators, ECC Ground Support leads, NET Dispatchers for the event, and your PBEM-side Dispatch Unit Leads.

Getting Access:

When you sign up for a NET Dispatch shift, 211info will send you an email with an invitation to join the 211-net-team channel. If you don’t receive the email, check your spam/junk folder. When you get the email, please log in and make sure it works for you. Slack is available as a web page, as a computer app, and as a phone app. Use whichever works best for you.

Main Channel Content:

• Shift updates (posted near the beginning of each shift)
• Shelter capacity updates
• Staff/volunteer check-in and check-out
• Dispatcher assignment of ride requests / ride claims, e.g. "I've got 154!"
• Hand-off of ride requests to Ground Support
• Deployment and weather event updates
• Questions / Answers
• Banter between calls
• Etc.

Detailed Chats:

Detailed conversations about one topic or one ride request are kept in “threads” off of the first comment or ride request claim comment. To see a thread, click on the “# reply(ies)” link under the comment. Another Slack pane will open and you can comment in the thread. It’s VERY important to use threads for each topic. Otherwise, the main channel gets very messy very quickly, and it’s very hard to track conversations, decisions, and outcomes regarding each ride request.

Private Chats:

To talk to someone in the channel privately, you can hover over their name and choose “direct message.” This opens a pane in Slack where you and this person can talk privately from the other folks in the channel. 211 does have access to all conversations, including direct messages, so please remember that although private, these chats should remain professional.

Using the Dispatch Nexus

The Dispatch Nexus spreadsheet serves as the central dispatching hub for transportation and other types of 211info dispatch requests. When a person calls 211info and requests transportation to a warm/cool space, 211 sends the dispatch request to the Dispatch Team via a form that populates the Dispatch Nexus. Please review some of the features of the Dispatch Nexus spreadsheet before beginning the dispatch process. As you’ll see, it looks like a typical spreadsheet, similar to Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets, but it is a Smartsheets spreadsheet.

You MUST Save and Refresh Often: The Dispatch Nexus DOES NOT auto-save or auto-refresh. You can’t see changes without refreshing, and others can’t see your work unless you save and refresh. Your new mantra is save, refresh-refresh-refresh! If you don’t save as soon as you claim a ride and mark it “In Progress,” no one looking at the sheet can see that you’re working on the ride. And if you don’t refresh, you won’t see if a co-worker is working on it too. Now we’ve booked two rides for the same person. So, save, refresh-refresh-refresh!

There is a “save” icon in the upper left corner, or you can press Ctrl+S on your keyboard. If you’re computer savvy and use the Chrome browser, there are Chrome extensions you can use to auto refresh a tab.

Understanding the Spreadsheet

• Info symbol (“i” in a circle): Describes the data being collected
  • Hold your pointer over it to read the description.
  • This is very important! Please read each before your first shift.  
• Lock symbol: Cannot type in row/column because the data is automated or run by a formula
• STATUS column color coding brings attention to prioritized and escalated requests:
  • Light green: Submitted (available for NET Dispatch to claim)
  • Dark green: In Progress (someone is finding a ride for the client)
  • Purple: Submitted or In Progress (not in a safe location and needs priority service)
  • Light gray: Completed: Dispatched (a ride has been located)
  • Light gray: Completed: Canceled the request has been retracted)
  • Dark gray: GS Self Dispatch (ground support has dispatched themselves)
• Columns that are shaded light gray mean that the dispatcher (you) must input data for each request. You will not need to fill out/change any other cells except the STATUS column.
• The Dispatch Nexus serves as the central dispatching hub for transportation and other types of dispatch requests. Color coding and other pointers will help you understand what is going on. Any column header that begins with “Trans:” means it’s about transportation dispatch. If other types of dispatch are not activated for this severe weather event, you may not see other columns at all.
• The rows of transportation dispatch columns alternate white and blue. Columns in different colors are for different dispatch missions, and you can ignore them. You can also filter your view. To view ONLY transportation dispatch requests, look for “Filter Off” in the upper left. Select that and then select “Transportation Dispatch.” To view all dispatch requests, click “Transportation Dispatch” to shut the filter off.

Dispatch Workflow

At the start of your shift, decide with your shift partner, if you have one, which of you is doing which requests using the reference number column in the Dispatch Nexus. For example, one of you could take odd-numbered requests and the other could take even-numbered requests. Then coordinate transport as follows:

1. A person calls 211info for transport to a warm/cool space. If they need transportation to an approved warming/cooling location, the 211info Operator will complete a Dispatch Form. Once the 211 Operator submits the form, the data will appear at the top of the Dispatch Nexus spreadsheet. Don’t forget to refresh the Dispatch Nexus often so you can see incoming requests.  
2. Before you start working a request and change any info in the Dispatch Nexus, check Slack to see if anyone else has claimed it. If not, then announce in Slack something like “I’m taking 423!” Next, refresh Dispatch Nexus and make sure no one is entering data into the request you’ve claimed. If not, proceed!
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Find transportation for the rider (see “How to Coordinate Rides” section below). Pay close attention to any special circumstances in the request data, such as children, pets, lots of belongings, many riders, wheelchairs, etc. 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). If not, seek transportation in this order: taxi cabs, rideshare, then outreach providers, if any have vehicles available for this event. If none of those providers can pick up the rider within a reasonable amount of time of when you received the request, escalate to ECC Ground Support even if they don’t have a dedicated vehicle. 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; ask in chat if you're not sure what the current time frame is to move to the next tier of transportation options.
6. 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.
7. 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:
   1. "GS, can you take 541?"
   2. "Yes, GS can take 541."
   3. "GS, please take 541."
   4. "GS has 541."
   5. And the Dispatcher acknowledges this maybe by saying "Thanks!" or putting a thumbs-up emoji in Slack under this comment.
8. Change Nexus status to “Completed: Dispatched,” enter the “Completed Date” and “Completed Time,” and save again. If Ground Support has taken the ride, put "ECC Ground Support" in the STATUS column. NOTE THAT when you do this and save, the Nexus automatically sends an email to ECC Ground Support. Therefore, please don't changes status and save until you receive confirmation in slack that Ground Support has taken on your ride request.
9. Now go back into Slack and tag the 211info Liaison to let them know that the ride has been scheduled, so that the Liaison can call the client and tell them what sort of transport to expect and when, and where they'll be going.

Dispatch “Triage”

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:

1. ECC Ground Support
2. Ride-share services
   1. Lyft primary
   2. Uber (ADA accessible vehicles, etc.)
3. Taxi cab

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.

Important Exceptions

• If “Yes” is indicated in the “COVID” column, the whole row will turn red. Notify a 211info supervisor or Dispatch Lead and follow their directions for scheduling transport.
• If a caller has a wheelchair, try to find an accessible rideshare or escalate to ECC Ground Support.
• If the call notes indicate possible mental health problems, escalate to ECC Ground Support.
• Taxi cabs will usually allow pets if they are in a crate or on a leash. Rideshares sometimes have pet-friendly vehicles. ECC Ground Support will also take pets if no other option is available.
• If the caller has a lot of gear, people, etc., confirm that the taxi can accommodate, order a large rideshare vehicle, or request an ECC Ground Support van (in that order).
• If the request is for a family, tag the Family Sheltering Specialist at 211info or another supervisor in Slack and wait for further instructions. We use different processes for families, and children may require car seats.

Getting Help

Many different challenges can come up during dispatch. Please don’t be afraid to ask for help.

• Any time you have a question, get stuck, or feel frustrated, please reach out to your NET Dispatch team in Slack. This is a very supportive group of people.
• You can also reach out to the staff at 211info. They have a lot of empathy, training, and experience and are happy to support you. You can contact them through Slack, too.  
• If there’s a problem with the Dispatch Nexus tool, or if you have an issue that can’t be resolved, please contact your Dispatch Lead. If they aren't responding in Slack, you may call them 24/7 at the phone number they'll provide you in your deployment email.

FAQ

Q: What if I’m working on a call and my shift ends?

A: Finish it if you can. If you cannot, try to hand the request over to one of the incoming NET Dispatch volunteers. Provide them a full briefing of the situation. If a Dispatch volunteer is not available, contact the 211info Supervisor or your Dispatch Lead.

Q: What if I find out the transport vehicle didn’t pick up the rider?

A: Alert 211info staff in Slack so they can try to follow up and see if the rider still requires transportation.

Glossary

• Balancing is when Ground Support transports guests from a shelter that is over capacity to another shelter that has space.
• ECC stands for Emergency Coordination Center
• GSUL stands for Ground Support Unit Lead
• TBP stands for The Portland Building