Katrina: Community Wireless Rapid Response

OVERVIEW

If you'd like to help, please e-mail our Response Coordination Group: cu-wireless-response@cuwireless.net

Community Wireless Networking experts from throughout the United States are heading to the New Orleans/LA region to help rebuild their telecommunications infrastructure. Many people have stepped forward to offer their time and energy. But we also need your support to help defray expenses associated with this initiative. Please help us:

CUWiN is a project of the Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and all donations are tax deductible as allowed by law.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Pictures of the Community Wireless Response Teams in action.
Critical Equipment Needs & Mailing Address.
Map & Address of Staging Area.

Blogs From Those On-The-Ground:

UPDATES

Check the Response Team Blogs section in the left-hand column and the META-blog link above for the most recent updates.

SATURDAY, September 10, 2005

[05:00] New draft for Houston LPFM station finished.

FRIDAY, September 9, 2005

[20:10] Columbus, OH: Team ready to leave on Saturday or Sunday (September 10th or 11th) for Rayville, LA. If you would like to join this team, please contact: Doug Roberts - dnroberts@gmail.com.

[20:10] Denver, CO: Rochelle Paulet from Electro Comm Distributing in Denver has just secured a tractor-trailer and driver who will be leaving Denver next week sometime. If anyone wants to help acquire supplies for them to haul, contact: rochelle@electro-comm.com - 303-371-8182

[14:30] Washington Post covers our efforts.

[01:00] Buffalo, NY joins Community Wireless Rapid Response Team. Gets ready to hit the road for LA.

THURSDAY, September 8, 2005

[21:00] Team members Jake & Joel are heading to LA tomorrow from Houston and have put out a call for donations. If you're in Houston and have Wireless equipment you'd like to donate, drop a line to cu-wireless-response@cuwireless.net to let them know.

[20:10] Wireless Garden has donated 50 cantennas, tripods and other equipment to support the work of our field teams in setting up wireless connectivity in evacuee camps.

[18:00] Emergency Radio Services Low Power FM Radio Station still barred from going on-air by R.W. Royall. Please contact the following folks to register your concern with keeping this legal radio station from broadcasting:

    R.W. Royall's boss is the Harris County Fire Marshall, Mike Montgomery - 281-931-1085. Marsha N. Lindsay is his executive assistant.

    480 N. Sam Houston Pkwy, Suite 105
    Houston, Texas 77060-3521
    Fire.Marshal@fmo.hctx.net

    http://www.hcfmo.net/default.asp

[15:30] (from AllAccess Music Group Story) "Organizers are working to get a low-power FM station in the ASTRODOME up and running, after the FCC approved an emergency application to establish the 30 watt station to serve the NEW ORLEANS evacuees still residing at the stadium. The 30 watt station at 95.3 FM will be operated by volunteers spearheaded by AUSTIN AIRWAVES founder JAMES ELLINGER and the HOUSTON branch of the INDYMEDIA web site (who produce a show for PACIFICA's KPFT/HOUSTON); officials have prevailed upon the station operators to hold off until radios with headphones can be obtained and distributed so that people can listen without disturbing others."

[14:55] Radio Evacuation Services (the Website) Goes Live. We're still blocked from transmitting at the Astrodome, but the building of the infrastructure continues apace!

[12:05] Columbus, OH Rapid Response Team to leave Saturday or Sunday (September 10th or 11th) for Rayville, LA. If you would like to join this team, please contact: Doug Roberts - dnroberts@gmail.com.

[09:40] LPFM implementers vow to press on, FCC license in hand, in spite of "abominable" behavior by Astrodome authorities.

[08:25] Gulfport, MS -- Community Wireless Response Plan (7-8 Red Cross shelters, ~3000 evacuees; Time: 3-4 days, including travel)

[06:35] Information on Battery/Solar WAP rigs (thanks Elektra).

WEDNESDAY, September 7, 2005

[20:30] From Jake's Blog:

    Rita Obey is the person that told Austin Airwaves they had to have 10,000 radios before they could broadcast. We purchased a number of radios and while we’ve had some issues with this, it was just a meaningless golden egg. We called her bluff by getting the radios lined up to be purchased and they threw something else out.

    At 16:29 (CST) today, RW Royal Jr. Incident Commander of the JIC (Joint Information Committee) has denied Austin Airwaves the ability to run the emergency low power FM radio station inside of the dome. This is contrary to the FCC licenses that have been issued to Austin Airwaves. However RW Royal Jr is a member of the JIC. He has decided to deny the request. When they asked why they were being turned down, they were told that the Astrodome could not provide them with electricity. When the Austin Airwaves team offered to run on battery backup, they were still denied.

    This is an OUTRAGE.

    The people on the ground I spoke with personally asked me why I was there. I told them that I was with a group helping to bring emergency radio information to them. Broadast from right inside the dome. Those people were overjoyed to hear that they would get a radio station with emergency information, with information on job interviews, food, housing, lost children, found person, clothing and other important information. It breaks my heart.

    Why has this man denied this? Why is the government going out of its way to stop us from helping people?

[14:45] (from Will Hawkins) We just completed a 20 computer deployment in Reliant Arena [the Astrodome]. Within the first minutes of operation we have reunited a survivor with his family. This is truly unbelievable. I posted a slightly longer story about it on my blog.

[13:56] News from Houston relates that the LPFM folks continue to have difficulty getting into the Astrodome to set up shop. The red tape is so thick that even considerable political connections have not been able to slice the Gordian knot.

[13:55] The Team from Chicago is now set up at the "WISPA Crisis Center" near Rayville, Louisiana. They have put an update of their work on the Center for Neighborhood Technology site. They are looking to expand operations into other communities. They are now available toll free: 866 221 6237.

TUESDAY, September 6, 2005

[19:07] Multiple offers have come in from places far and wide to make available wireless equipment. We await word from the on-the-ground team to see what is needed. For anyone headed to the disaster area, we are told that bringing extra gasoline is essential.

[19:05] On the LPFM front, there are reports that the radio engineers headed to the Astrodome have been hung up dealing with miscommunications about the project with FEMA and local officials (despite being issued a permit to broadcast from the FCC). The resolution of these problems at this point is unknown.

[19:00] News from our folks on the ground: One team of two wireless engineers from Chicago are in Louisiana now, finding their way through traffic to the rendezvous point in Rayville, LA. They have a minivan full of wireless gear and a good deal of intelligence of local needs gleaned from a day on the cell phone. The second team of three network operators has just gathered in Houston. They are meeting with the LPFM folks at the Astrodome, gathering wireless gear, and making preparations for a trip into Louisiana. Both groups will be working to assess needs and proceed with the job at hand. Requests for equipment, expertise and further assistance will be relayed out from there.

[03:20] LPFM transmitter is expected to arrive in Houston on Wednesday.

[01:25] Jacob Appelbaum will be blogging on his experiences while working on this initiative.

[01:00] www.EvacuationRadioServices.org URL bought for online presence for Houston Astrodome Low Power FM radio station. Hope is to have an initial site up later today. The LPFM station will provide critical information to refugees in the area. 10,000 radios & the batteries to power them are also still desperately needed.

[00:20] The Houston Team has been in contact with DirectNIC (the last remaining ISP and possibly internet connection in New Orleans) about their supply needs and is hoping to organize a supply run to them.

MONDAY, September 5, 2005

[23:45] Advance team just reported in and is on the road and expecting to arrive at Mac's farm around mid-afternoon Monday. The advance team is already reporting that food, water, and (especially) gas are in short supply, even well outside the immediate disaster area. If you are anywhere within the area of Rayvill, LA let us know if you can deliver any supplies.

[23:15] Third team is readying to deploy from Columbus, OH.

[21:10] Link to BoingBoing article on this initiative: http://www.boingboing.net/2005/09/05/update_on_wireless_k.html

[20:55] Two teams are now scheduled to leave within the next 24 hours heading to the NOLA region and to Houston.

[19:10] Just off the phone with folks working on the Houston Astrodome LPFM station (stay "tuned" for more information about that). Right now, authorities are saying that before they go live with the station they need to get 10,000 radios for distribution (and 20,000+ batteries to run them). If you have leads on how to do this, please contact Tish immediately.

[17:45] In-the-Field Engineering Tips sent over from Paul Smith over at CNT.

[16:55] Community Wireless Networking folks have received confirmation to utilize Mac's place as a base of operations:

Part 15 Relief
107 McManus Rd.
Rayville, LA 71269

Our advance team will be setting up their center of operations there.

[16:25] The FCC approved a 30Watt Low-Power FM station for the Houston Astrodome. Community organizers are on site getting things set up and equipment is being shipped in to get this new radio station on the air ASAP.

[14:10] Just off the phone shoring up logistics with our advance team. They are hoping to leave either tonight or tomorrow morning and will drive (airplane tix are unbelievably expensive) and should be on site by the end of the day Tuesday.

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