[HCRA] Fw: [FallsChurchARES] Fwd: [NRC-AM] FCC Wants Tech Aid

[Daniel J. Sullivan]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Keith Christianson" <kac at his.com>
To: <fallschurchares at lists101.his.com>
Sent: Saturday, September 03, 2005 11:35 AM
Subject: [FallsChurchARES] Fwd: [NRC-AM] FCC Wants Tech Aid


> FYI
>
> Keith Christianson
> kac at his.com
>
>
>
> ----- Forwarded message from Pete Kemp <radioguy at tampabay.rr.com> -----
>     Date: Sat, 03 Sep 2005 11:20:33 -0400
>     From: Pete Kemp <radioguy at tampabay.rr.com>
> Reply-To: "" <am at nrcdxas.org>
>  Subject: [NRC-AM] FCC Wants Tech Aid
>       To: "" <am at nrcdxas.org>
>
>
> FCC COORDINATING TECH AID FOR KATRINA DISASTER
>
> Quick notes from conference call hosted by the FCC today about urgently
> coordinating resources and personnel from internet/wireless service
> providers to get communications networks up and running in in gulf states.
> Lack of communications systems has been identified as a critical issue
> holding back aid, missing persons, law enforcement, etc. in crisis areas.
>
> FCC personnel are working throughout the weekend to coordinate these
> efforts with private industry, with wireless technology groups, FEMA, and
> state governments in Mississippi, Louisiana, etc.
>
> One of the challenges they face in this effort is fact that the
> coordination effort involves multiple layers of bureaucracies -- also,
that
> there has been no central point for directing available assets offered by
> private industry. Participants on the call included folks from Cisco,
> Intel, and wireless organizations.
>
> Another challenge: working with FEMA and local governments to ascertain
> whether it is more immediately effective to get old systems up and
running,
> or create new temporary ones. Depends on tech behind communications system
> in question.
>
> COMPANIES WITH TECH ASSETS AND/OR HUMAN RESOURCES TO DONATE FOR
> COMMUNICATIONS AID IN KATRINA-IMPACTED AREAS SHOULD DO THE FOLLOWING
>
> FCC Chief of Staff Dan Gonzales (dan dot gonzales at fcc dot org) says
>
> FCC needs the following information from would be tech donors BY NOON
> EASTERN ON SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 3.
>
> 1) identify the provider (name of your company or group)
> 2) identify assets you are willing to commit
> 3) state clearly what assets you are technologically capable of providing
> (IP? data? voice?)
> 4) what your logistical requirements are to bring that to the affected
area.
> 5) can you bring generators? if so what size? capacity? power levels?
>
> SUBMIT THIS INFORMATION TO
>
> PART-15.ORG (they have an online submission form to collect this data)
> or wireless at part-15.org
>
> contacts: Michael Anderson (wireless at part-15.org) 630-466-9090, and
Claudia
> Crowley (ccrowley at gmail dot com), 817-292-0230.
>
>
> Snip from part-15.org website:
>
> The FCC and FEMA is in a desperate need to reestablish communications in
> the disaster area. More specifically, the metropolitan area of New Orleans
> and it's surrounding areas. What can Wireless access internet service
> providers do to help? We can reestablish internal communications and
> provide connectivity to all disaster relief efforts by installing point to
> point, point to multipoint links, IP Web cams to assist the police and
fire
> departments who can not be everywhere in such a large area, VoIP phones to
> provide voice communications to relief personnel in remote areas and many
> other types of normal everyday communications that most people take for
> granted.
> To accomplish these goals, we will need not only the License Exempt
> Industry as a whole, but local communities, major companies, and all
others
> that can provide even the slightest of assistance to our teams.
>
> Link
> * FCC reps on the conference call also said they may relax some
regulations
> (power restrictions, etc) but are concerned that the effort be coordinated
> centrally, carefully, so that various emergency communications "efforts
> don't end up stepping on each other" and causing more of a tech mess.
>
> * Quote from call participant Jim Duncan, Cisco Critical Infrastructure
> Insurance group: "Operational issue number one is fuel and energy. Convoy
> accident happened today with fuel truck heading into one area... getting
> fuel and power in is critical, nothing can happen in terms of
> communications without that. Communications priorities will include law
> enforcement issues, but also missing persons -- getting refugees access to
> webpages to unite missing families... "
>
> * Some call participants also noted that any volunteers who end up being
> assigned in the affected area should bring sleeping bags, water, food so
as
> not to strain resources. Hotel rooms, cars are hard to come by. Tech
> experts who end up coming to the area (by way of coordinated aid efforts)
> should be prepared to camp out.
>
>
>
> ===============================================
> The 26th Edition of the "AM Radio Log"
> PREORDERS BEING TAKEN NOW!
> http://www.nrcdxas.org and check publications.
>
> ----- End forwarded message -----
>
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