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February 24 2011

http://eq.org.nz what it is, how to help

I’ve been coordinating http://eq.org.nz/ a site supporting Christchurch’s earthquake recovery. This email explains what the site has been doing and how to help if you would like to.

About the site

Things that we have received feedback on:

  • a diabetic has thanked us for telling her where to get her insulin
  • parents finding out where they can buy food
  • reporting that some petrol stations that only have diesel left, so don’t go there

We are importing data directly from the Christchurch City Council’s mapping team. This means that the site provides the same information that the council does. The site is becoming a central hub for all of the community’s needs. We need volunteers to ensure that progress continues.

We have reached roughly 150,000 visits to the site in less than two days.

How to help

A useful webpage for learning about what we’re doing: http://wiki.crisiscommons.org/wiki/Christchurch_NZ_Earthquake_21.02.2011#Volunteers.

For people outside of Wellington, it means monitoring official sources, news media and unofficial sources for information. You can then submit that data to the site as a messages.

For people based in Wellington, it means donating roughly an hour every couple of days for the next few weeks. Volunteers act as moderators for incoming messages. We would like to do most of the moderating in Wellington, so that people can be in the same room when possible. This makes coordination much easier.

Messages can come in through several media:

Optimal Usability will be opening their doors for training / co-working. Entry criteria is being able to use Google to find the address:

  • 5pm - 8m (tonight)
  • 5pm - 11pm (Fri)
  • 11am - 8pm (Sat)
  • 11am - 8pm (Sun)

You can also help by organising a CrisisCamp. Crisis camps are co-working events that help build http://eq.org.nz and support its infrastructure.

Some projects that require volunteer teams:

  • creating screencasts of how to use http://eq.org.nz
  • creating printed maps for distribution within Christchurch welfare centres
  • customising iPhone and Android applications that have been built for Ushahidi (the technology behind http://eq.org.nz), so that they make sense to Cantabrians

These projects are listed on the CrisisCommons wiki. http://wiki.crisiscommons.org/wiki/CrisisCampNZ#Projects. If you would like to form a group and participate, please indicate on the wiki. Please also follow the instructions on the page to connect with everyone else around the world that is helping the project.

Who is helping

The site has been assisted by many organisations. Some of the biggest examples, in no order, are:

  • CrisisCommons.org’s international community for providing the initial site and support to the New Zealand team
  • Ko-ordinates for providing backend support to the site
  • Telecom NZ, Vodafone NZ & 2degrees for providing free txt 5627
  • Catalyst IT for providing over a dozen staff & facilities to provide the core infomation service
  • Telecom NZ, Vodafone NZ, 2degrees for providing volunteers with credit on their cell phones
  • Kestrel Group for providing expert advice and liason with Canterbury’s civil defence authorities
  • Google, especially its Sydney office, for providing its engineers & infrastructure
  • Optimal Usability for providing their staff and office space

Thank you. Thank you all.

  • Tim McNamara
  • CrisisCampNZ
  • @timClicks
  • paperless@timmcnamara.co.nz

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  1. tim-mcnamara posted this