County outlines winter severe-weather thresholds and shelter plans as officials prepare for cold months

Multnomah County emergency management and Department of County Human Services officials briefed the Board of Commissioners on the county's severe-weather activation plan, thresholds for shelter opening, staffing and lessons learned from prior activations.

The county described how it sets activation thresholds and why officials also keep discretion to open shelters outside strict temperature triggers. Chris Voss, director of Emergency Management, said officials monitor multiple indicators — temperature, rapid temperature changes, gradients across the county, emergency-department visits and 911/EMS transports — and that the county uses PDX as a primary reference but takes into account conditions in outlying communities.

"One of the most important thresholds that we also include is that flexibility piece," Voss said, noting the county may consider other circumstances that raise…