scenario 1

[paola....@gmail.com]

just a scenario

Assuming there are cargo ships loaded with supplies ready to anchor, they would be wondering now: what do we do with the stufff?  they probalbly try to coordinate with local people asking them for suggestions, but they have limited capacity to handle communication, and guess what. limited real time information

Imagine that people from thie cargo ships could log onto a website (or a network of online resources updated in real time) where they could find maps, telephone nrs, sit reps, and locate where supplies are needed, without having to ask anyone and allocate tportions of their cargo accordingly, maybe just make a phone call to verify that what they read is actually still acurate and uptodate. 

Maybe even find out who has got vehicles to deliveries to those areas already, or where emtpy and unused trucks can be found. etc

maybe they could log on and update the available information with what they find.
etc

that aggregated online resource would have to coordinate the information not just from one agency, but from
everyone  in order to be completely useful


I think this is what we are doing


what dya say


pdm

On 6/1/06, paola....@gmail.com <paola....@gmail.com> wrote:

Hay Paul
very good question, I am glad you are bringing this up

I do not know where everyone else stands, but let's start with the simple let's create information perspective. I am an information professional, and information systems engineer
so that's what I do.

For example, do you, or anyone else,  know what is the situation out there at the moment, in terms of who is where  (displaced, ngos, volunteeers), and who needs what?  (probably not exactly as it is changing all the time)

But we have the tools to pinpoint that to some degree of precision

Unless  information flow is set up  and constantly updated, the picture will never be complete

What I think we we are doing here is trying to create an open infranstracture
made of

lists
blogs
wikis
maps
tools to keep track of supplies

so that everyone can help to

update the information
structure information
use that information,

I am sure the model looks chaotic, and until we all figure our where we fit we can only watch what others are doing, but i am sure once we understand the motion, its going to be easy to go with the flow and come up with ways of contribting

Assuming, for example, that we can have a list, albeit partial,of shelters where information can be published about who is staying there and what they need,  and which organisation are manning the place already on location who can halp, I think those shelters would be more efficient.  One efficient node can help other nodes to be efficient to.

I think if we create information, that information will be available to anyone who wants to  make their operations more efficient either in relation to aspecific location, or anywhere else

this could hapen in one day, one month, one or more years

but i think it can happen easily

I am sure you'll come up with some ideas on how you can help - I support starting gathering and validating current information from all the sources that you mention would be very helpful
Maybe these sources could in turn benefit from an aggregated and structured view of what they currently have all fragemented

look forward to more of your ideas and input

pdm

On 6/1/06, Paul Currion <pa...@currion.net > wrote:

Can I expand this question: what exactly are we trying to achieve?  The reason that I ask is that I want to help - that's why I joined the group - but I'm not quite sure who all this effort is targeted at.  Who are we expecting to use these services?

It also seems that a lot of work is going into acquiring data from free sources, when it might be better to go through UNOSAT, OCHA or the USG, who tend to source such data and make it available for humanitarian work.  Remote mapping is of limited use to operational agencies, due to the need for ground truthing post-disaster.

I think the swarm approach to issues such as cleaning up spatial data is a perfect fit - it's really a brute force exercise - but only if there's somebody at the other end to pick up on it.  I don't mean to sound negative, but I'd like to contribute - I'm just not sure how?

cheers

Paul C


Angelo Embuldeniya wrote:

let's pose the question again:

why do we need a phone line?

  

Mikel/Wendy suggested they need coordinates off gps units.
We can ferry requests via sms from people to offers of assistance
have a line open to report aftershocks/quakes/urgent info
    

-- 
Paul Currion

UK / CELL: + 44 79 46 82 45 46
UK / LAND: + 44 20 71 93 71 67
MSN / SKYPE / YAHOO / IRC: paulcurrion
Web / 

www.humanitarian.info / www.currion.net

--
Paola Di Maio
Systems Analyst
www.content-wire.com

--
Paola Di Maio
Systems Analyst
www.content-wire.com

[Angelo Embuldeniya]

The reason UNJLC is not there on the ground at the time is because of
a delay with a request for int'l assistance by the indo govt.,
initially the UNDAC were requested to deploy for field coordination of
relief efforts after a long wait from the Indo GOvt. while offers of
kind assistance re logistics was provided by other country teams onthe
ground atm. Nancy is right that it's usually the UNJLC who works it
out, however there there just might be a slight possibility that the
UNJLC might be in the field if requested to do so soon.

I've also been informed that MapAction will be on the ground by Sunday
morning where they'll be producing/processing coordinates maps for
NGOs.

Contact info for teams doing the logistics side of things in Java atm
are as follows:

SHA - Daniel Beyeler (daniel....@sdc.net) field phone: +41 79 689 96 00
IFRC ERU Logistics - Justin Cuckow (britis...@ifrc.org)

hope that helped,
angelo.

On 6/1/06, Nancy Bohrer <nancy....@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Usually UNJLC http://www.unjlc.org/ does the cooridnation, but they don't
> seem to be involved here.
>
> If you look on the Relief Web website, there will probably be info on who is
> doing cargo coordination, and when and where the daily meetings occur among
> all the NGO's.
>
> Indonesia may be doing the cooridnation--another possibiity. Think it's all
> on the websites that are referenced in the wiki.
>
> Nancy

> --
> Thanks,
>
> Nancy Bohrer
> nancy.bohrer on Google talk

[Wendy Edwards]

Would it be worthwhile for us to see about coordinating with the
MapAction folks? Who are SF's expected users?

[Judith Barnett]

Would any of the maps here help:
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/AHAA-6QBHYL?OpenDocument&rc=3&emid=EQ-2006-000064-IDN

[paola....@gmail.com]

Thanks Judith
sure they are interesting, maybe we should link stuff like that to our wikis

p

On 6/2/06, Judith Barnett <jmba...@gmail.com> wrote:

Would any of the maps here help:
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/AHAA-6QBHYL?OpenDocument&rc=3&emid=EQ-2006-000064-IDN


On 6/1/06, Wendy Edwards <mrs...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Would it be worthwhile for us to see about coordinating with the
> MapAction folks?  Who are SF's expected users?
>
> On 6/1/06, Angelo Embuldeniya <angelo.em...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > The reason UNJLC is not there on the ground at the time is because of
> > a delay with a request for int'l assistance by the indo govt.,
> > initially the UNDAC were requested to deploy for field coordination of
> > relief efforts after a long wait from the Indo GOvt. while offers of
> > kind assistance re logistics was provided by other country teams onthe
> > ground atm. Nancy is right that it's usually the UNJLC who works it
> > out, however there there just might be a slight possibility that the
> > UNJLC might be in the field if requested to do so soon.
> >
> > I've also been informed that MapAction will be on the ground by Sunday
> > morning where they'll be producing/processing coordinates maps for
> > NGOs.
> >
> > Contact info for teams doing the logistics side of things in Java atm
> > are as follows:
> >

> > SHA - Daniel Beyeler ( daniel....@sdc.net) field phone: +41 79 689 96 00