[ale] Katrina Disaster - Essential Phone Services - Volunteer Request

[Brian Whigham]

Good-willed Citezens of North Georgia,

Many of us want to help those affected by the recent hurricane.  There 
is still much work to be done.  This is an SOS to all of you.  You can 
help get telephone services to relief workers, military personnel, and 
victims.  Imagine how much that will help the recovery effort!

We need you guys to come and help out, anything from packing up boxes
for shipping to coding and set up of [VoIP] endpoints, it will be only in the
evening and weekends unless our services are needed at other times.

That task today is to build out a 500 endpoint asterisk server updating
500 UA'S and testing that they work pack it up, and ship it out. 


We mustered a small force last evening.  We really need more hands.  We 
have enough work for an eight-hour shift for 150 people (1200 
man-hours).  Per Bill, everyone will need a laptop with at least Windows 
2000.  I know y'all are Linux lovers, but this is what we need to run 
the update software for the endpoints (analog telephone adapters).  No 
expertise is needed; so bring your wives, girlfriends, or husbands.  
Please don't bring children, however.

Bill Learning is my POC.  He is lead of the VOIP Core Group, which has 
been tasked by FEMA/FCC to deploy four Asterisk servers with 500 VoIP 
endpoints each.  He will keep me up to date so I can relay the 
information to you.  More background is attached.

We may set up a special mailing list for the effort.  If you are 
interested, please send a message to katrina at itaki.net .  Please put 
"Katrina Volunteer" in the subject line when you offer your help and 
include contact information.  You may also call me directly.

Today, we'll be getting started about 12 pm.  There have been some 
issues with building access.  Verso Technologies' office, where we're 
staging this effort, is a secure facility.  Bill is arranging a new 
authorization method for volunteers.  Please bring some form of photo 
ID, preferably a Driver's License.

Verso Technologies is located in Atlanta near Cobb Pkwy near the 
Cumberland mall (I-75 & I-285):

*Verso Technologies*
400 Galleria Parkway Southeast Suite 300
Atlanta, GA  30339

MAP:
http://infospace.mapquest.com/mqmapgend?MQMapGenRequest=FDR2dmwjDE%3Buanuw:HOEvq%3Babg501:%29rr5g42:%26%40%24:%26%40y:ga8:qzt:VO%16P%2AE%14JrblVkj3me,M%18FD:HOHQJ%3Babg501:%29rr5g42:%26%40%24:%26%40%24n9%40

So, come on out.  We'll appreciate the help.  More importantly, those 
who receive telephone service will appreciate it.  And if you can't make 
it today, we still would like your contact info to inform you of 
opportunities in the coming days and weeks.

Remember:
Time:  12pm - ?, today, Saturday 9/10/05
Place:  Verso Technologies
Bring:  Laptop(s), a friend with a laptop

Thanks,

Brian Whigham

katrina at itaki.net
Yonder Networks
478-442-1678
360-743-0217
888-770-3421
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An embedded message was scrubbed...
From: "Learning, Bill" <bill.learning at verso.com>
To: ale at ale.org
Subject: RE: [Aaug] AAUG Katrina Disaster Help
Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2005 01:14:37 -0400
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