FCC Seeks Tech Donations for Katrina Aid

An anonymous reader writes "BoingBoing is reporting on the FCC accepting donations of tech services and equipment: '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.' Efforts are being organized through PART-15.ORG."

Comments

Re:Where's the HAM operators?

[gila_monster]

They are setting up shop in Missippi, the Florida panhandle, and other surrounding areas. Unfortunately, there are still issues and logistics problems involved in getting operators to NOLA itself. The area needs to be secured first. One ham I know was specifically told not to enter the area with his truck carrying 200 gallons of fuel -- the fear was that he would be waylaid as he drove through the city.

gm

Re:MOD PARENT DOWN

[evol262]

Why is it small potatoes exactly? The cost in human lives and property damage is far higher, and the situation is worse in every measurable way. The war didn't prevent any attacks on the US. I'm sure Saddamn would have loved to take a crack at us, if he could, but he was an extremely secular leader (not associated with the religious nutjobs in Al-Qaeda) who would not have jeopardized his situation through a terrorist attack on the US. SCUDs didn't have nearly the range to hit the US. They could barely hit Israel. Afghanistan is a warzone with no infrastructure (we destroyed it all) largely controlled by regional warlords. Neither Afghanistan nor Iraq had the navy or airpower to attack the US. Period. All we're doing is giving foreign nationals (most of the terrorists in either country are from Saudi, Pakistan, and other countries) experience fighting that they would have gotten in Chechnya before so they can hit us harder next time once they know our tactics. Stop posting bullshit.

Re:paging Dick Cheney

[PocketPick]

Cheney no longer has stock in Halliburton

Not true. Cheney has stock options, but thier unexercied. Likewise, he has defered compensation which he likely will reap upon completion of the second term.

Not everyone can leave

[Kiaser Wilhelm II]

There are plenty of people who wanted to leave but they simply didn't have the resources to do so.

Remember, much of the population in New Orleans is poor to very poor. Most of these people have no cars of their own to use.

Re:paging Dick Cheney

[evol262]

The deferred compensation is his salary. They spread it out over a few years to avoid taxes. I should have said, Cheney is not making any money off of his stock options. It's true that he still has stock that expires in 2007, but all after-tax proceeds are forfeit while he's in office.

DONATE NOW

[Anonymous Coward]

American Red Cross

Provides a full spectrum of services to disaster victims, including shelter, medical care, food, clean water and assisting with cleanup efforts.

http://www.redcross.org/

https://www2.redcross.org/donate/donation-form.asp

Salvation Army:

Providing hot meals to displaced disaster victims and emergency personnel working to aid those devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/USNSAHome.htm

https://secure5.salvationarmy.org/donations.nsf/do nate?openform&projectid=USN-hurricane05

United Way

Identifying serious needs of devastated communities and helping not only with front-line disaster relief but with long-term recovery.

http://national.unitedway.org/

https://volunteer.united-e-way.org/hurricane-katri na/donate/

America's Second Harvest

Transports food to victims and secures additional warehouse space to assist member food banks in resuming and maintaining operations.

http://www.secondharvest.org/default.asp

https://www.kintera.org/AutoGen/Simple/Donor.asp?i event=67898

Feed the Children

Mobilizing and distributing supplies in hurricane devastated areas.

http://www.feedthechildren.org/site/PageServer?pag ename=usw_hurricane_katrina

https://secure2.convio.net/ftc/site/Donation?ACTIO N=SHOW_DONATION_OPTIONS&CAMPAIGN_ID=2661

Habitat for Humanity

Helping disaster victims rebuild piece by piece and house by house.

http://www.habitat.org/

https://www.habitat.org/donation/generaldonation/d efault.aspx?media=habitat&lander=MP&sourcecode=10w 39&tg=katrina&keyword=homepage_08302005

Why not use the existing emergency supplies?

[nuggz]

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WEATHER/09/03/katrina.unus edgear/index.html

Forget coordinating donations.
Take the available equipment you ALREADY have, and use it.

As for immediate help, deploy the appropriate military units from the US and accept assistance from allied nations (ie Canada).

Re:Where's the HAM operators?

[Anonymous Coward]

Where are we? You can find us at any of these frequencies (below). By the way, where are *you*?

I have to go now. I just received another block of 100 names and addresses to notify next of kin, and will pay my long-distance charges to call them to let them know their aunt / uncle / parents / kids / brother is alive and well.

I'll take care of that - you rest.

AMATEUR HIGH-FREQUENCY GULF COAST HURRICANE NETS

03845.0 LSB Gulf Coast West Hurricane
03862.5 LSB Mississippi Section Traffic
03873.0 LSB Central Gulf Coast Hurricane
03873.0 LSB Louisiana ARES Emergency (night)
03873.0 LSB Texas ARES Emergency (night)
03873.0 LSB Mississippi ARES Emergency
03910.0 LSB Mississippi ARES
03910.0 LSB Louisiana Traffic
03923.0 LSB Mississippi ARES
03925.0 LSB Central Gulf Coast Hurricane
03925.0 LSB Louisiana Emergency (altn)
03935.0 LSB Central Gulf Coast Hurricane
03935.0 LSB Louisiana ARES (health & welfare)
03935.0 LSB Texas ARES (health & welfare)
03935.0 LSB Mississippi ARES (health & welfare)
03935.0 LSB Alabama Emergency
03940.0 LSB Southern Florida Emergency
03950.0 LSB Northern Florida Emergency
03955.0 LSB South Texas Emergency
03965.0 LSB Alabama Emergency (altn)
03967.0 LSB Gulf Coast (outgoing traffic)
03975.0 LSB Texas RACES
03993.5 LSB Gulf Coast (health & welfare)
03995.0 LSB Gulf Coast Wx

07225.0 LSB Central Gulf Coast Hurricane
07235.0 LSB Louisiana Emergency
07235.0 LSB Central Gulf Coast Hurricane
07235.0 LSB Louisiana Emergency
07240.0 LSB American Red Cross US Gulf Coast Disaster
07240.0 LSB Texas Emergency
07243.0 LSB Alabama Emergency
07245.0 LSB Southern Louisiana
07248.0 LSB Texas RACES
07250.0 LSB Texas Emergency
07260.0 LSB Gulf Coast West Hurricane
07264.0 LSB Gulf Coast (health & welfare)
07265.0 LSB Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio (SATERN) (altn)
07273.0 LSB Texas ARES (altn)
07280.0 LSB NTS Region 5
07280.0 LSB Louisiana Emergency (altn)
07283.0 LSB Gulf Coast (outgoing only)
07285.0 LSB West Gulf ARES Emergency (day)
07285.0 LSB Louisiana ARES Emergency (day)
07285.0 LSB Mississippi ARES Emergency
07285.0 LSB Texas ARES Emergency (day)
07290.0 LSB Central Gulf Coast Hurricane
07290.0 LSB Gulf Coast Wx
07290.0 LSB Texas ARES (health & welfare)
07290.0 LSB Louisiana ARES (health & welfare) (day)
07290.0 LSB Texas ARES (health & welfare)
07290.0 LSB Mississippi ARES (health & welfare)

14265.0 USB Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio (SATERN) (health & welfare) 14300.0 USB Intercontinental Traffic
14300.0 USB Maritime Mobile Service
14303.0 USB International Assistance & Traffic
14313.0 USB Intercontinental Traffic (altn)
14313.0 USB Maritime Mobile Service (altn)
14316.0 USB Health & Welfare
14320.0 USB Health & Welfare
14325.0 USB Hurricane Watch (Amateur-to-National Hurricane Center)
14340.0 USB Louisiana (1900)

Re:PEOPLE NEED FOOD, WATER, AND MEDICINE NOT INTER

[uncadonna]

Families have been split up. People need to find each other.

Groups of people are stuck on roofs and under underpasses. The buses and helicopters need to know where to go.

Information needs to be collected and disseminated from a lot of places.

That's where the tech comes in. These are not trivial needs now.

They should have been set up in advance, but like a lot of other things that should have been set up in advance, apparently they weren't.

Re:Where's the HAM operators?

[Chanc_Gorkon]

Try doing a little research:

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2005/08/30/1/?nc= 1

The ARRL is also asking for volunteers on thier website. Thier are hams operationg from Slidell, and there was also a active station on top of LSU hospital. There has not been a bigger effort because it's incredibly HARD to get around in New Orleans right now. The hams ARE there, have been there and are proceeding to setup operations. Remember, it even took the military sometime to assemble staff and supplies necessary for the effort.

Re:MOD PARENT DOWN

[grumbel]

#### The war didn't prevent any attacks on the US.
### And you know that how?

Maybe you have missed the fact that the US invaded the country, searched it for month and found absolutly no evidance of any plans to attack to US?

Re:Where's the HAM operators?

[JHDrexler]

Hey Dude, if you can get me a list of people to call then I will donate the phone time to call them.

If I don't confirm receipt, then I didn't it.

JHDrexler