AFTER THE STORM: How Vermont 2-1-1 Weathered Tropical Storm Irene
When Tropical Storm Irene hit on August 28, Vermont 2-1-1 was ready. Pre landfall in Vermont our
Continuity of Operations Plan was shared with our United Way partners in case of a power outage at the
Essex Junction call center. In anticipation of the storm’s potential to cause widespread damage and
serious localized flooding, Vermont 2-1-1 alerted all staff and potential volunteers of imminent
activation and an initial emergency response team was put in place at the call center prior to the
storm’s arrival. Vermont Emergency Management (VEM) was then quick to activate the 2-1-1 call center
to provide vital information on shelter locations, driving hazards, road closures, safety precautions, and
potential clean-up assistance. Of equal importance would be Vermont 2-1-1’s collection of property
damage reports from Vermonters whose homes and properties would be impacted by flooding.
As the storm began to unfold, Vermont 2-1-1 realized its six line call center could not handle the
extraordinary influx of calls it was likely to receive. Disaster response operations became ever more
challenging as every government agency’s ability to respond became stretched to capacity and all local
emergency number capabilities were consistently overwhelmed. The Director of Vermont 2-1-1 called
FEMA to request additional space, phone lines and computers. This request was expedited with the help
of Governor Shumlin and Senator Sanders.
The public was directed to dial 2-1-1 to find shelter and report all damages and losses due to the
flooding. Utilizing Vermont 2-1-1 expanded the capacity of the State’s Emergency Operations Center,
which had had to evacuate its Waterbury offices, by offering the public a trusted and reliable access
point to report damages. Trained Information and Referral Specialists, working with trained volunteers
at both the call center and the rapidly created volunteer center, were quick to identify unmet and
emerging needs, helping to direct resources such as VT VOAD and the American Red Cross to high
priority situations. In partnership with Vermont Emergency Management and Vermont Voluntary
Organizations Active in Disaster (VT VOAD), Vermont 2-1-1 helped the state provide the documentation
required to receive designation for federal disaster assistance. Approximately 2,000 flood reports have
been taken from the public and reports of flood damages continue to be called in.
Thanks to Sovernet’s (Vermont 2-1-1’s telecommunications provider), strong commitment and to
Vermont 2-1-1’s role during a disaster, our call center was quickly expanded to over 30 lines and a daily
call volume report was provided so that we had the information needed to adequately schedule staff
and volunteers. The Vermont 2-1-1 center responded to over 15, 600 calls during the immediate
aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene. Our partners SerVermont and United Way’s Volunteer Center helped
recruit volunteers to cover the additional lines. (Something here about the strong support and quick
rally by the UW Volunteer Center? Some acknowledgement of the important role?)
Vermont 2-1-1 has procedures in place for responses to emergencies and periodically performs drills
that allow staff and volunteers to practice emergency response during a disaster. Our efforts are always
to better position ourselves to connect Vermonters to critical resources during times of disaster.
Tropical Storm Irene’s arrival was the Vermont 211 team’s time to put into action preparations made
and practiced for just such an event. Strengths of that plan have been acknowledged and weaknesses
are being assessed and corrective actions taken. One lesson learned was that while the Vermont 2-1-1
phone service was never interrupted during the incident, the 24/7 capability was compromised
temporarily due to the storm hitting the entire Northeast. A surge in call volume at 211Maine, our afterhours partner, resulted in their not being able to respond to Vermont’s increased call volume. However,
a quick appeal to the national 211 system rectified the situation and the beauty of having a national
system in place was once again made apparent.