211 in Emergency Response & Recovery

Overview provided by

Community Connection/211 Central East Ontario

Updated January 2014

1

2

211 – public information & referral services

311 - non-emergency municipal government services

411 - directory assistance

511 – weather and traveler information

611 - telephone company repair service

711 - message relay for telephone devices for the deaf

811 - non-urgent health care telephone triage services

911 - emergency services

� In Canada, the CRTC

assigns three digit phone

numbers (also called

N11s)

� N11s access services of

universal social value

� 211 is assigned for public

information and referral

services

� 211 is the front door to

government-funded and

community-based human

services

� 211 is currently available

to 20 million people in

Canada (& expanding)

CRTC Assigns N11s

The 211 Ontario Network

3

Central East Region is served by

Community Connection in Collingwood

Seven Regional

Service Partners

serve Ontario

Ontario 211 Services (based in Toronto)

provides oversight and coordination for

the Ontario system; reports to Ontario

Ministry of Community and Social

Services

35+ Data Partners

across Ontario

share local data to

support 211

service delivery

211 Everyday…

Public inquiry – 24/7, multilingual, answered

live by Certified Information and Referral

Specialists

4

Information about calls (not callers) is collected to report on community needs and trends, unmet needs, service gaps, which supports community planning

Comprehensive database of programs and services – collected locally and centralized to support 211 providers & managed by Certified Resource Specialists

211 in Emergency Response & Recovery…

Public inquiry• central access point to register volunteers & donations of goods• rumour control by monitoring social media and posting facts or notices to

call 211 or visit specific websites• capacity to handle large call volumes through mutual assistance

agreements with 211 Ontario Network• in-person access points in reception or evacuation centres

5

Community needs and trends data• provide real-time reports to EIO to support emergency response• produce after action reports with aggregated data to support community

planning activities

Comprehensive database• continually update disaster database with information & services that

emerge through response, relief & recovery periods• make database available to other organizations in the community• maintain a continual information exchange with EIO to ensure only

authoritative information is disseminated• collect customized details about people who want to volunteer &

donations of goods & make available in real-time to emergency personnel• support case management for vulnerable populations fan out procedures

Example: Goderich Tornado

Volunteer/Donation Registration

During the first six weeks after the event, 211:

• Answered 6,686 calls of which 1,346 were disaster related

(including one TTY call)

• Registered 737 people to volunteer, including other municipal

crews/equipment

• Registered 481 people/businesses with donations (e.g. Home

Depot head office, financial contributions)

• Called back 243 people to schedule volunteer work

• Responded to 68 emails regarding the disaster

6

Example: Meaford Water Emergency

Public Inquiry Support for 7 days

• 277 total calls

• 62 calls in first

24 hours

• 60 calls after

hours (evenings

& weekend)

• Highest call

volume in one

day was 106

Why Establish Communications & Support

Protocols with 211?• 211 is well known in the Central East Region (60,000 calls in 2013), and will

receive calls about events that occur in municipalities (e.g. power outages,

water issues, traffic accidents, weather warnings)

• A protocol with 211 in your emergency plan will ensure:

• 211 is providing the information you want communicated to callers

during an event

• Your access to 211 staff 24/7/365

• You know exactly how 211 can support your municipality and residents

• The protocol includes:

1) Notification details on how and when to contact 211

2) Communication procedures to establish ongoing two-way

communication

3) Activation procedures to engage 211’s emergency support services

Contact 211 for a copy of the protocol

and presentation to your ECG

Pamela Hillier, Executive Director

Community Connection/211 Central East Ontario

Collingwood, Ontario

705-444-0040 x 234

phillier@communityconnection.ca

9