Slashdot Mirror
New York Red Cross Needs Tech Help
zosa writes: "The New York American Red Cross is in dire need of technology equipment and services. The field workers and sites have little, if any, means of communication and the central office is processing way too much on completely paper systems. Your help in acquiring these resources would be greatly appreciated." You can read more over at this page. Finally something that the average Slashdot reader can do to help.
Sprint PCS is donating Cell phones to the red cross as we speak.
I'm sitting at my desk right now writing a script to activate the phones to the network elements and create the account.
cvg
E-mail below:
---------------
Thank you for your inquiry to Microsoft.
Microsoft Corporation has announced that it will make a donation of $10 million cash and technical services to support the relief and recovery efforts in the areas devastated by the tragic events of September 11.
The company will make a $5 million cash donation to The September 11 Fund, created by the United Way of New York City and The New York Community Trust. A remaining amount up to $5 million in services, software and volunteers will be made available to organizations serving people in the affected areas who are seeking technology-based solutions.
Microsoft will begin an outreach program to governmental agencies, nonprofit agencies and other community-based organizations to inform these organizations of the availability of technology assistance. Microsoft has already asked NPower New York, a recently created nonprofit technology service provider, to assess and dispatch technology services through their network of local agencies.
The technology assistance could possibly include:
- Providing internet access in temporary shelters,
- Creating a tracking system to assist in relief and recovery efforts,
- Coordinating technical volunteers to set up networks,
Microsoft's intent is to work with the various organizations active in the disaster and recovery response that may be ready to deploy a technology solution though an assessment of the technology needs must be made first.
For more information, please visit our website at
www.microsoft.com/giving.
Sincerely,
Microsoft Community Affairs
--
"Open source is good." - Steve Jobs
"Open source is evil." - Microsoft
ABC News just reported that contrary to earlier reports, rescue workers do need "small" things like gloves, work boots, Neosporin, flashlights, rain ponchos (rain is coming to the area), oxygen tanks, Kleenex, Band-Aids. If you are in the area, maybe you can point people to the proper places to help (and verify this info).
In the meantime, my company would LOVE to put some stuff together. We've already started helping a bit. rational software is putting together a van full of equipment and people to deliver. Please contact Ali Kaufman to see if you can help at all.
If you know of anyone else who can use computers or equipment in the NYC area in relation to this disaster, please tell her or me, dave, and we'll try to coordinate!! It's better than just sending a bunch a stuff and people down and saying, "TAKE IT!"
Dave
If you want to help by doing more than just participating in local ARES and RACES nets, you can actually show up to help. As of last night, the place to go was 150 Amsterdam Ave (corner of Amsterdam and 66th St. What you should really do though is check into the 147.000 (-, PL 136.5) repeater on your way into the city or the 444.050 (pl 114.8) repeater. These are controlled nets at the moment, so communicate with net control. You do not need to be currently affiliated with ARES or RACES to help. Over the next few days as the fervor dies down, operators will be needed more and more for the shelters which will be continuing to be open, as well as the support operations in the hot zone.
The area is truly a scary sight (These photos were taken last night by me.) and no matter where you are volunteering for them, you are supposed to participate in a debrief which includes psychological counseling if necessary.
If you are not a licensed ham, the Red Cross can still use your help, they desperatly need volunteers to man the shelters expecially nurses, doctors, and mental health professionals, but volunteers with no special training as well.
73,
Adam pennington - KB1ELI
Would you do it for some scoobie crack?
They are there runnig the packet network that is tied to a program called ARESDATA. it's a disaster victim location system.
Great software.... runs on XT laptops and uses 1200BPS standard Packet radio.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
I've been very impressed lately with the frequency and size of donations from businesses/corporations:
Microsoft donated [www.microsoft.com] $5M in cash to United Way in NY, $5M in licenses/support/tech help.
Sprint has donated [www.sprint.com] handsets and redirected a cell from NJ to NYPD. They've also provided phones for city, state and local government officials and to the American Red Cross for use in recovery efforts.
GE has pledged $10 million to a fund that will assist the families of the firefighters, police officers and emergency rescue personnel who perished while responding to the attack on the World Trade Center. [from www.ge.com]
AT&T has donated [www.att.com] $1M to American Red Cross and $10M in prepaid calling cards.
Verizon has offered [newscenter.verizon.com] free local calling to and from payphones on Manhattan streets.
I'm sure there are many more. As I look at Amazon's donation center, it looks like it's going up at about $4000/min.
This makes me proud to be an American.
... that's all i wrote...
Not entirely on topic, but I just heard a brief report on ABC that already there are already spammers soliciting bogus donations for WTC relief. Pretty bloody disgusting...anyone who would stoop so low is in serious need of a buckshot enema.
You're using her as bait, Master!